“I was chosen and sent to help the faith of God’s chosen people and to lead them
to the truth taught by our religion…”
(Titus:1:1)
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| Fr. Michael Payyapilly V.C. |
The first question I thought of
was, “God, why does it have to be Fr. Michael whom you take from us here?” The
second was the joy I felt for the great blessing and opportunity for Fr.
Michael to begin the Divine mission in Australia! I remember sitting in my
office for a few confused moments – not knowing what to feel. It is never easy to
hear someone who is so loved by all of us in this retreat centre to be leaving
our Divine Family. Fr. Michael came to Divine in early December 2006 - just
before his priestly ordination on 31 December 2006. I was really busy on a book
project but I heard snippets of someone with a booming voice preaching so eloquently
as I used to be rushing back and forth from the Divine Printers office. It made
me really curious as to who was the person behind this inspired preaching? I
was completely taken aback to see it was this really young looking slim “kid”.
I asked around and was told he was a deacon. Even then, I remember distinctly
telling our director, Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C, one day very shortly
after, “Father, like Simeon, I can tell you that I have heard your successor.
Please bring this new deacon back to Divine when he is ordained.” Fr. Augustine
sat back and laughed heartily! Thankfully, that Is exactly what happened and Fr.
Michael joined Divine Retreat Centre in March 2007. It is the greatest blessing and gift God gave
to Divine Retreat Centre in the 8 ½ years I have been here!
From the very first, all of us were in awe -
it seemed like this ridiculously young-looking priest sounded as wise as old
Moses probably was! How can it be? That was all we were asking each other. We
saw the same stunned reaction from all the retreatants. I know how many times I felt my heart being
pierced by the impassioned preaching of Fr. Michael and being moved to tears so
MANY times over the course of these 6 years during Father’s Holy Masses, Physical
Healing sessions, Inner Healing sessions and during the year-end Thanksgiving
Adoration services. It was never-one off and it was not just me. The retreatants
and lay volunteers were always so touched by Fr. Michael’s priestly ministry.
What was it though that so touched all of us?
There
is only ONE answer. In
Fr. Michael, we see clearly a person who LOVES Jesus above everything and
everyone else – not a SINGLE person can doubt that! The passion and the love for Christ can be
heard in Fr. Michael’s voice and seen in every moment he carries out his
ministry. Fr. Michael is really loved by
all of us – not because he ever went out of his way to be popular. It was quite the
opposite in fact. I do not think Fr.
Michael cared even a little if we liked him or not – he was just so focused on proclaiming
Jesus and being a holy priest. Fr. Michael is one person who has never sought
the limelight. A fact, Father himself admitted during his farewell speech to
us. We never ever saw him onstage during
any major Divine celebration events! I used to wonder where Fr. Michael was.
Often I would see him for a few minutes at the very back – where we, the volunteers
would sit. We never ever saw other priests seated there with us! That really
touched the hearts of all of us who serve here. This was true Christ-like humility!
He was not in the least interested in recognition and applause. Fr. Michael was
only on stage if he was preaching the Word of God. I always remember this words
In my heart whenever I see Fr. Michael – “More of you, Lord, and less of me.” That is
the MAIN lesson I have learnt from Fr. Michael. He is a beautiful example of
servant leadership. A tireless and zealous priest who lives for God! Nothing
and no one but Jesus!
Off the stage, Fr. Michael is not
seen around much. He is very soft-spoken and seems quite an introvert usually.
One thing truly stood out – Fr. Michael is a priest of deep prayers with a
tremendous love of the Holy Eucharist and a devotion to Mother Mary. He lives
God’s Word. There was never any partiality to a single person. He was fair,
firm and loving to all of us. What I admired most personally in Fr. Michael was
this – he was very upfront if I needed to be corrected but he never kept it in his
heart against me! I appreciated that he would address the issue to me directly
and not just keep silent. He always heard me out if I wanted to speak up too. I
never ever heard Fr. Michael say, “All the others are saying…" There was never
these general statements where I could never even know in what context or why
it was said…after all, how can any person respond to that? There are always two sides to a situation and
in Fr. Michael, most of us found a person who did just that! He will always
listen to both sides and he would pray and make a decision. It did not matter
who were involved. All of us know Fr. Michael is a very fair person – a person
of great discernment. It Is the one
comment I heard from nearly all the volunteers who shared with me especially
when news of Fr. Michael’s Australia posting was known. To earn this respect in such a big community
here is really an achievement! It is this very quality that makes Fr. Michael
so greatly loved by all of us who serve here. He is known as being a very
frank, upfront person and yet a very merciful, loving and impartial priest.
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| Fr. Michael praying over my Mum during Anointing Service in Holy Week 2008 |
Living in a community, no one
can live here without some sparks flying because of problems or misunderstandings.
I had my fair share with Fr. Michael too. Neither of us are easy going persons.
