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| Fr Faustin Corti, SJ |
Among the missionary pioneers of the Karnataka Province, Fr Corti was undoubtedly the greatest. He had come to India in 1884 with one great longing in his heart- to work for the conversion of souls. But he had to wait for full 20 years before he could satisfy this longing. The first 20 years of his life in India were spent teaching at the St Aloysius College, Mangalore. Meanwhile, however, prepared himself for the apostolate learning the local languages.
The Swiss-born Fr Corti's Indian life of four-and-forty years divides itself into two halves- the first devoted to his religious formation and to the cause of Catholic education, and the second to the conversion of the poor non-Christians, in the midst of whom he lived, and with whom he identified himself in their needs and mode of life. He landed in Mangalore on November 29, 1884, and drove over to Kodialbail where the St Aloysius College was then located. That very day he opened his English Grammar, and closed it only when he had arrived, in a few months, at a sufficient command of English to speak and write it, to preach and lecture in it. His work in the College extended over fourteen years. He was for some years Director of Sodality, Prefect of Discipline and Assistant Principal.
Fr Corti as Vice Principal
"At school my cousin Bastian and I were the dullest and called the twin stars Castor and Pollux of the class by Ilarmistri. Once a week regularly we were both sent to Vice Principal Fr Corti for a taste of something. This something was sometimes so liberally administered that Bastian would smooth his smart with the rhymes: Thirty forty, Principal Corti. But that was an injustice to the Father who was a perfect disciplinarian, who even in wielding the rod, mingled suaviter with fortiter.
Spiritual Ministry
Besides these duties, he had priestly ministry in the confessional, the pulpit, and the hospital. To make himself all the more efficient he went through a course of Kanarese which, though not of immediate use, proved serviceable to him in the study of Tulu, the people's language in South Kanara. For several months he acted as assistant to the Vicar of the Cathedral. An old penitent of his says: "During the many years he was at the College, and later at the Rosario Cathedral, Fr Corti was popular in the confessional. Certain boys might naturally have fought shy of one who was Prefect of Discipline. But he was much sought after, revered, and loved. And he was so very considerate. He told my mother not to lengthen night prayers overlong, lest they should breed disgust in her little children. He left her free however, to pray as much as she liked herself. Beneath a military look- he could not help it: he was a Swiss-he bore a tender heart. When a boy, I went up to his room for confession one hot afternoon. He made me kneel at his own priedieu. Though I was not aware of it, he perceived that my forehead was wet with perspiration. He took out his clean white handkerchief, fresh in its folds from the wash, and wiped my face. He knew the way to the heart."
As a Missionary
In April 1904, Fr Corti was allowed by his Superiors to go out into the Mission. He first made a study of Tulu the language of the people for whom he was going to work. In 1905 he definitely fixed his abode in a hut at Narol (Naravi), some 30 miles from Mangalore in the interior. Here he built a small hut for himself and started his missionary labours. On May 5, 1905, he wrote to his Superior: "I thank you so much for having allowed me to labour here and preach the Gospel to the poor. I am well and happy. May our Lord bless me and keep me. On Sundays I devote myself to the Catholics who would otherwise have none to care for them, being sixteen miles from the nearest church in Karkal.... The week days I give to the perfecting of my Tulu and to talks with non-Christians."
Submitting a programme of work to the same superior, he explained the relative difficulties in the way of conversions among the four classes of Hindus around him- pariahs, Billavas, Jains and Bunts. However he is full of hope, for he writes; "I believe that this is the fittest place for our holy undertaking. If, God willing, the gate is once opened, there is every hope of a plentiful harvest to follow." It was a prophecy of the future development of the Mission; but Fr Corti had to win its first fulfilment from Heaven only after seven years of ceaseless prayer and penance.
The Apostle of the Outcastes
In his "Ramble Through The Mission" Fr R. D. Sequeira says: "Before the advent of Fr Corti at Narol, few had handled the problem of conversion successfully in our Diocese. A few converts were being made at Jeppoo where the old, the weak, and the invalid sought shelter for old age and illness. But this sort of Christianity was more among the dead than among the living. A regular movement of conversions as in Chota-Nagpur was hitherto unknown. Even to our Christians, it was unknown." Marvellous to say, in place of the expected harvest of souls, there followed seven lean years, enough to extinguish the zeal of an ordinary mortal. During these seven years Fr Corti's record of baptisms makes up the grand total of only 70. And how did he occupy himself all this time? He prayed and waited patiently for God's own good time. He fasted and scourged himself. All the while it looked as if his mission was to end like that of Fr Maffei, his intimate friend.
