Beyond the Clouds by Fr. Jacob Nampudakam, S.A.C. | Page 41

And to that little boy, it was truly a heavenly object! Yet today that moon is
my frequent flyer. I have seen the world from the skies; from the Sahara, to
the mountains of Afghanistan, the Alps, the Himalayas, and the Colosseum.
I have seen various cultures, languages, food, and the diverse ways of life in at
least 55 countries. I cannot imagine how blessed this village boy is to have
received such blessings.
The ideal Pallottine priest in my heart is the late Fr. Dr. Joseph Bockenhoff, a
German Philosopher who worked in India for many years as a formator and
Philosophy Professor. In addition to teaching, he also worked as a Yoga Master,
both for us students and for the foreign tourists who came to Goa, India. The
greatness of this man was his universal being.
Though a German by birth, he adopted Indian culture in every respect. He
wore a "Dhoti and Kurta", the usual dress of an ordinary Indian male. He was a
vegetarian and a profound man of prayer and contemplation. He worked hard
and made others do the same. On the very first day as a novice, he made us
pull a plough like a bull. Yet we had no complaint.
He practiced what he taught. He respected us, and he respected our culture. He
passed no judgement of the Indian way as compared to his German way. He left
behind a world of his own to be born into another culture; he was the true
missionary! Just like the mystery of incarnation.
So in this world, as fellow passengers- whether we be seated in business or
economy class- we fly together. The differences are superficial and temporary.
Perhaps one may enjoy a little better food, and given drinks upon request. But
we will take off together, fly together, and land together. It is our common
origin, destiny, and mission.
This is the cherished vision that I have for my Religious Institute, the Society
of the Catholic Apostolate. While we may be Italians, Germans, Polish,
Brazilians, Indians, or Cameroonians, we are all Pallottines by virtue of our
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