I think one of the traits we do share is we are quite intense in our personality. Yet what I always remember is the kindness, priestly love
and concern that Fr. Michael has always shown me in the time we have known each
other. When I heard about the death of my father in 2007, I had known Fr.
Michael for only a few months. Yet in a heavy storm, he came to see me as I was
packing my bags to catch a flight home. My father had passed away on my
birthday and as I sat and just chatted with Fr. Michael about my dad, about an
hour before I had to catch my flight, I truly felt the comforting Love of Jesus.
I have never
forgotten that act of love by Fr. Michael – of reaching out to me in such a
personal way. I needed that. He was equally so kind and open-hearted
when my mother came to spend two months with me in India a few months later –
always warmly speaking to her every day even if she at times asked him the same
questions again! She absolutely loves Fr. Michael and I was very grateful that
he made her feel so at home in Divine by his thoughtfulness and friendliness.
There have been numerous instances of this deep thoughtfulness of Fr. Michael. He also appreciated each of us and showed it clearly in his quiet and genuine way. Many of us remember the time Fr. Michael called all of us volunteers to the front of the retreat hall on the last day of a Konkani convention a few years ago - towards the end of the Anointing service. He insisted, when those of us who were not from the Konkani section just remained standing at the back because we were not part of the Konkani retreat team, to come forward. And then Fr. Michael asked all the retreatants to raise their hands upon us and he prayed for us. It was such a beautiful prayer that EVERY ONE of us volunteers openly cried – the male and female volunteers! We could not help ourselves. For many of us, it is the first time in our ministry, we were being thanked openly with so much love in prayer. There was a tremendous healing in our hearts that day for many of us volunteers. There are hurts and pain even when serving in ministry. In that ONE loving act of prayer, Fr. Michael showed beyond a doubt his compassion and love for all the Divine volunteers – not just those in his team – but for everyone who serves in this retreat centre.
There have been numerous instances of this deep thoughtfulness of Fr. Michael. He also appreciated each of us and showed it clearly in his quiet and genuine way. Many of us remember the time Fr. Michael called all of us volunteers to the front of the retreat hall on the last day of a Konkani convention a few years ago - towards the end of the Anointing service. He insisted, when those of us who were not from the Konkani section just remained standing at the back because we were not part of the Konkani retreat team, to come forward. And then Fr. Michael asked all the retreatants to raise their hands upon us and he prayed for us. It was such a beautiful prayer that EVERY ONE of us volunteers openly cried – the male and female volunteers! We could not help ourselves. For many of us, it is the first time in our ministry, we were being thanked openly with so much love in prayer. There was a tremendous healing in our hearts that day for many of us volunteers. There are hurts and pain even when serving in ministry. In that ONE loving act of prayer, Fr. Michael showed beyond a doubt his compassion and love for all the Divine volunteers – not just those in his team – but for everyone who serves in this retreat centre.
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| Fr. Michael Payyapilly V.C. (left) and Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C. (right) |
Fr. Michael is now
blessed with a great mission to be the 1st Director of Divine
Retreat Centre Sydney, Broken Bay Diocese, Australia.
As Fr. Augustine shared at the farewell gathering, it is with great joy and
pride the Vincentian Congregation of India are sending Fr. Michael to be the pioneer of
the Divine-Potta retreat ministry in Australia…in a another Continent!
We will all miss Fr. Michael. I
felt really emotional at the farewell get-together a few days ago (19 February 2013) as we have all lived
together as a close-knit Divine Family for 6 years – and a most precious person
in our midst is moving on. Yet as I
struggled with tears, I felt the same great joy as when I heard the news the
first time - of the great grace, honour and blessing God has bestowed upon Fr.
Michael. In his young priesthood, he is to pioneer the Divine-Potta mission by
setting up the new retreat centre. Like St. Paul, Fr. Michael Is sent forth to
renew, reignite and inflame thousands of hearts with the Power of God’s Spirit in
Australia and from around the world! There is no doubt – we cannot wait to see
the fruit of Fr. Michael’s Divine mission taking shape in Australia.
One thing we are certain - Fr.
Michael will NEVER rest until the WHOLE world knows Jesus! So just as this post
is dedicated to Fr. Michael for being such a personal inspiration to us in the
Divine Retreat Centre, this song, “UNTIL THE WHOLE WORLD HEARS” by Casting Crowns,
is definitely all about the one desire in his life!
I am quite sure Fr. Michael is
squirming at what I have written so openly in this blog post but Fr.Michael is a
great blessing when he was with us and will now be in Sydney, Australia – a shining
light of the Divine-Potta ministry…
God bless and protect you
always, Fr. Michael! Our prayers will always be with you!
“My deep desire and hope is that I shall never fail in
my duty, but that at all times, and especially just now, I shall be full of
courage, so that with my whole being, I shall bring honour to Christ, whether I
live or die.”
(Philippians 2:20)
