BR FIDELIS VISUVASAM, S. J. (1846-1932)

Brother Fidelis Visuvasam, SJ

Brother Fidelis Visuvasam, true to his name, stood faithful to his vocation and duty 56 years of his Jesuit life. He had to fight for his vocation and to overcome not a few obstacles in pursuit of his vocation. The stories of the obstacles surmounted in pursuit of his vocation are of a thrilling description and bear testimony to the grit and fibre in his character" was the observation made by one of his companions. Unfortunately, the stories have not come down to us. The life of Br Visuvasam may be summed up in a sentence: 'He was faithful to God and man!'

Born at Trichinopoly in 1846 Br Fidelis Visuvasam after a youth of piety entered the local Congregation of Sanyasis of our Lady of Sorrows. He came in contact with the Jesuits at Trichinopoly and set his heart to be one of them. Circumstances led him to Cannanore. Here he met Fr Aloysius Gallo, S.J., a Jesuit of the Mangalore Mission who was Parish Priest. He offered himself to become a Brother in the Society of Jesus in the Mission of Mangalore which had just been opened. He was received and began his novitiate under Fr Gallo himself on 1st February, 1882. Fr Gallo who was a peritus at the First Vatican Council and a canonist particularly regarding the missions, took up the Novice Master's job in right earnest and trained his Novice in the good old ways which may raise a smile on the lips of the modern Novice Masters. In later life the good Brother used to relate his experiences with plenty of humour. For instance, Fr Gallo would not stop the water running at a tap. The Novice had to run up and stop it and woe to him if he did not. Sometimes the Novice was sent to the post office clad in cassock but with a turban on his head. The people of Cannanore must have wondered what kind of new order of Sanyasis had been established there. One might consider it as enlightened adaptation. But the only aim of Fr Gallo was to lay the foundations of obedience and humility in the Novice, however odd his method might have been. In his long life as a religious Br Visuvasam must have found many occasions to put these virtues into practice while complying with the wishes and whims of Rectors, Superiors, Directors and Ministers. On such occasions he must have recalled to mind Fr Gallo's training at Cannanore.

The question of opening a novitiate in Mangalore was being considered at this time. There were already three novices completing their novitiate under the direction of Fr Maffei. The three were Br Aloysius Doneda, Fr Dominic Torri, and Fr Joseph De Marco. At the beginning of 1883, the novitiate was formally opened with Fr Secundus Zanetti as Novice Master. Within a period of five months four Mangaloreans- Fr Denis Coelho, Fr Pascal Rego, Fr Peter Rosario and Fr Gregory Coelho- joined the novitiate. On 23rd September Br Visuvasam joined these first Novices and took his First Vows on 2nd February, 1884.

Br Visuvasam holds several records. The first is that he is the first Indian to join our Province which had just been opened as the Mangalore Mission. The second is that his age-record at death remains as yet unbeaten by another Jesuit of the Province. He died at the age of 92. There are others who lived more years in the Society than Br Visuvasam did; for he joined the Novitiate late in life at 35. But he holds another, an exceptional record; he was never transferred but he spent all his religious life from 1884-1938 in the place where he had taken his first vows, namely, at St Joseph's Seminary.

A long span of 54 years of religious life in one place! What did it mean to good Br Visuvasam? What did he do in those years? It meant faithfulness to duty for God as a Jesuit religious. In Br Visuvasam we have an example that it does not matter what we do or even how efficiently we do a thing but why we do it, provided that we do it to the best of our ability, and under obedience. In his long life he performed his simple duties of an infirmarian and his religious duties, for God and in union with Him. An eye-witness notes: "His union with God was remarkable." His lips constantly moved in prayer. Fr Diamanti who could read into a man's character and who was far from lavishing encomiums said, "Br Visuvasam is pure gold".