But his assiduous prayers and his life of sacrifice could not be in vain. At the suggestion of the Bishop of Mangalore, he resolved to devote himself entirely to the conversion of the pariahs, and this meant that he should face the opposition of their landlords and masters. The intrepid Father foresaw it and prepared himself for the worst. The devil, seeing the rich harvest of souls that would be gathered, played his own game to prevent it. One day one of his converts, who had been a Jain Indra or priest, after taking a large dose of bhang or opium, flung the most insulting language at him before the non-Christians. Poor Fr Corti was cut to the quick, as he had been extremely kind to the man. He bore it all meekly, expecting that good would come out of this incident. And so it happened. The pariahs began from that time forth to come over in groups, and the wave of conversions still moves on, helped by other zealous missionaries of our day.
Following Our Lord who became the lowliest of men and suffered and died in order to save them, Father Corti made himself one with the lowly pariahs to save them from the slavery of the cruel landlords. He set himself up as the bitter enemy of the two greatest obstacles in the way of the conversion of the non-Christians here, namely jati (caste) and bhuta (the devil) whom the pariahs dreaded exceedingly. In the name of these bhutas, the landlords pronounced aga or curses on their victims. Now, Fr Corti called himself mansere guru (the Guru of the Pariahs) and bhutale vairi (the enemy of the devils). He loved the pariahs so dearly that he, as a rule, would speak only Tulu, their language, would often eat with them, and freely admit them into his house and church, in spite of the fact that caste people smarted under it when no distinction was made between themelves and the pariahs. He always took up their cause against their unjust landlords, going to the law courts on their behalf. The result was that he thus made for himself many enemies who even sought to kill him.
Let Father Corti himself tell us how Providence led the downtrodden pariahs to the Faith: One evening in 1911, on my way home, I passed purposely through a coppa, of hamlet, of pariahs called Ramettu. Close by the path I came across four of them who, pensive and sad, seemed to speak confidentially to one another. Coming up to them, I pleasantly asked how they were getting on. One of them, Mudare by name, with out-stretched arms and a pitiful tone answered: Ayoh! Swami, last night the Potail (village headman) sent four men to catch hold of me, my wife and children through a hole in the wall. Favoured by darkness we succeeded in escaping to the hill across; but tonight they are likely to renew the attempt. Have pity on me, Swami, save me and my family."
"That serves you right", I said, you deserve all that. If you want me to spend my time for you, you ought first to come under my protection. To obtain it you ought first to give up your bhutas and believe in the true God. But you do not want God, you always refuse to give up your bhutas and devils. Invoke your bhutas, therefore, and let them save you".
"Our bhutas won't help us," he said smilingly; "they are stupid. You only, Swami, can protect us. We will give them up; we will believe in the true God; but you, Swami, must save us."
"If you mean what you say, and you keep your word, I shall do all I can for you."
"Swami, we swear it." Saying this all four lifted up both hands to heaven, then lowered them to the ground (meaning to swear by heaven and earth) and fell flat at my feet.
"All right; I think I can trust you. Get up. Tonight one of you must watch for their coming. As soon as they approach, cry out, and I will send my catechist who will speak in my name". So saying I continued my way up to the top of the hill, just two furlongs off, where the Chapel stands. At 9 p.m. I heard a great cry of alarm. Straightaway I dispatched my catechist who informed the Potail's men that those four pariahs of Ramettu were about to become Christians, and as such they were under the protection of the Swami Gurukuler. If the Potail had any complaint to make against them, he should come the next day to speak with the Swami.
"The Four emissaries returned to the potail and informed him of what had taken place. The latter, conscious of his criminal action, did not like to come to me, thus left the pariahs alone.
"Two days afterwards Mudare and his three companions with their families came to the chapel for instruction. The door was thrown open; their example was soon followed by others; and within a fortnight all the pariahs of Ramettu sixteen families in all were regular in their attendance at religious instruction. Three months later the Bishop came and baptised them.
