Fr. Joseph Mathias S.J.: Pioneer in Integral Human Formation for Clergy and Religious

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

26 June 2014: In a fast changing world, when vocations to priesthood and religious life are practically on decline and amidst the criticism that a number of priests and religious are not in sync with the requirements of the community in particular and society in general,  when there is a widespread feeling among many religious and laity that those who have dedicated to the service of Christ and faithful lack empathy with the common people as a result of various factors, the Jesuit priest from Shirva has become a pioneer in Integral Human  Formation for Clergy and Religious. It is quite interesting to trace the journey of Fr. Joseph Mathias S.J. from his humble beginning from Shirva to Ranchi and eventually to be the counsellor for priests and religious.

Since many years, the chief ministry of Fr. Joseph Mathias has been the formation of priests and religious with deep-rooted emotional and personality problems through counselling. Realizing the problems faced by the clergy and religious in modern times while dealing with the laity, Fr. Joseph felt that the normal training of the seminarians and religious has not been integral enough to effectively handle the various issues such as inter-personal relations and emotional and sexual maturity. His aim has been to create awareness for the need and urgency for integral formation of the future leaders of the church. This, what he calls”Psycho-Spiritual Approach to Priestly and Religious Formation”.

According to Fr. Joseph, many priests and religious have been good as administrators and functionaries. However, they lack skills in inter-personal relations, team-work and bringing about collaboration between laity and clergy. As a result many priests and religious do not come across as effective pastors and spiritual leaders.

 

Fr. Joseph Mathias S.J.

Fr. Joseph Mathias was born in Shirva on 16 April 1947 as the fifth among 12 children, eight sons and four daughters of late Fabian and Mary Mathias. His immediate elder sister,  Sr. Fabiola is a nun in the Bethany Congregation. Joseph had his primary and higher primary education in Don Bosco and St. Mary’s Schools in Shirva. Having decided to join the Jesuit order and work as  a missionary in the remote Ranchi Province, Joseph went to the Jesuit formation House named Gonzaga House at Mangalore from where he continued his studies from ninth up to PUC in St. Aloysius High School and  College.

While pursuing his studies, Joseph developed other skills such as singing and dramatics. He recalled having acted in a musical play composed by  Gilbert O’Sullivan named “Mikado” based on the legendary Japanese emperor.

 

Parents of Fr. Joseph-Late Fabian and  Late Mary Mathias

 

Fr. Joseph Mathias as young priest

 

Fr. Joseph with Mother and Brothers and Sisters

 

Extended Family of Fr. Joseph Mathias

Having confirmed in his vocation, Joseph joined the Jesuit Novitiate at Sitagarh in Hazaribagh on 28 June1964. He says that at that time the missionary zeal among the Mangaloreans was quite evident by the fact that  there were 18 Mnagalorean youth undergoing training for priesthood at Hazaribagh.

When asked what prompted him to join the Jesuit Congregation and that too in the remote province of Ranchi, Fr. Joseph said that he was quite influenced by the Belgian Jesuit Missionary,  Fr. Constant Lievens (1856-1893) regarded as the ‘Apostle of Chotanagpur(Jharkhand) and Chattisgarh’ who worked among the tribal people especially Mundas against forced labour and indebtedness.

 

Fr. Constant Lievens-’Apostle of Chota Nagpur’

 

After completing two years long novitiate, Fr. Joseph did juniorate at Mount St. Joseph, Bangalore for one year and went back to Ranchi where he completed graduation in Arts at St. Xavier’s College. The next stage in the training for priesthood was the study of Philosophy which he did at the Sacred Heart College, Shembaganur, T.N. followed by Theology at St. Mary’s College, Kurseong in Darjeeling  which was shifted to Delhi with the new name of Vidyajyoti.  Having completed the full training for priesthood, Fr. Joseph was ordained a priest on 11 May 1974 and he took final vows on 15 August 1984.

Realizing the potential of Fr. Joseph Mathias for higher studies, his superiors deputed him to the Gregorian University, Rome from 1975 to 1979 where he obtained Bachelor of Cannon Law degree and M.Sc. & Licentiate in Psychology.

Having acquired the necessary qualification, skills and experience, Fr. Joseph Mathias was given significant assignments in some of the prestigious Jesuit  institutions. His first major teaching assignment was as  the Professor of Pastoral Psychology at  Vidyajyoti, Jesuit Theologate, Delhi from 1979 to 1984 of which he continued as the Rector from 1988 to 1994; South Asian Assistancy  Delegate for Jesuit Formation, New Delhi  and Superior of Jesuit Residence (Provincial of India), New Delhi from 1994 to 2000. In between,  in 1982, Fr. Joseph Mathias was assigned the task of founding the Institute of Formators at Bangalore of which he became the Director up to 1994 and even to the present day continues to be on the staff of the institution.

In 2000, Fr. Joseph Mathias was appointed as the Rector of the Papal Seminary in Pune,  the post that he held till 2004 when  he was given the charge as the Director of National Vocation Service Centre(NVSC),  Pune and Secretary to the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI)National Office for Clergy and Religious. Presently, Fr. Joseph Mathias is serving as the Director, Professor and Therapist at NVSC, Pune  and also as the  Chief Editor of  AJVF, Pune.

