Circa 1975: I was a young student at St. Joseph’s, Bangalore. The last period on Fridays used to be Bible studies for Christian boys and Moral Science for us.
I can never forget Father D’costa, the Principal, a dashingly handsome young Jesuit who taught us about a universal God.

Using humour, empathy and insights, he taught us about family, about duty, patriotism, focus, education and most importantly about being good human beings. Never even once was the word Jesus mentioned.

In 1977, we moved to Nasik and I enrolled in St. Xaviers under the tutelage of the late Father Sydney Feuz, a man I owe my everything to. Father Feuz, a man who had Irish blood in his veins, enjoyed his gin in the evenings and loved his students more than anything else.

I kept in touch with him until his end. In 2007, my 7 year old kids who went to a Christian school in NCR, came back home one day asking why did we worship Pagan Gods. Shocked, I called up Father Feuz in Bombay and told him about it.

This is what my Principal (then retired), a true blue Jesuit Priest said. ‘Shantanu that school is run by Evangelists. Their only aim is to convert Hindus to Christianity. Take your children off that school and do it immediately!’

We did that and enrolled them in DPS, a decision we never regretted. I kept in touch with Father Feuz and would visit him in Mazagaon, St. Mary’s whenever in town. It would break my heart to see this Giant now stooped, age having taken over his once mighty personality.

Finally on the day he was dying I called him up as I would each day of his time on the hospital bed. I reminded him of his advice for my kids. He said that Christ could never be bothered about conversion. Christ was only about serving humankind. True Christians would know that.

And then I asked him the last of the many questions I used to throw at him from age 11. ‘Father, a brilliant Man like you could have become a CEO of a Multinational and earned Millions. Why did you choose to be a Jesuit Priest?’ His answer is something I shall never ever forget:

Shantanu, because I wanted to serve Christ! Those were his last words to me. The nurse took the phone and told me that he needs to rest. Father Feuz passed on a little later, peacefully. The nurse said he had a smile on his face as he did. @MonicaK2511 @NAN_DINI_ @majestic31289

For all those who were touched by this thread: This is the late Father Sydney Feuz: Principal, Mentor and Teacher for life: @MonicaK2511 @NAN_DINI_ @KirtiPandey