Post-Doctoral ResearchSabbatical

January-March 2015

Archdioceses of Miami, Bangalore and the Diocese of Springfield Cape Girardeau

Rev. Dr. John Arthur Orr

PDuring the first three months of 2015, January-March, I was able to take a Post-DoctoralResearch Sabbatical thanks to Bishop Richard F.Stika, Third Bishop of Knoxville.

PDuring the sabbatical I was able to offer the HolyMass at St Benedict's, Homassassa, Fl; StAugustine's, Coral Gables, Fl; "Multi-faith room"Heathrow Airport; DVK, Barnabite Fathers,Bangalore; LaSalette Fathers, Mysore; SaintThomas Aquinas Chapel and Newman Center,Southeast Missouri State University, CapeGirardeau.

PBesides Holy Mass and daily Liturgy of theHours I was able to also provide other priestlyministrations, such as Anointing of the Sick (2Homassassa, 3 Coral Gables), Apostolic Pardon(1 Homassassa, 1 Coral Gables), Absolutions (7Coral Gables, 12 Bangalore, 6 Cape Girardeau).

PBecause the sabbatical is not a vacation part ofmy time was spent doing professional readingsuch as:

P“John Paul II, Intellectual” by David Linker;

P“Religion in General not in Particular: A KantianMeditation” by Terry F Godlove Jr;

P“Reading Kant from a Catholic Horizon: Ethicsand the Anthropology of Grace” by Philip Rossi;

P“Wojtyla's Personalistic Norm: A ThomisticResponse” by Kevin Rickert;

P“Towards a Formulation of the Curriculum ofPhilosophical Studies” by Victor Machado;

P“Fides et ratio: a synopsis and assessment” byGeorge Panthanmackel;

P“Review Article:Fellowship of Catholic Scholars:A Critique" by David Doyle;

P“Promoting the New Evangelization” by RinoFisichella;

P“The New Evangelization and Canon Law” byRaymond Leo Cardinal Burke;

P“The Nucleus of the New Evangelization” byPerry Cahall;

P“The New Evangelization and the Formation ofPriests for Today” by Edward William Clark;

P“‘A New Evangelization’?” by Richard Dillon;

P“The Formation of Holy Priests and the NewEvangelization” by Jose Gomez;

P“A New Evangelization for a New World” byChristopher Prowse;

P“Ex Umbris: Newman’s New Evangelization” byMatthew Ramsay;

P“Buddhism” by David Eckel;

P“Hinduism” by Mark Muesse;

P“Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara” by ThomasKochumuttom.

PThe actual heart of the research conducted wasbuilding upon footnote 127 and section 17.2 ofmy thesis on Reason in Wojtyla / John Paul II,namely “How does Wojtyla cite Kant?” or “Kantin Wojtyla.” I typed 24 pages of notes in CoralGables and 4 pages in Bangalore, handwritingsanother 31 pages in Bangalore. These pages werecompiled in Cape Girardeau.

PThe dissemination of my initial research was partof the post-doctoral research sabbatical. Accordingly copies of the thesis were given toAbp. Thomas Wenski, Bp. Peter Baldichinno, Bp.James Vann Johnston Jr, Msgr. Dr. TerenceHogan, University of St Thomas; Rev. Drs. Patrick Nwokoye, Saju Chackalackal CMI,Paulachan Kochappilly CMI, Msgr. MichaelCaruthers; Fathers Kenneth Whitaker and Bernard Curlin; Bro Kevin Handibode FMS;Deacon Victor Manuel Pimentel.

PAmong cultural activities, while in theArchdiocese of Miami I was able to visitFairchild Tropical Gardens Chihuly exhibit twiceand see Clyde Butcher and his Everglades photoexhibit. Taking care of physical health includedswimming 36 miles at the Biltmore Hotel pooland lots of walking.

PSocially I was able to have lunch with Bp. PeterBaldichinno; Deacon Victor Manuel Pimentel;and my Aunt Eileen on her birthday. I had dinnerFr Whitakker.

PAmong the most exotic aspects of this post-doctoral reasearch sabbatical was going to India.The following pages collect some pictures frommy time in India with various captions whichattempt to identify what is depicted. The picturesare not presented primarily in chronologicalorder, but rather thematic, beginning withBuddhism, then Hinduism, rounding out withgeneral cultural things and concluding withCatholicism.