No sooner did the Ramettu Mudare affair became public than a number of complaints were brought to me for settlement. The majority of them were compromised with a fine to be paid by the oppressor; the rest were put in the hands of the police who performed their duty admirably. The religious effect of these litigations was that the pariahs, helped by me, invariably became Christians; their relations as a rule, and frequently the whole hamlet, followed their lead."
With a grateful heart he writes to his Superior: "... In 1911, 64 souls entered the Church; in 1912 they numbered 295; in 1913 they reached 508. The movement spread like fire in the dry forest. The catechumens are at present 730. I have built two chapels. As the movement has spread to the length of eight or ten miles in every direction, two more chapels are imperatively needed". It is significant to note, however, that after vain efforts to reach the caste people, Fr Corti had to direct his efforts to the conversion of the pariahs or out-castes, who were suffering from various disabilities at the hands of the caste people.
Helped by Fr Gaviraghi
In his heavy and uphill work he needed an assistant and he was fortunate to get in June 1913 the services of Fr Angelus Gaviraghi, S. J., a priest newly arrived from Italy and no less zealous than Fr Corti himself. But who can guess why the Arva Mission was dedicated to St Peter Claver, S.J., the Apostle of the Negroes of Africa? In order to find out the reason, we have to consider what wonders were wrought in Arva ever since Fr Gaviraghi took independent charge of the mission on 31st July 1914. During the first years of his Missionary career, Fr Gaviraghi succeeded in converting a good number of pariah families. But in the following years there was a dearth of conversion. The Superiors were disappointed at this state of affairs and decided to close down the mission. But the good Father persuaded them not to do so, and meanwhile he redoubled his prayers, his novenas and penances. God was pleased with his zeal, and his prayers and self-sacrifices had the desired effect. For, on the feast of St Peter Claver, Fr Gaviraghi won over to the Faith a fresh group of pariah families. There and then, in thanksgiving, the missionary vowed to dedicate his mission to St Peter Claver S.J. For full 14 years the zealous priest laboured among the Pariahs and when he handed over charge of the Mission to the Indian Missionaries i.e. the Secular Clergy in 1917,.... it was consoling to find in Arva and its neighbourhood a fairly large Christianity formed out of these simple people. During the last years of his stay in Arva, Fr Gaviraghi manifested his affection for the mission by erecting a nice church and presbytery- a living monument to his memory.
Caste People not left out
From what has been said one may infer and say that no conversion work was done among the high caste people. Facts, however, belie this statement. Fr Corti had first devoted all his energy and means to the conversion of these people. But owing to caste barriers his words fell on deaf ears. He therefore was forced to go to the outcastes and preach them the word of God. The words of the Holy Writ, pauperes evangelizantur, proved to be quite true in this case, for the Missionary succeeded in converting the Pariahs in large number. The power of the good done among the pariahs appealed by and by to the high caste people also. There were very frequent cases of high caste people receiving Baptism side by side with the Pariahs. The present Missionary of Arva relates two such very recent cases. A Hindu Woman, with her husband, two daughters and a grand child were received into the Church. Her husband who was a soothsayer was confined to bed on account of a deadly sore in his leg. He succumbed to it and died within a couple of months. The woman along with her three charges, eventually became Catholic and is now placed under the care of a good Catholic family. Another case is of a Hindu widow. She got involved into troubles owing to her dissolute life and not knowing what to do came to consult the Missionary. Whereupon the priest gave her sound advice and pointed out that the difficulties she was encountering were God-sent and would prove to be a blessing in disguise for her. The woman recognized God's Holy will in her case, understood the hint given by the missionary and repented her past conduct. Now, she and her only daughter have become Catholics and they faithfully perform their religious duties unmolested.
Trouble ahead
Before long the news of Fr Corti's excursions into the villages, his visits to the Pariah quarters, and the subsequent happenings reached the landlords who were wild with rage. The whole country was astir. The current topic, wherever the leading classes assembled, was the conversion of these pariahs to the Religion of the Guru. Fr Corti had, on the one hand, to look after the few neophytes, weak in faith and poor in worldly goods, and on the other, to face the unrest and persecution of the land-holding classes. Naturally speaking, one would expect at least the old Christians to side with him and to support him. But it was otherwise. Illiterate and ignorant as they were, and without a priest for years together to minister to them, they thought their interests were jeopardized. By converting the depressed classes, they would be closely associated with them and made to sit side by side in church and at home. The very thought of comingling with the dirty, filthy and despised pariahs, was revolting to their mind. They made it a point to boycott Fr Corti and his work.
