A Few Questions

on the Jesuit Alumni Movement

– Snehasis Sur

One Headmaster once very clearly said at a meeting of the former students that the old students generally come back to their Alma Mater either for admission of their children or for their wives' job. The statement is not totally incorrect, but no doubt suffers from a bit of simplification or generalisation. These could definitely be the major reasons, but there is of course something else, may be nostalgia, may be involvement, may be just like that or may be an  intention  to do something for the Alma Mater, that continue to bring so many past pupils to their beloved Alma Mater on a regular basis.

Participation of the Alumni/ae in the development of the institution is now a very common practice. Alumni/ae are called the stake holders in the official forums like University Grants Commission (UGC) National Accreditation & Assessment Committee, commonly known as NAAC, etc. and in several committees of the College there is a representation of the Alumni/ae. However, we in St. Xavier's consider us as family members of a big Xaverian family headed by the Jesuit Priests and comprised of the present and past students, teachers and non teaching staff.

The major institutions like IITs and IIMs have also done a lot in organising the support of their Alumni/ae. The recently transformed Presidency University in Kolkata is also giving lot of importance on this. Several scholarships and projects are being funded by the alumni/ae of these institutions over and above some of the infrastructural developments of their Alma Mater undertaken by the former students.

But, a question comes to my mind that if supporting the alma mater is the main duty of the Alumni/ae of all the institutions, then in which way are the Jesuit Alumni/ae different? I think here lies the whole difference. Is an alumnus and/or alumna recognised by others in society of having Jesuit education by the way of his/her behaviour, attitude, discipline and competence?

In modern education system it may not be possible to separately train a student, especially at the college level, the Jesuit Values. In fact the Jesuit Values can not to be taught as such but can be learnt and that too by seeing the attitude, behaviours and ways of life of the Jesuit Priests.

So, when the former students assemble in their Alma Mater, there is definitely a scope of inculcating the Jesuit values and ideals, as there is lot of time available to the former students, which are not with the present students. That is why the orientation programmes are planned for the Alumni/ae at the SXCCAA platforms, which may be extended to Retreat like experiences of more than one day programme. The history and evolutions of the Jesuits, their administrative set up all over the world, their role in Education and most importantly Ignatian Spirituality and other allied things are exposed to the Alumni/ae in such orientation programmes.

One of the main goals of an organised Jesuit Alumni/ae movement is to form an organised, well disciplined, competent army without arms dedicated to the Alma Mater, so that this army of lay people can come forward to assist the Jesuit Priests, as and when required. It is a fact that the number of Jesuit Priests is decreasing all over the world but their establishments are expanding to cope up with the modern challenges and requirements. So, the order of the day is to create a strong, dedicated and competent third force after the Jesuit Fathers and Brothers to assist them in carrying forward the mantles of the Jesuit Order and its various activities. The third force is nothing but the Alumni/ae, who are sentimentally attached to the Jesuit values, having acquired the excellence and discipline through Jesuit Education.

This clarion call has already been given by none other than the Fathers Superior Generals of the Jesuit Order to the Alumni/ae to come forward. Now, it is time for us to prepare ourselves to be worthy to behave like Lay-Jesuits. The Alumni/ae Associations should create appropriate opportunities to prepare oneself in this process.

I have attended one National and one International Convention of the Jesuit Alumni/ae, but did not find this idea being discussed there. So, let us set this as one of our main agenda now and go forward in achieving it, as the future lies on the success of this process.

We must try to understand the difference between a Jesuit Alumnus/alumna and the one passed out from other esteemed institutions, through the difference in their attitude and priorities in life. It is much easier to say that the motto of the Jesuit Alumni/ae is to be the Men & Women for Others, but it is very difficult to follow that in our day to day lives. A Jesuit Alumnus/alumna has a dual role to play; one is his/her love, respect, indebtedness and support to the Alma Mater and secondly a greater role of a Good Samaritan in society to thrive for the righteous and just situation always supporting the weak and the marginalised.

The word Jesuit primarily refers to the Priests of the Order, but it is a set of values in life, attitude towards society, principles and priorities in one's engagement with others, which if practiced can really transform the society to a great extent and let us march towards that through the Jesuit Alumni/ae movement.