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Br. Samson OFM – Called to Be a Lesser Brother – Story of Vocation and Mission

1. Brother Samson, could you tell us something about yourself, your family?

(Br. Samson hails from Madakondapalli near Hosur, Tamil Nadu)

We are seven children. Elder to me are three sisters and one brother and younger to me are one brother and one sister. My father was a catechist in the Parish and my mother also was very much devoted to the Church. Since my father was a catechist, I used to be most of the time in the church. Though my brothers stopped studying I continued. As a young boy I thought my place is in the church, and not in the house. After I completed my SSLC I stayed at home for three years helping my father both in the church and with farming. Since I was at home helping my father, my brother was not bothered to do anything in the farm. I thought then that this is the right time to move away from home and I therefore approached the Parish Priest for his advice. He told me to meet Friar Lawrence Kochukunnel OFM who used to come to give recollections to the FSM sisters.

2. Could you share about your initial story of your vocation?

Fr. Lawrence invited me to the Bangalore friary for a week to discern whether I would like to pursue this way of life or not. He was the Guardian of Banglore Friary at that time. After a week of stay there, I decided to join the friars. I went back home and took my luggage and landed in Palamaner. Friar Blaise was the rector of the juniorate at that time. He was such a good and kind hearted person who was always with us. He used to guide us and be with us always. Whenever I went for my home holidays, I used to visit the Bangalore friary. I would spend just a week at home and then go to Bangalore. Friar Lawrence used to ask me to help out at the parlour. I gladly did this for three years. Then I entered the novitiate on 26th June 1980. Friar Fabian was our novice master. He was a simple friar with a lot of warmth and love for the poor and the novices. After my novitiate we were sent to Chennai for a separate formation of lay-brothers. It lasted for one year but by then the Minister General told the province not to have any separate formation for the lay brothers. So I was sent to Siruguppa in Bellary.

3. What are the memories of your formation days?

The system of formation and the way our rector dealt with us was very good. He used to be with us always. He used to give us conferences every Sunday and tell us what we were to do and how exactly we were to do it. He hid nothing from us. Friar Blaise was quite free with us. He would not get angry and never hesitated to tell us what we needed to do as brothers. He would even tell us: if you find this life good for you, continue otherwise go home, the door is open for you. But he would often say: if you decide to go, go alone; do not take any other brother with you. Since you came alone, go back alone. When I went to the novitiate, Friar Fabian was the Novice Master and the Guardian. For any programme in the house, we used to consult the Guardian. Since as juniors, our relationship with Fr. Fabian was already good, we found it easier to relate to him. In the beginning of our novitiate, we were thirteen of us, but at the end of the novitiate we were nine. My companions at present in the Order are friars Tommy T.J., Rohwin Pais, Carlos Dias and Dominic C.J. .

4. What were your various responsibilities after your solemn profession?

On 13th March, 1985, Tommy T J and I made our solemn profession. This was the day after the erection of our province on 12th March 1985, when friar Fidelis D’lima was elected as the first Provincial. I remained in Bangalore for six months to almost one year. Then I was sent to Mysore as the vicar to Friar Richard D’silva. Mysore was the new theology house of formation for brothers. I served there for three years. Then I was asked to go to the ITI in Madhavaram. I assisted the friars in Madhavaram and served as the in charge of the boarding from 1989 to 1995. Then I was asked to go to Nanesera in the North (custody). After one year of being in the North, I was asked to come to the Bellary Ashram. And when Brother Angelo suddenly passed away in 2001, I was asked to go to Chennai as the Guardian for the rest of that term. Then I remained there until I was told to go to Bangalore as the vicar when Friar Fidelis was the Guardian. Then Friar Gabriel became the Guardian. I was there for six years as the vicar. Then I went to Nesavanam where I remained for five years. From there I came to Palamaner in 2017. I am happy being here serving the brotherhood. Wherever I went, I thought my priority was to help support the running of the house to the best of my capacity. It is because of this that the friars could rely on me.

5. What were your dreams and have they been fulfilled?

My dream was to live my life in service of the Church and the Order. And the Lord gave me this beautiful vocation of a lay-brother to realize that dream. I am very much grateful to God for this vocation which has been so fulfilling.

6. Who were your role models for Franciscan life?

All the friars especially my juniorate Rector Fr. Blaise Lobo and my novice master Fr. Fabian D’Souza. I also liked two Dutch friars Ligoury Mimpen and Oswald Dijsektra for their loving disposition in their relationship to me.

7. What are the things that keep you going in the Franciscan Life?

The first and foremost thing that keeps me going is prayer. As much as it is possible for me, I am faithful to my daily prayers. It is only after that, that I take up my responsibilities and do them with my full heart and attention. I love to serve the community. I keep working and it gives me a lot of energy.

8. Did you have any challenges in your life?

Yes, I did. I had to struggle with a particular friar. But I had to humble myself a lot to deal with that friar. I often kept silence. I think my silence helped me.

9. What are your suggestions for younger generation?

The young friars should be open to the needs of the Order and to that of the world. St. Francis’ life was a life of the Gospel; a life open to God and to the poor. Young people should know as to why they have entered into the Order; it should not be for fulfilling their own plans and dreams. The world might be tempting but we must be simple in our life-style. Since, we want to live the Gospel. In Those days, we only had bicycles, no motorized bikes, yet a bicycle was a big thing for us. But now we have all kinds of vehicles, but we must know for what purpose we have these vehicles. They are not for our own use but for our mission. There is one more thing I would like to tell the younger generation: please do not fall into any kind of regionalism or create divisions in the community or order.

10. What do you admire and appreciate about Franciscan life?

We are basically brothers and that’s what I appreciate about our Franciscan life. I did not feel any sort of discrimination while living in the brotherhood as a friar. Both of us, Friar Tommy TJ and I were happy to serve the community as lay brothers.

11. The life that you are living is considered almost a second life after your sickness, how do you find yourself now?

It is surely a second life for me. This makes me more responsible toward God in the discharge of my duties. Though the sickness I had some time back, really jolted me, I must say, it increased my fidelity to God and to my Franciscan way of life. (When he had said this, Br. Samson sobbed)

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