Like every year, this year also three of the
students from our theologate represented the seminary in the students’
ecumenical movement namely North Indian Theology Students’ Conference, popularly
known as NITS Conference. This year, being the golden jubilee year of its beginning,
it was apt that one of the pioneer colleges hosts it and Bishop’s College in
Kolkata grabbed the opportunity to host this year’s conference. Here it will be
appropriate to remind that Bishop’s college is an Anglican college for the
theology seminarians and one of the three non-catholic Christian colleges that
took initiative to start this venture in early fifties.
Sr., Deepa, Bros. Johnson and Ajil were selected to
go for the conference to be held in Kolkata from 07th October 2011
to 11th October 2011. We set out from the seminary on the evening of
4th October and after spending a night in the philosophate, we took
a train to Kolkata on 5th morning and reached the destination in the
afternoon of 6th October. Two brothers from Morning Star Theological
College had come to receive us at the station. Since we reached before time,
our dean Rev. Fr. Jesuraj had arranged with the help of Rev. Fr. John Romus,
the dean of the Morning Star college, a place to stay till we actually join the
conference. We were taken care well in the seminary and spent there almost 24
hours. We joined the participants from the Morning Star to the venue of the
Conference, namely Bishop’s College.
Sr. Deepa was asked to stay in the college campus
itself and we were taken to the hostel of the historical school, La’ Martinere
for boys. The conference was inaugurated by retired bishop Rt. Rev. D.C.
Gaurai. Among other prominent guests were Rev. Dr. Sunil M. Caleb, the
principal of Bishop’s College, Rev. Dr. John Romus, the dean of Morning Star College
and few other professors including the staff guides from different seminaries
and colleges. Altogether there were sixteen participating colleges with 56 delegates.
The day ended with forming various committees for the conference. Sr. Deepa
chose to be in the Fact Finding committee, Bro. Ajil took up the Cultural
committee and Bro. Johnson chose to be in the moderating committee.
In the coming four days, there used to be morning
and evening worships by different colleges. After the breakfast and a short
break there was to be paper presentation by different colleges on different
topics. After the presentations we were divided into small groups of 6 -7 each with
a staff guide. We were given certain questions related to the presented topic
to discuss and then present to the whole conference body. Bro. Johnson
moderated the presentation by Ruhalaya Major Seminary Ujjain on the topic
“Theological response of the Church towards the issues of Justice and peace.” We also responded to a paper by Dharma Jyoti
Vidyapeeth, Faridabad on the topic “Church towards the emancipation of the women
in the third millennium.” In the afternoons we had group games and in the evenings
cultural programs followed by evening worship. The worships were very creative.
On the third day of the conference, i.e. 9th
of October we were taken for touring of Kolkata. We visited the historical
cathedral of St. Paul, Victoria Memorial Hall and the Science City. Some of us
felt bad that we were not taken to the tomb of Blessed Mother Teresa, however
next day many of us visited the tomb on our own and even participated in the
holy Eucharist. We met Sr. Nirmala, the former general superior of the Missionaries
of charity, we also saw mother Teresa’s room and many of her belongings still
kept intact.
On 10th of October in the evening we
had the cultural program where participants form different cultures presented
their cultural dances and songs, including skits and mimes. From our college
Bro. Ajil presented two dances and also did the announcements for the items of
the program. We also had general evaluation on the same day. We elected the new
president for the next conference and new secretary. Mr. Precious Star from
Serampore College and Miss Makroniyu Thele from Baptist Theological College,
Nagaland, were elected as president and secretary for the 51st NITS
conference to be held in Baptist College Nagaland in 2012.
On 11th, that is, the last day we had
the closing ceremony of the conference. We were given a memento each to
remember the jubilee year. At the end the president and secretary thanked each
and every participant for their whole hearted co-operation. We started back
from Kolkata after lunch and Reached back in KPRT on 13th of October
in the afternoon. We thank Fr. Rector,
Fr. Dean and other members of staff who thought us worthy to represent our
college to such a precious conference. We would recommend that all of us should
be given chance in one or the other way to participate in such events.
