My commitment in the Social apostolate
Xavier Jeyaraj SJ, designated Assistant Secretary at the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat, Rome,
“Will anyone volunteer to go to Bombay to help in an action research study on the eviction of pavement and slum dwellers conducted by a Social Work College?” asked my Rector while I was doing my first year of philosophy in Pune in 1985. As a young scholastic, least interested in any work against eviction during the Puja vacation but rather more interested in seeing Bombay city in its festivity, I volunteered to go along with a few friends. God’s ways are strange. He works in and through our human desires.
At this visit I never expected to receive a life time shock of witnessing the shanty houses totally bulldozed and all their utensils and clothes strewn around, children crying and trying to gather whatever they could salvage from the rubbles. When I heard that the demolition squad comes at night, not during the day, a few of us decided to spend the nights on the pavements of Bombay. I could not believe what was happening. Many questions arose from deep within. I received no answers. But that was the beginning of my inner search and a genuine passion for working for justice among the marginalized and victimized. The passion that I felt on that day has not diminished or wavered even today. Since then, this “eviction experience” of mine in Bombay has remained almost like a foundation experience for my insertion into social apostolate, though I have witnessed worse human right violations, human-made calamities, and destruction of human lives after that.
On completing my philosophy studies, I returned to the same College to pursue
Masters in Social Work (MSW) to equip myself to continue working with the poor.
While in College, I was privileged - rather I chose - to work in Narmada valley
with Ms. Medha Patkar, a well known social activist in India against the
Narmada dam. I will never forget her simple life and commitment to the cause of
the tribals in the valley. It has remained a big challenge to my own religious
life and commitment.
After my ordination in November 1993, I was assigned to teach Sociology at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. While teaching, I continued my passion to work among the underprivileged, especially the slum and pavement dwellers. In order to provide an education to their children, I motivated some of the College students, through the social service wing of the College, to bring the children together in one of the classrooms of the College and teach them there. This initiative was later christened as “TITLI”, meaning butterflies, and was incorporated as a parallel school within St. Xavier’s Collegiate School. During these years of teaching, I completed Legal studies in 1998 as an additional tool to advocate the cause of the poor.
In 1998, I requested my Provincial to relieve me from the College, so as to get involved full time in social action. With the support and encouragement of the Provincial, I began the Province Social Action Centre called Udayani Social Action Forum and was in charge until I was appointed the Secretary of the Social Apostolate for South Asia in 2007. Through Udayani, I worked among the most deprived santal tribals and the marginalized dalits and among the slum and pavement dwellers of Kolkata city. We initiated diploma courses and trainings to multiply grass root social workers. It was a difficult and a challenging task to initiate something new, yet it was an immensely enriching and fulfilling experience both spiritually and in my commitment to the call of faith that does justice. This enriched and strengthened my faith in a very special way.
In the last 4 years as Secretary of JESA (JEsuits in Social Action) in South Asia, I gave myself fully to whatever promoted greater bond, unity, collective reflection and action among our men in social action. It was a humbling experience to learn much more from our Jesuit social activists and others than what I could contribute. It is with the similar sense of hope and desire, but not without fear, that I take up the new assignment at SJES sometime in January 2012. Relying on your prayers and support I entrust myself fully to His greater service.
Xavier Jeyaraj SJ
Jesuits in Social Action Secretary
Delhi, India (until 15 October 2011)