Miracle of Grace
But there is consolation in desolation. Heaven was opened and God's grace freely descended into the hearts of these poor, simple pariahs. Bands of them rallied round Fr Corti asking for instruction and Baptism. Fr Corti had not the courage to admit them inside the church for fear of a breach of peace. He prepared them outside for Baptism. It was the year 1910 and Bishop Perini had been just consecrated. On hearing the good news, he wrote to Fr Corti that he would himself come over to Narol to baptize the batch of catechumens. When he arrived and saw the people waiting outside the church and Fr Corti doubting whether he could admit them inside, the Bishop ordered all the pariahs to get in and thus addressed the old Christians that had come in crowds to see, for the first time the new Bishop: "You are all children of God. The conversion of so many pariahs should be a matter of great rejoicing to you. By the Sacrament of Baptism, they too have become children of God. In future, you and they are children of the same Father who is in heaven. By this conversion, the pariahs have a right to come to church. They should come to church for prayer, Mass and the Sacraments. You must treat them as your younger brethren in the Faith and not place obstacles in their way to conversion nor exclude them from the church." The new Bishop pronouncing these words with all the episcopal authority made a profound impression on the audience, and thus dealt a death-blow to their various machinations.
With the advent of the Bishop, the Christians were quieted down but their persecution by the landlords became stronger. The master's hand was heavy on the poor pariah. He began to ill-treat and oppress him in every possible way. The ways of God are inscrutable. He converted what was meant for destruction into an instrument to bring the poor people under the protection of Fr Corti. They flocked to him all the more. In the face of persecution and oppression, Fr Corti decided to handle every case and invoke the arm of the Law. Lots of complaints followed. One complained that he had been beaten, a second that he had been assaulted and dragged, a third that his cattle had been forcibly taken away and so on. Fr Corti took up each case and filed complaint after complaint before the local Magistrate. Invariably the cases ended in convictions. That created a terror in the whole country, and it was an accepted regulation that pariahs should not be interfered with in the practice of their religion and that all high-handed and unjust ways of dealing with them should be stopped.
At Narol
At Narol, Fr Corti lived like a chieftain among his clansmen, a patriarch among his primitive people. He was known as the Guru of Naravi. They revered him as their leader in weal and in woe. When the wife of one of his Christians had been taken away by their landlord, he put himself at the head of a large band of her kith and kin and demanded her surrender, threatening recourse to the law. They were preparing to rush unceremoniously into the house, when the landlord thought it wiser to yield her up. On another occasion, his spiritual children came to inform him that they feared a night attack from the moplahs. Fr Corti offered to spend a night in their village. He issued instructions that as soon as the assailants were sighted they should raise tremendous shouts. The enemy did appear, and the instructions were faithfully carried out. Then there suddenly was seen the figure of the "White Guru". Immediately the Moplahs took to flight, doubtles believing that it was an apparition from the outer world.
Once some Jains planned to waylay Fr Corti and kill him, but he made his escape. When asked how he had succeeded to escape, he casually remarked: "I was not worthy of the crown of martyrdom."
Fr Corti's love of the poor and his zeal to be of service to them led him to take very grave risks on several occasions. One such occasion was when he was called for an urgent sick call. It was the monsoon season when the mountain rapids often rose so high in a short time that one could not cross them without exposing oneself to the danger of being swept away. Fr Corti was prepared to cross the river, if his companion, a sturdy young man, could carry him on his shoulders. He readily consented and courageously bore the Father half across the stream, when he stumbled accidentally. Both fell into the water. They held to each other tightly, and rolling over several times, reached by swimming a place of safety. One day a poor non-Christian came to summon him to see a sick person. On the way he had to pass over a fairly doop ditch full of water. An old rotten plank formed a temporary bridge. As Fr Corti reached midway, the plank yielded under him throwing him into the water. His hat was carried down the stream. His head struck on something hard and he was dazed for a while. When he recovered consciousness, he saw his helpless guide in bewilderment gazing at him, with his hand on his mouth, as the manner is with these simple folks.