If we may single out a trait in Br Visuvasam's spiritual life, it was his devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. His approach to God, to the Heart of Christ, seems to have been through Mary. His frequent invocation was "Ammani" (My dear Mother) in Tamil. He lost no occasion and opportunity of instilling in others this devotion to the Mother of God especially under the Title of Our Lady of Sorrows". He never failed even in old age to visit the Codialbail Chapel, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, on the Titular Feast Day.

From the day Br Visuvasam landed in Mangalore to the day of his death, St Joseph's Seminary was his home. Just once during this long period, at the earnest bidding of Fr Zanetti, did he go to see his people at Trichinopoly. He was an eye witness to the rise of the Orphanage, Workshops and the Seminary in their first half century, and has played a significant part in their history. After his novitiate he took charge of the kitchen of the Orphanage cum hospital. On his initiative the Catechumenate and the Infirmary were opened. Being a skilled mechanic, he worked in zinc, brass and tin and turned out not a few utensils, gadgets etc, in his workshop. The artistic lamp, shaped like an ostensory, which was and perhaps is still standing at the Seminary Grotto of our Lady, is his work. So also, the branched altar candlesticks of the Seminary are his handiwork.

But all these skills fade into insignificance before the great work done by Br Visuvasam as an Infirmarian during half a century. We may rightly call him "Br Fidelis Visuvasam, the Infirmarian". He was infirmarian of the Jeppu Hospital, of the Orphanage and the Seminary and of the whole colony of the compound. In fact, his knowledge of medicine abled him to help many a patient within the extensive Seminary and Orphanage compound and even beyond it. He became almost a popular doctor, of course, of the old school. He had an array of bottles in his dispensary. It was remarked of him as an infirmarian that he was as clean as a pin and as regular as a rule'. He loved cleanliness and punctuality and would instill love for these in those he trained.

Fifty years of infirmarianship, a work which demanded patience, kindness, sympathy and understanding, carried out faithfully, is enough to make Br Visuvasam a religious hero. His work was doubly demanding as his patients differed so widely in every aspect. Old and young, men and women, boys and girls, the ignorant and the educated, the rude and the cultured, came to him. It was a work which began early in the morning and ended late at night with frequent calls at night to visit a sick-bed that needed his help. To the human eye it was a hidden, glamourless and often thankless job. What must then have been the faith and the supernatural motive power that kept the good Brother go on from day to day for fifty full years!

But there were consolations too. On the human side he afforded relief to hundreds of patients from pain and restlessness. Countless number of persons owed their health to his administration of medicine which enabled them to carry on their daily tasks and earn their livelihood. On the supernatural level he merited much before God. Rightly does the author of his obituary observe that he died full of years and merit". We sometimes hear stories in mission stations of priests and nuns glorying in the number of baptisms. When once, in his old age, a companion of his consoled him saying, "Brother, to how many souls you must have opened the gates of paradise!" the Brother only looked up heavenwards with his grateful eyes full of tears.

As Br Visuvasam had joined the Society rather late in life, it was only in 1932 that he had the consolation of celebrating the Golden Jubilee in the Society. He was 86 at the time and still active in all his daily duties. But his service as infirmarian had to be restricted to those within the walls of the Seminary. For two more years he continued his work and then gradually he had to give it up as age with its usual weakness and ailments gained on him. His last years were divided between the Seminary and Fr Muller's Hospital. He was a sick man 'without however giving up the habitual smile on his face which endeared him to all." "All through his sufferings he was an angel of patience" was the remark of one who visited him at the hospital. He had grown extremely weak and he used to fall repeatedly when he tried to move about in his room. Finally, he was shifted to Fr Muller's for a long period. The doctor attending on him said; "He suffers acutely without showing it." At last fever intervened which soon reduced him to unconsciousness. He was in an unconscious state when the last sacraments were administered to him. For four more days the Brother lingered and then as a candle that burns itself out he passed away.

This above material is taken from the book "Restless for Christ - Lives of Select Jesuits who toiled in the Karnataka Province" Series - II