LAST friday afternoon, Fr. Joe and myself arrived in the rural village of ELEANGANY.I was particularly interested in returning to this village because the late Micheal Gately had given outstanding support to the establishment of a local Community College there which is now offering 28 students the opportunity to study computer applications and fashion designing at third level. Micheal single-handedly fund raised a very significant proportion of the money needed to run the college since July 2009. As a result he had a very strong personal connection with Eleanganny. The Child Aid Ireland team had visited the college on the afternoon following which Micheal had his stroke. Micheal's death was very grievously felt by the college and by the village, so Iwished to return there for some of my last days in Tamil Nadu.
On Friday we met the students and teachers of the Community College and had some conversation with them. These students are mostly from Eleanganny or nearby villages. For them to attend a third level college elsewhere would mean long travel to strange surroundings. So the vision of the Community College here was that local students and students from a certain radius around would be able to get their education much more locally.
On the Saturday morning, Joe and I concelebrated mass at 7.30 a.m., at a mouuntain shrine. I estimated there about 300 people present of all ages, and it was a lovely quiet and spiritual celebration of the eucharist. The presence of the people to the celebration was quite remarkable. They all sat on the mountainy ground in front of the very small chapel/shrine.
Then on Sunday morning at the parish second mass, at 8 a.m., we celebrated a Memorial Mass for Michael. The front of the altar was decorated by a big banner of appreciation for Michael's work for this village. There was also a beautifully framed photograph of Michael near the altar, and very large pictures of himself and his dog at the entrance to the church.
The big parish church was packed with people of all ages, from the very old to the very young. Every age was present. The mass was concelebrated by the parish priest, Fr. John Bosco, Fr. Joe, Ft. Stan (a great personal friend of Michael), and myself. The signging was wonderful, lifting the roof! The participation in the prayers was enthusiastic. And, of course, the Indians took their usual position for attending mass: they sat on the floor.
At the end of the mass, there were speeches from Fr. John Bosco, Fr. Stan, Mr. Peria (college principal) and myself - all us us expressing the great sadness of this good man's death, and our appreciation of what he had given to the Community College coming into being. There was vast applause throughout - for Michael and his work. Afterwards loads of people came to look at the banner in front of the altar, and I noticed many of the women particularly coming forward to kiss a beautifully framed recent picture of Micheal.
All in all, it was a wonderful faith-filled celebration of the eucharist, and I was so glad to be with all the people of Eleanganny and the Community College at a time of great loss for them.