We have one of the most striking examples of his zeal and courage in his dramatic crossing of a river in full flood in order to appear in a judicial court on behalf of his poor pariahs who were far too often molested by their landlords. Here is an eye-witness account of this incident: The scene of the thrilling feat was near Ajekar. Fr Corti had to go across the river in a hurry lest he should fail to appear before the judge and the case decided in his absence. Bribed by the Jain landlords the ferrymen would not row him across. There was no time to waste. So the good missionary gently stroked his faithful mare, KEMPI, mounted on her with confidence and signaled her to go ahead. Without a wink of hesitation, Kempi plunged into the swollen river. It looked as if the man and beast would be swept away by the powerful current. All that one could see were the two heads popping up at intervals above the raging torrent. Rejoicing at this turn of events the landlords jumped for joy raising a triumphant cry. "Mansere Guru poye"- that's the end of the pariah's priest.
But contrary to everybody's expectation Kempi safely landed the man of God on the other bank of the river. She got a pat on her back in appreciation of her heroic service before she galloped again with her master on her back, his clothes dripping wet. The mansere guru was just in time for the case in the court to plead for the rights of the oppressed pariahs.
In 1918 the Government of India awarded Fr Corti the Kaiser-1-Hind medal for public service rendered during his missionary life, by fearlessly championing the cause of the Pariahs and working for the abolition of the semi-slavery by which they had been oppressed for years.
Trip to Europe
Only once in the forty-four years of his life in India Fr Corti went to Europe. That was in 1922, when he accepted the pressing invitation of the Parish Priest of Curio, his native town in Switzerland, to come and collect funds for his mission. During his stay in Europe he preached and lectured over one hundred and fifty times on behalf of his work. Once his Bishop, a man of great piety, came to visit him. Before Fr Corti had time to greet him, the Bishop was down on his. knees and, bending low, reverently kissed his feet exclaim ing: "Quam pulchri pedes evangelizantium." (How beautiful the feet of those who spread the Good News) Great was Fr Corti's confusion at the sight of the Bishop's humility and at the regard paid to his own self.
When he returned to India his converts fancied he had brought a large fortune. Each one came expecting a share. In a short time a large part of the little he had with him disappeared. He really saw Christ in every one of his people, doing at once whatever was in his power, and replying with the sweetest words to the importunity of beggars, when he had no means to help. He treated and conversed with the lowest classes of men with the greatest respect and kindness. His converts loved him so much that wherever he went, they surrounded him like children. He freely used the words "son" and daughter" in speaking with them. The elderly women he addressed as "mother"; and all this greatly endeared him to them.
A life of Austerity
His austerity and self-denial were well known to his confreres. Unless there were others staying with him or guests to entertain, he was satisfied with only a little conjee (boiled rice) which was prepared only once in the morning. One day he brought out some fine biscuits he had received months before as a present from an Austrian lady and which he had reserved for his guests. They were mildewed. Generally, he would walk barefoot in the burning sun and on hills full of rough pebbles. On feeling hungry or thirsty, he would, like any poor wayfarer in villages, content himself with cashew fruit and beaten rice. During one of these missionary excursions, he ran a thorn into his foot which forced him to take to his bed for a couple of months. Inflammation set in, and the foot was greatly swollen. Yet he went on saying Mass daily, supporting himself as best he could.
His Last Days
In his long missionary life Fr Corti never allowed himself any rest. "Eternity," he would say, "was long enough for rest." On the 23rd of September, 1926, he said his last Mass. On the evening of that day he had an attack of fever caused by the recrudescence of an old complaint. Hoping to recover, and extremely loath to abandon his mission, he remained at his post, and only on the 1st of October he consented to be taken in a bullock cart to Mangalore. He reached Kankanady in a dying condition. Dr Lawrence Fernandes declared that it was time to administer Extreme Unction. Seven days he lingered between life and death, while the good Doctor, who had from his boyhood days known and revered Fr Corti, strove to save his precious life. But his day was done, and there was awaiting him the reward of those that have loved the Divine Master and worked for the souls dearest to Him- the poor, the lowly, the outcastes.
The End
He died on October 9, 1926, at the age of 69, having given the last 22 years of his life to the service of the oppressed Pariahs.
