Faith-filled Shraadh – Punyatithi of Fr. IGNACIO José Ordoñez, SJ

  It is exactly a year back on this date 8th December 2012, Feast of Immaculate Conception, about 7.30 am our beloved Ignas Bapu departed from this physical world to the eternal world. On this day about 4 pm from all walks of life, especially from the mission stations where Fr. Ignas laboured for Christ, from there and elsewhere people thronged to pay their final tributes and to attend in the funeral rite (antim kriya / samaadhi) with full respect. Many of us witnessed from such a funeral ceremony, how this ‘Immaculate Ignas’ ignited and inflamed many simple persons to grow FULL in their human and Christian life. 

 It is exactly after a year on this date we are gathered here on 8th December 2013 again at this Unteshwari Shrine, the Tirthadhaam of the pilgrims, as a believing community of Jesus to commemorate our beloved departed Ignas Bapu’s First Death Anniversary – Punyatithi. Very devoutly and enthusiastically we the Unteshwari Parivar (Fathers, Sisters and People) planned this happy and holy event to CELEBRATE together as a FAITH-FILLED FAMILY EVENT. 

 Just last month on 14th November 2013 we all joined as members of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of the Gandhinagar Archdiocese in the celebration of the closing ceremony of the Year of Faith at Gandhinagar Mount Carmel School Campus. There, as part of the celebration, the report reader of the Sabarkantha Deanery brought out beautifully the heroic Christ-filled missionary activities of the Jesuit missionary Fr. Ignas Ordoñez, especially in Nanakantharia and Meghraj Missions. We were extremely happy to listen to the unconditional labour of love of our late Fr. Ignas to the Adivasi brethren of the Sabarkantha Mission. In this way Ignas Bapu was made present once again in our Faith-filled happy and harmonious celebration. Truly it was the day of our Experienced Faith’s Faith Expressing Celebration - Shraddhani Ujavani.

Today’s our celebration here at Unteshwari can be called locally as Shraddhani Shraadh. This needs to be seen and understood from the perspective of our ongoing Christian inculturation process within the context of our North Gujarat Mission. Thus, Shraadh, originally a Sanskrit word, is combination of two words ‘Sat’ meaning truth and ‘Adhar’ meaning basis. So, it means anything or any act that is performed with all sincerity and faith. It is said according to the popular Indian Hindu tradition Shraadh is the ritual accomplished to satiate one’s ancestors. This ritual expresses one’s unconditional reverence towards the ancestors. 

 But, here for us as Isupanthis – the followers of Jesus, it is our unconditional loving Respect and Reverence towards our beloved Ignas Bapu and Ignas Dada that we are gathered here to celebrate joyfully with the Christian hope the Holy Eucharist and to dine together as one joint family in the fellowship meal in the vicinity of our Blessed Unteshwari Matrudham. We are not here to satisfy our elder Ignas Bapu but to pray together to God, the God of Life, that the soul of Fr. Ignacio Ordoñez may ever Rest In Peace (RIP) in His presence and Ignas Bapu may continue to have the beatific vision of God and cherish the eternal life in the company of the angels and saints within the serene environment of the Eternal home of the Father. Truly, as our elder, in our midst, he lived his life to the FULL (cf. Jn 10: 10). His self-emptied love did attract many to the person and message of Jesus and his death, like the wheat, has brought many more fruits (cf. Jn 12 : 24) in the mission land of his grace-filled karmabhoomi Gujarat . With this strong Faith let us keep the agni (FIRE) of Ignas Bapu burn in all over Gujarat and elsewhere! Ignas Bapuni agnijyot sada salagati raho! Que el fuego del Padre Ignacio inflame! 

On this auspicious day, it is very much appropriate to release the compiled and edited book of Fr. Girish Santiago, SJ - INSPIRATIONAL ICON FR. IGNACIO José Ordoñez SJ 1928 – 2012, the Grace-filled Testimonies of various inspired persons. Indeed it is my true labour of love to my joyfull, noble and loyal Jesuit and a missionary companion Fr. Ignas Ordoñez, SJ. 

Girish Santiago, SJ

Unteshwari – Kadi

8 December, 2013

video and the photos will be uploaded soon

- BBN