No Coffin to Lay His Body

Br Michael Condillac sdb was 78 years old when he passed away on Sunday, 15^th April 2020 at Karuna Hospital. The day he was called to eternal life was on the day of Resurrection. We no coffin to lay him but wrapped him white cloth, which reminds us all of our Christian vocations which we make in our baptismal vow to be a total offering to God, our Creator to whom everything belongs.

Article 45 of the Salesian Constitution shows the place of the Salesian Brother in the community which is an integral part and not an add-on or subordinate vocation.  As an ordinary lay religious Salesian brother, he would live his life with simplicity and serenity. I can vouch for his simplicity because his poverty was seen in his way of dressing and living the day as a simple down-to-earth man. The same can be said about his serenity because most of the time he spends was in the chapel praying the rosary or sitting in silence having a conversation with the Lord. Well, at the table for breakfast he preferred the sunny side up and for lunch a bombil fry with dal, for evening tea the mother Teresa biscuits and dinner an apple with soup.

Apart from praying he also loved talking to the children getting to know their history and talking to the superior and the management as to how to help them with particular or special interests. He liked to see the children playing and studying, dancing and singing and would suggest ways and means to the brothers as to how to animate the children.

There are so many aspects to Br Michael’s life and many ways that he touched our lives. I will always remember him as “Paa”- lovingly known as the grandfather (Azoba - Marathi).

Prayerful – I have seen Salesians being good at many gifts and talents – player, runner, drummer, strummer, footballer, but Br Michael was best seen and was a Prayer. He was most of the time in the chapel praying apart from the community prayers.

Asceticism was one of the hallmarks he lived with. Like Don Bosco, to give of ourselves tirelessly for the young. This was also seen in his respect for the superiors and the authority. Living his vow of obedience to the core.

Accompanying the young – As an educator after Don Bosco and an evangelizer after the example of Jesus Christ himself, he would seek every opportunity to guide and empower the young. Firstly, by listening to them and secondly by accompanying them.