Note 1. Fr Corti's principal mission centre was Naravi. Adjacent to this there were many sub-stations served from Naravi. One of these is Venoor with Perady and Moodbidri where the majority of Fr Corti's converts are. After the death of Fr Corti, "our beloved Bishop, seeing that the work done by the good Father was very extensive and could not be managed by one missionary, divided the Naravi Mission into different stations viz. Naravi, Moodbidri, Shirtadi, Perady, Moodkody, Nellikar and Venoor."
Note 2. Although Father Corti had not in his circumstances, a regular time-table, especially in the matter of meals, he was, however regular in his evening ride through the Narol Bazaar. It was about three miles, coming and going. If he happened to meet any of his converts, he would invite them to follow him to talk over anything he had in his mind. Ordinarily he retired to bed at 11 p.m. and rose at 5 a.m. His prayers kept him in his room till 7 a.m. and beyond. At Mass he loved to hear people and catechists sing their prayers in Tulu and Konkani. After Mass and thanksgiving, his principal occupation was the hearing of complaints and sorrows of the poor people who used to come long distances to see him. He would then write letters to recommend them to their landlords and potails and send for the parties to effect a peaceful compromise. He was extremely anxious to do all in his power to satisfy the litigants, and when thus engaged, his midday meal had to be postponed to 2 or even 3 p.m. On Sundays he would begin Mass at nearly twelve, when he had heard the confession of the last penitent. He used to say that on Sundays people could afford to wait for any length of time in the church.
To the sick he was kindness itself. To the fever-stricken he would give one of his own shirts, or take an old carpet at the foot of the altar to cover them. It was amusing to 500 them after recovery walking about with curious garments on their shoulders. He would strongly urge them not to expose themselves to the cold winds, and he would at times allow them to sleep in his own room to make sure that they were sheltered from cold at night. He would not follow the practice of making them stand afar off while conversing with them, but would treat them as tenderly as the hen does its chickens. The Holeyas did not always take pains to return the love he lavished upon them. On account of this, he was latterly more at ease with the Korgars for whom he thought of setting apart a nave in the new church of Narol. He was, however, always ready to forgive and forget the faults of his converts, and any repentant person was sure to be kindly received again by him. He willingly admitted to instruction in the Faith and to Baptism persons who did not appear so trustworthy to others, pleading that they had also their good qualities, and that they would soon improve.
As huntsmen love to tell of their game, so Fr Corti loved to tell of his missionary adventures. His greatest consolation was to hear that good and abundant fish was caught in Peter's net. "Dispersit, dedit pauperibus," could be said trully of Fr Corti: He spared nothing for himself, and all that he had. he disposed of and gave to the poor.
Father Faustinus Corti, S.J. in years
1856, 5 Nov. Born in Curio, Svizzera
1878, 6 Nov. Joins the Society in Laval, France (as a Seminarian)
1879 Novitiate, France
1880 First Vows France
1881 Juniorate in Valenza, Spain
1882 Philosophy, 1 Spain
1883 do 2 in Porta Coeli, Spagna
1884 do 3 in Portore, Crozia
1884, 29 Nov. Arrives in Mangalore with Fr. Piacentini
1885 Studies languages in St. Joseph's Seminary, Mangalore.
1886-1888 Teacher, St. Aloysius College, Mangalore.
1889 Theology in Kurseong
1891, 11 Oct. Ordained Priest
1893 3rd Year Prob. In Jeppoo Seminary, Mangalore
1894 to 1904 Teacher in St. Aloysius College, Mangalore
1896 19 March, Final Vows
1904 in Apr. Goes to Fajir to learn Tulu, then to Hospet
1905 in Jan. Starts a Pagan- Mission at Narol
1906 to 1922 Missionary at Narol
1918 Kaiser-I-Hind Silver Medal
1922- Goes to Europe and returns
1922 to 1926 Continues his missionary work at Narol.
1926, 23 Sep. Says his last mass at Narol
1 Oct. 1926 Is taken to Mangalore in dying condition
1926, 9 Oct – Dies in the Lord in Kankanady Hospital,
Age- 70
In the Society of Jesus - 48 years
Mission- 42 years
1936, 18 Oct- Unveiling of his portrait in the Academy Hall of St. Aloysius College, Mangalore
This above material is taken from the book "Restless for Christ - Lives of Select Jesuits who toiled in the Karnataka Province" Series - I
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