Walking Eternally with His Heart: Preparation for Perpetual Vows in India

The annual Asia Zone perpetual vows preparation program successfully combined classroom learning and field experiences to deeply enrich all the participating young confreres. Unfortunately, the brothers from the Province of Indonesia were unable to attend due to visa issues.

A Symbol of Love

As young Dehonian confreres preparing for perpetual profession, we have the privilege of undertaking this sacred path of encountering the Heart of Jesus—the greatest treasure entrusted to us by our Founder, the Venerable Leo John Dehon. His memorable words continue to echo in our hearts:  “I leave you the greatest treasure of all: the Heart of Jesus.”

These words are far more than a spiritual heritage; they are an invitation to embrace a way of life. As future Dehonians called to become living oblations of love for God the Father, we are challenged to discover this inexhaustible treasure ever more deeply by walking faithfully in the footsteps of Father Dehon and letting our hearts conform to the Heart of Christ.

Far More Than an Intellectual Discourse

Every journey worthy of the name begins with careful preparation; the quality of its beginning often determines the fruitfulness of its destination. Anchored in this conviction, we, the young confreres of the Asia Zone, began our month-long perpetual vows preparation session—a grace-filled pilgrimage leading us deeper into the mystery of the Heart of Jesus through the life, spirituality, and vision of Father Dehon. Far more than just an ordinary period of formation, this was a privileged time of personal encounter with Christ, a time of discernment, renewal, and closer listening to the voice of our Founder.

Throughout this month, we were nourished by the indispensable dimensions of Dehonian religious life. The program was not merely a theoretical preparation for perpetual profession; rather, it was a profound invitation to surrender ourselves more completely to the Congregation’s mission and the life of the Church by welcoming God’s will with a generous heart. We progressively discovered that perpetual profession is not simply the culmination of several years of formation, but the beginning of a lifelong offering—a continuous participation in Christ’s own oblation to the Father.

Father Dehon beautifully expresses this spirit when he writes: “For Him I live; for Him I die.” His entire spirituality finds expression in these foundational words that continue to shape every Dehonian vocation: Ecce Venio… Ecce Ancilla. As our Rule of Life reminds us, “Our entire vocation, our purpose, our duty, our promises are contained in these words.”During our session, these expressions became much more than inspiring quotes; they became the prayer of our hearts, inviting us to place our entire lives at the disposal of God’s loving will.

A Rich Sharing of Resources

The introductory week was animated by Fr. Immanuel Nanduri, SCJ, who guided us through the richness of our Founder’s vision using Fr. Dehon’s original writings. His sessions offered not only historical perspectives but also a living experience of our charism. Through a reflective study of the Constitutions, we came to understand more deeply that an authentic Dehonian life is rooted in the harmonious integration of contemplation and apostolic service. To be Dehonian is to stand before the Heart of Christ in prayer while allowing that same Heart to beat through our service to others.

The following week, animated by the Regional Superior of India, Fr. Michael Augustine, SCJ, explored the themes of psycho-spiritual-sexual integration and the evangelical counsels. His presentations invited us into an honest dialogue with our own human growth and affective maturity, recognizing that an authentic consecrated life embraces the whole person. By integrating psychological wisdom with spiritual discernment, these sessions deepened our understanding of the vows of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience as joyful expressions of freedom, self-giving, and communion with God. We also had the joy of an online meeting with our Superior General, whose reflections inspired us to strengthen our Dehonian identity, our fraternity, and our missionary availability within the universal Congregation.

The third week was enriched by the presence of Fr. Yudistiro Adifitrityassanto (Yudhis), SCJ, Director of the Dehonian Study Center in Rome. Thanks to his profound knowledge of Fr. Dehon’s life and writings, he opened up to us the remarkable personality of our Founder—a contemplative deeply immersed in the Heart of Christ and, at the same time, a courageous apostle committed to transforming society through the Gospel. His presentations revealed how inseparable contemplation and social engagement are within the Dehonian vocation. Fr. Dehon’s conviction that one cannot be truly Christian without being socially engaged found a powerful expression in the title of his monthly review: The Reign of the Heart of Jesus in Souls and in Societies. Inspired by this vision, we renewed our desire to become missionaries whose hearts remain open to both God and the cries of humanity.

The closing week gathered several enriching perspectives on religious life:

• Fr. Mahesh, SCJ meditated on the beauty of consecrated and community life, reminding us that fraternity is not just a practical necessity, but a visible witness to the Gospel.
• Fr. Sundar Raj, SCJ invited us to face the contemporary challenges of religious life with hope, courage, and fidelity.
• Fr. Jayaraj, SCJ and Fr. Sanil, SCJ shared their missionary experiences in South Africa, broadening our understanding of the universality of our vocation and encouraging us to cultivate generous missionary hearts wherever the Congregation may call us.

Sint Unum

Formation extended far beyond the classroom walls. Some of the most memorable moments of our journey were experienced through the simple joys of community life. Pilgrimages, cultural nights, games, shared meals, and recreation became prime opportunities for fellowship. By celebrating, traveling, praying, and sharing daily life together, we experienced ever more deeply the Dehonian spirit of Sint Unum—that all may be one. These seemingly ordinary moments silently shaped our hearts, teaching us that fraternity itself is a profound expression of our vocation.

Looking back on this month of grace, we recognize that the perpetual vows preparation session was far more than a simple formation program. It was a transformative encounter with Christ, with our Founder, with one another, and with ourselves. It renewed in us the desire to live our Dehonian charism of “Union with the Oblation of Christ” (Rule of Life, No. 17) ever more faithfully, offering our lives wholeheartedly in service to God’s love, the Church, and all people, especially those most in need.

With grateful hearts and filled with renewed hope, we move forward in the footsteps of Venerable Leo John Dehon, confident that the Heart which called us will continue to guide us. Together, with one voice and one heart, we joyfully proclaim the prayer that has become the very heartbeat of our vocation: “Thy Kingdom Come!”

May all that we have contemplated, learned, celebrated, and lived during this sacred month continue to shape us into authentic Dehonian religious whose lives remain forever united with the Heart of Jesus, walking eternally with His Heart.