Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar, 15 August 2016 -- When I was the Delegate of Myanmar in the year 2000, we were getting some philosophy teachers from India (Calcutta, Bombay and Nashik) just for a month or so, and we wanted to qualify our Brothers better and so I approached Fr. Stanislaus Swammikanu (Chennai province). Just then Fr. Julien was teaching in Yercaud and Fr. Stanislaus put me into contact with me. Thus we found the great treasure for our vice province. He was not only teaching Philosophy, but he found out that our young confrere were thirsty for general knowledge and so he taught and shared with them all possible and useful general knowledge.
For some years he was teaching and sharing the general knowledge with the FMA Sisters from Anisakan and their Aspirants. When our Philosophate was shifted from Anisakan to Pyin Oo Lwin, he followed us too. He was assisting our Post-novices during their daily and night study, guiding and coaching those who were poor in studies. He takes up the daily Masses, good night talks any day, monthly recollection available any time, in short wonderful cheerful Salesian: always popular and really liked by the young confreres.
He brought thousands of philosophical books in the digital form and set them up in our Studentate library. From last year he also started teaching in the National Major Seminary in Pyin Oo Lwin. The professors from the Seminary are very much taken up with him. We are happy for his last many years of service and wish Fr. Julien a good health! He became already a solid 'external' member of our community.
We asked Fr. Julien few questions about his global teaching of philosophy in Salesian Studentates around the world:
How did you start this global philosophy professor mission?
It was very simple: My rector presented me the letter of the rector major asking for teachers in Jerusalem. So, i went.
What were and are your destinations to teach philosophy?
Cremisan (Holy Land), Lubumbashi (RD Congo), Adigrat (Ethiopia), Port Au Prince (Haiti), Ibadan (Nigeria), India(Yercaud, Nashik, Sonada, Bengaluru) Moshi (Tanzania), Pyin Oo Lwin (Myanmar) And Kotadenyawa (Sri Lanka).
What does motivate you to continue this mission for past 10 years?
It is a wonderful job for the congregation, within the different situations. it makes me very happy.
As a possible 'Ambassador of Project Europe' what is your message to the non-European young SDB about the old continent Salesian future and their possible contribution?
As far as i am concerned: the forwarding of a simple message:
God is not a problem, God is not(iii)…that is the problem or in other words :
Do not make (a) God (your God). Let God be God!
In faith and reason this mission fills a life to the full. It’s brimming over!