P In the DVK library I was able to find 11 articleson Fides et ratio which I had never seen before.Visited Cubbon Park, Government Museum,Venktappa Art Gallery, Lalbagh Park andBotanical Gardens, St Mary's Basilica, all inBangalore thanks to Jojo the cab driver. WithAlyque Padamsee I saw the stage world premierof "The Agony and the Ecstasy" and "Reel to theRhythm" at Christ University.

P I was honored to preach the Lenten Day ofRecollection to the Barnabite Fathers, Bangalore.Thanks to the LaSalette Fathers in Mysore I wasable to visit Mysore Palace, Chamdidy Park andthe temples of Shiva and Vishnu. Just west ofMysore, I was able to visit the BylakuppeBuddhist Golden Temple in the town ofKushalnagar.

P I am very grateful to Rev. Devadas Duguta, OFMCap, who made my “Mysore field trip” possible. I was able to help him in his doctoral researchwith 15 articles on the “liturgical altar.” I wasalso able to help Rev. Dr. Thomas Valliany with11 articles on the Prophet Jeremiah for his seconddoctoral dissertation. I further helped FrGeevaghese Jijo Kaithavana who is working onhis doctoral dissertation in moral theology withhis paper on human sexuality and the Song ofSongs.

PFrom the field I was able to contribute to theHoly Ghost Bulletin weekly articles of a pastoralnature: The New Evangelization: PastoralReflections on the Commandments, CCC # 2393 -2450; Pastoral Questions and Answers # 385-466.

PThese Hindu dieties are thefirst to welcome you to theBangalore airport

POn the left is the Buddhist Golden Temple, on theright is a ‘minor’ shrine in the Golden Templecompound.

PThese are two different angles of the interior ofthe Buddhist Golden Temple. Note the rows ofshort benches. The monks actually sit on thefloor for their 6 hours of chant each day. In thepicture on the right you can see the trumpetswhich are used during the various chants.

PThe drum in the picture on the left is used to helpkeep a steady rhythm during the 6 hours of dailychants by the exiles from Tibet.

PHere are the exiles from Tibet chanting awaytheir Buddhist chants. During the chanting one ofthe monks carries out rice for their meal. Severaltrips from where the rice was before the image ofBuddha to where the cook will collect it...

POn the left is a detail of the interior of one of theminor shrines on the compound of the BuddhistGolden Temple. Note the central image ofBuddha and the minor images on either side. Onthe right is a detail from a door handle/knockeron the same compound.

PThese two wall paintings from the BuddhistGolden Temple depict Buddha with his beggingbowl and a more fearsome figure whose wrathone might face if one is a wrathful person...

PThis detail is of the central image of Buddha atthe Golden Temple. The image is at least 60' tall.

PThese are panoramic images of the interior of themain Temple on the Golden Temple compound.

PThe main doors to the main Temple are rathermajestic... Note the exotic painting on either sideof the doors.

PThe Buddhist Buddha is different from the HinduBuddha. Buddhists see Buddha as a teacher,master, guru. Hindus see Buddha as that andmore, namely the ninth avatar of Vishnu.

PThe image above is of Nandi, the bull whosymbolizes on the one hand all of India, and onthe other is the mount of the Hindu deity Shiva. This image is found in the LalBagh BotanicalGardens, Bangalore.

PThese three images, as well as the next one are allfrom the LalBagh, details of a Hindu shrine.

PGanesha detail fromLalBagh shrine

PThe two images above are from just outside thegates of Christ University, Bangalore, India. They depict by day and by night a Hindu shrinededicated to Paradurama, the 6th avatar of Vishnu.Devotees will make offerings of incense orflowers tied together in thanksgiving or inpetition for favors.

PThe image to the leftdepicts 6 people withtheir priest engagingin Hindu worship ofSai Baba of Shirdiwho died on 15October, 1918. SaiBaba is venerated byboth Hindus andsome Sufi Muslims. His pictures decoratemany vehicles inIndia.

PThe next four images are from the Royal Templeto the Hindu deity Shiva in the Chamundi hills ofMysore.

PThese two images are from the Mysore VishnuTemple. Together with Shiva and Brahma,Vishnu is a part of the Trimurti, so called HinduTrinity.

PHere devotees of Vishnu are waiting for theVedic priests to open the doors at 4:00pm

P Here at the meeting oftwo rivers to make a thirdis a shrine to Vishnu(note the cobra/serpentscovered with yellow dustofferings) but there isalso a Shiva Lignam withits phallic imagery (onthe lower left corner).

P The bush on the top nearthe image of Durga(Vishnu’s sister andconsort to Shiva)provides food for thegods...