During these years of hectic schedule, the services of Fr. Joseph were sought as Visiting Professor by various institutions including Jnanadeepa Vidyapeeth(JDV), Pune, Vidyajyoti, Delhi and Mater Dei, Goa.

Fr. Joseph Mathias had acquired sufficient experience in psychology  by undergoing internship at Catholic Psychiatric Hospital, Philadelphia, USA and while serving as Moderator for General and Provincial Chapters of Religious Congregations of Men and Women in India and Abroad.

 

Silver Jubilee Celebration of Religious Life

 

With a deep understanding of human psychology and vast experience in dealing with many cases,  Fr.  Joseph Mathias conducted and participated in many courses, seminars, workshops and retreats on various aspects such as  Anthropology of Christian Vocation and Formation; Transformative, Leadership to Animate Community for Mission; Wholeness and Holiness for Refounding of Consecrated Life Today; Personality Integration for Wholeness and Holiness; Basic Skills in Counselling; New Pedagogy for Integral Formation; Psycho-Spiritual Integration of Sexuality in Celibate Life; Vocation Promotion; and Psycho-Spiritual Integration.

 

Fr. Joseph Mathias utilized his knowledge, love for research and experience in writing a number of research papers and articles which have been published in some of the reputed journals and publications. Some of the prominent publications of Fr. Joseph Mathias include:   “A Holistic Vision for Pastoral Leadership Today”, in Asian Journal for Priests, Pune, Vol. 48, No. 5, September 2003; “Changing Patterns in the Recruitment and Formation of Candidates for Priesthood & Religious in India”; in Asian Journal of Vocation & Formation, Vol. XXVII, No. 2, July – Dec., 2003; “Human Formation as the Basis of Priestly Formation”, in Asian Journal for Priests, Pune, Vol. 49, No. 1, Jan. 2004; “ Environment for Integral Formation to Facilitate Self-Transformation”, in Asian Journal of Vocation & Formation, Vol. XXVIII, No. 1, Jan. – June, 2004; “Passive-Aggressive Personality Style – A Major Block for Pastoral Leadership Among Priests and Religious”, AJVF, Vol. XXIX, No.1, Jan.-June, 2005; “The Mystery of Human Suffering – A Psycho-spiritual Perspective”, AJVF, Vol. XXIX, No.2, July-Dec. 2005; “Wanted: Wounded Healers for a Broken World”, AJVF, Vol. XXXII, No.2, July-Dec., 2007; “A New Pedagogy for Integral Human Formation of Candidates to Priesthood & Religious Life”, AJVF, Vol. XXXIII, No.1, Jan.-June, 2008; “The Importance and Necessity for Psychological Assessment of Candidate to Priesthood and Consecrated Life”, AJVF, Vol. XXXIII, No.2, July-Dec., 2008;  “The Changing Patterns in the Recruitment and Formation of Candidates for Priesthood and Consecrated Life in India Today”, AJVF, Vol. XXXIV, No.2, July-Dec.2009; “The Identity of a Priest as an Icon in the Modern World”, AJVF, XXXV, No.1, Jan.-June 2010;  “The Myth and the Reality of Paedophilia in Relation to Celibacy”, AJVF, Vol. XXXVI, No.1, Jan. – June, 2011.

 

In these above research papers and articles one can see clearly the focus of Fr. Joseph Mathias on the promotion of vocations and improvement in the quality of spiritual leaders that is required for meeting the challenges of the modern world. He emphasises on human formation, self transformation, environment for integral formation, pastoral leadership, namely, the all-inclusive Integral Human Formation for clergy and religious.

As an expert on Integral Human Formation for clergy and religious, Fr. Joseph Mathias has visited countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma) and Philippines  to give seminars and conduct workshops on Pedagogy on integral formation for clergy and religious.

In India, Fr. Joseph has been in the forefront regarding issues connected with sexual abuse of children by clergy. In this respect he has been attending annual conferences in Rome and USA.

While asked about the quality of persons that take up religious life, without mincing words, Fr. Joseph Mathias said that many take up priestly and religious life as a career and profession and not as a vocation and mission of Christ.

Having completed ten years as the Director, Professor and Therapist at NVSC, Pune  and also as the  Chief Editor of  AJVF, Pune, Fr. Joseph Mathias has plans for sabbatical for six months during which he will be undergoing a special programme at Santa Clara University, Callifornia (USA).

Fr. Joseph Mathias S.J. who had joined the Society of Jesus on 28 June 1964 will be completing 50 years of his religious life on Saturday, 28 June 2014. His elder sister, Sr. Fabiola of Bethany Congregation is also completing 50 years of her First Profession(1964). The Golden Jubilee of religious life of both Fr. Joseph Mathais and Sr. Fabiola will be celebrated with Thanksgiving Mass at Our Lady of Health Church, Shirva on Saturday, 28 June 2014.