The passing away of Fr. Andre Bruylants on
Friday 21st November 2014 left an irreparable void in the community
of educationists and philanthropists.
He was born in Belgium, the land of mouth-watering
truffles
and waffles,on 27th
September 1926. On 14th September 1946 at the age
of 20, he joined the Society of Jesus and was ordained on 21st March
1959.
Fr. Bruylants who resembled a film star in
his gait, was a multi-faceted Educationist, a great Administrator, a Thinker, a
great philanthropistand a Writer of several books. One of his books – a graded series of 10 books
- Discovering Myself is very well-known and taught in many
schools as Value Education (Moral Science) subject.
Most of his life, he
served the Educational sector, as Headmaster of St Lawrence High School and St
Xavier’s Collegiate School. Past students of St Lawrence School have vivid
memories of him as a strict disciplinarian but without the use of the rod, in keeping
with the teaching methods of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. His tall
height, impressive looks and impeccable manners left all - students, teachers
and parents - awestruck.
In winter he would make rounds
of the school, particularly in the Boarding section, in the night, with a shawl
on his shoulders. He would join the boarders every morning for prayer before
their breakfast.
When in good mood he
would hum to himself, mimic birds and at times whistle too!
He was the first
Secretary of Jesuits in Social Action (JESA) from 1973 to
December 1977. Formally initiated
in 1973, the primary function of JESA is to encourage and elicit
well-studied interventions from Jesuits and partners who support the causes of
marginalised groups and communities in various provinces and states in South
Asian countries.
He was a
wonderful human being and like a true Jesuit priestwould always empty himself of
the high positions including his appointment to the National Provincialate New
Delhi. He quietly worked for the uplift of the marginalized and touched the
lives of thousands of people, students and teachers.
His notable contribution for the marginalized,
through Alumnorum
Societas (Alsoc), was Project Titlia school
for the poor children and the gift of a school for girls – Bagi Pourbala Bar
Prabhabati Mandal Balika Vidyalaya in Joka on Sunday 7th March
2010. The school was a three-room hutment with a thatched
roof till July 2009. “The new building was built at a cost of Rs 30 lakh
provided by Alsoc. Earlier, we had from classes V to X; after the extension, we
have added five more classes — Nursery to Class IV,” said OliKoley, the
headmistress of the school, the only secondary school in the vicinity. Alsoc, which
adopted the Joka school as its sister concern, also gifted the school ceiling
fans, benches and other material.
Fr
Bruylants wrote an article (in Jesuit) captioned Spare the rod, save the child in support of the
abolition of Corporal Punishment (physical or emotional). His opening lines were: “Physical punishment in schools like
caning, slapping or beating, even in the most moderate of forms, is now banned
by the courts. Period!”
May there be peace
and comfort in members of his family in Belgium, who may take comfort that their
son dedicated his life for the uplift of the Bengali community. May our
educators continue the legacy that he has left behind. May his soul rest
in eternal peace.
ISAAC HAROLD GOMES
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