July 3, 2007, Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, marks a
milestone in the history of the Rogationists in India. Today, the Rogationist
Novitiate in India was formally opened with 3 novices, Lixon Paul Puthanagady,
Aneesh Varghese Kannapuzha, Vineesh Varghese Duvilpeedika and with Fr. Shajan Pazhayil as Novice Master
during a celebration presided by Fr. Luigi Toffanin, Delegate ad Personam of the
Major Superior. The Rogationists Religious and Priest along with our sisters,
the Daughters of Divine Zeal and various novices from different religious congregations,
witnessed the event.
For the past 15 years, the Indian Postulants had to go to
the Philippines for their novitiate due to the problem of continuity in
formation since no missionary may stay in India for more than six months. This
has caused notable problems specially in the processing of visas and other
bureaucratic requirements. Today, the Rogationists in India has hurdled that
difficulty with the opening of the first Novitiate with an Indian as Novice
Master. Fr. Shajan was born in Koratty, Kerala, India on January 12 1972. He
entered the seminary in Aluva on June 10 1989 and was ordained a priest in
2004. He had just finished his Licentiate at the Angelicum Pontifical
University in Rome specializing in Spirituality.
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