PThe next three images are all from the campus ofthe DVK and Dharmaram College in Bangalore. Saint Kurikose Elias Chavara (+1871) wascanonized by Pope Francis on 23 November,2014. A Syro-Malabar Eastern Rite Catholic, heplayed a key role in the development of theCatholic Chuch in the Indian state of Kerala. Saint Kurikose Elias Chavara founded theCarmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) Fathersand Brothers.

PBefore there was a Christ University, there wasDharamaram College. The pictures above are ofthe exterior and interior of the chapel forDharamaram which is now used for the youngCMI brothers in formation. This chapel servedthe Syro-Malabar Catholics in the neighborhooduntil the formation of Saint Thomas Forane wasestablished adjacent to the property.

P While the various courses of studies at ChristUniversity include civil, electrical and mechanicalengineering, English, economics, finance, history,languages, law, management, marketing, mediastudies, performing arts, philosophy and theology,political science, psychology, social work, sociology,my primary exposure to the life of the university wasthrough the cultural events on campus. The“Blossoms” festival included group dancecompetition in the grand auditorium and individualfreestyle dance competition out side (6-7 February). The world premier of the play “The Agony and theEcstasy” was performed in the grand auditorium (14-15 February) as was the “Nritta Reel of the Rhythm”with more than 300 dancers on the stage (21-22February). The following pictures capture some ofthe activity.

PEvery weekthere weredifferentpublicity postersaround campuslike this,promotingmajor events.There are about15,000 studentsat ChristUniversity.

P I was able to pray with the Barnabite Fathers andjuniors (Clerks Regular of Saint Paul) inBangalore leading their Lenten Day ofRecollection (above left), as well as with theLaSallette Fathers and juniors in Mysore.

PThe main reason for going to India was tocontinue studies on “Kant in Wojtyla” buildingupon footnote 127 and section 17.2 of my thesisReason in Wojtyla / John Paul II. I did this at theDharmaram Vidya Kshetram (DVK) inBangalore. The DVK is a Pontifical Athenaeumof Philosophy, Theology and Canon Lawis run bythe Carmelites of Mary Immaculate.

PThe image on the next page is of the Lord Jesusas Guru/Master/Teacher. Behind His head, as if ahalo, is a twelve spoked Buddhist wheel ordharmacakra . The symbolism behind thedharmachakra is very rich, at once calling tomind the Four Noble Truths (suffering, the causeof suffering, the end of suffering, the path thatfrees us from suffering) + Eightfold Path (rightview, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort,mindfulness, concentration) or the Twelve Linksof Dependent Origniation (ignorance, volitionalformation, consciousness, name and form,faculties and objects, contact, sensation, craving,clinging or grasping, becoming, birth, old ageand death ).

P I had first seen the mosaic version of Christ theGuru at Liverpool Hope University during adoctoral seminar presentation made by Rev. Dr.Saju Chackalackal, CMI. I can remember someclassmates being off-put with worries of syncretismor religious indifferentism. I was very grateful,therefore, to find in the DVK library the followingarticle:

P Machado, Victor. “Towards a Formulation of theCurriculum of Philosophical Studies” Journal ofDharma 27:4 (October-December 2002) 526-553.

PMachado’s article emphasises the importance inthe Indian context of knowing and believing theteaching found in the 6 August, 2000 declaration Dominus Iesus of the Congregation for theDoctrine of the Faith. Father Machado served notonly as a professor at St. Joseph’s Inter-diocesanSeminary in Mangalore, India, but was appointedRector in 2004.

PThe picture above left was taken in front of theDVK library, while the one on the right is fromone of the chapels in the Chavara Study House onthe DVK campus.

P In front of the main offices of the DVK are theimages above, again the dharmachakra and SaintKuriakose Elias Chavara, founder of the CMIcongregation. The saint is depicted teaching thefaith to the people. Note that the wheel is sittingatop the globe, with the Indian subcontinentvisible at the bottom.

PThis selfie shows the main offices of the DVK.

POne special highlight during my stay at DVK wasparticipating in the Fides et ratio seminar in thephilosophy class taught by Rev. Dr. SebastianPayyappilly, CMI. The next two pictures showsome of the students and one of the panels. I wasmade to sit in the front and to address thestudents repeatedly as Fides et ratio made up onethird of my doctoral research.

PThe class was “mixed” seminarians, religiousbrothers and sisters, BPh. And MPhil students alltogether...