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Many blessings to you

Pastor and Church Elders

History (Collected from St. John’s Regional Seminary, Hyderabad)

Note: (I am aware of corrections and editing)

WITH LOVE FROM HOLLAND (Book)

Chapter Twelve

(The 'Twins' at Ravipadoo (August 1888 - June 1891)

From Bellary Station to Ravipadoo: Frs. Francis and Anthony Kroot travelled north-east along the newly built Railway line, halting at Guntakal, Nandyal, Giddalur, Cumbum, Vinukonda, and finally at Narasraopet, some 20 km short of Guntur.

At this time, there were five Mission Stations in the Guntur District: Fr. Theodore Dieckmann with Fr. Rayanna in Phirangipuram; Fr. Joseph Grand with Fr. Gerard Kirch in Rentachintala; Fr. Gerard Raatger with Fr. John van de Westelaken in Patibanda; Fr Anthony Huybers in Mutloor, and now Fr. Anthony and Francis Kroot in Ravipadoo, not far from Narasraopet.

In the adjacent Nellore District, there was just one station where Fr Kleinschneider was in charge, also of the Seminary.

The Guntur Mission District was almost entirely among caste Catholics in the villages, away from the towns. From Ravipadoo, Anthony and Francis were looking after 14 Villages (with Catholics and catechumens) in the Guntur District, and another 10 villages in the northern portion of Nellore. District (now Ongle District).

Ravipadu was an Old Catholic cent the foundation of their Church to one Polavarapu Channappa who was converted at Pondichery.

It was only when the Mill Hill Fathers became that Ravipadu became an independent Mission. Fr Dieckmann was the first care for it for two years (1876-1878).

Then, for ten long years, Fr. Anthony Huybers laboured at Ravipadoo and its many villages. Fr. Francis was happy to take over from his old companion and class-mate.

The 1876 Census of Catholics gives 798 Catholics for Ravipadoo.

The 1889 Madras Directory indicates that Ravipadoo Mission had 21 sub-Stations, including Kondremutla, Vinakonda etc. with 376 Catholics at Ravipadoo Station itself and 1964 Catholics in other villages. Two years later - in 1891 - the no. of Catholic in the villages has gone up to 2123, while for Ravipadoo itself 376 are indicated.

"What we want Here Is a Saint!”

At long last in August 1888, at the age of 33, Fr. Francis dream was coming true: he had been posted to a 'real mission the Guntur district village mission, where there were Catholic families with catechumens scattered over a wide area, and where there could be direct evangelizing contact with non-Christians

In spite of his eagerness and zeal, the task was daunting for Fr. Francis: the language: it would take him a good year before he felt ‘at home’ in the use of the Telugu language; and his poor health And he never underestimated the spiritual challenge involved in conversion work.

After five months, towards the end of January 1889, he seems somewhat discouraged:

I have been more or less sickly since I have come to this (Ravipadoo) mission. But it is all the same. I am a very useless item in the list, and whether I work of not, Christianity will not lose or gain by it.

What we want here is a saint Yes, a real Saint, not merely very virtuous and pious priest. Oh, if I were at least the latter.

Three months later how he Later (Low Sunday April, 28th), with Ft Anthony,fr. Francis seems to begin getting his act together.

Then Anthony and I each keep a horse to visit our out here we have two more schools and 4 or 5 more Catechists to pray for.

Anthony and I are trying our best to bring the village people into the fold. For this object we have established a Society, the member of which each fast a day in rotation, and on that day on their turn of fasting comes, they must either hear Mass of rosary for the conversion of the people... On Sunday.no list. But yet there are 7 persons for each week: 6 names are read are Mass on Sundays, for Monday, Tuesday, etc.: the 7th person must fast for any of these 6 who through indisposition might be evented from fasting: but if no demand is made upon that person tilt Saturday, he or she fasts on the Saturday. I have no doubt that come special graces will be obtained for the poor people. Otherwise you have no idea what a disheartening work it is to try and convert the people in the villages.

For my own part it is doubly trying, for having had dealings with only Tamil people, I have had to learn Telugu since my arrival here in last September. I can manage to preach, even impromptu, and heat Confessions, but to follow up a conversation is yet impossible to me.

Then these people are so imperturbably indifferent to the truth. Even though they may grant you that our Religion is the true one, they will invariably tell you that they cannot become none of their relations are; that if they become we cannot get their children married owing to the peculiar custom of marrying only in a certain “who will roll away the stone for us from their hearts?” so I fix my hope upon the fastings and prayers of the above society, together with the prayer offered up daily throughout the Catholic church There are already here and there some signs of better things..

The Money Problem

Problems there are: one problem is money, cash, funds "According to the Archbishop's express wishes our priests here in this district are trying to get the people to contribute towards the support of their pastor. We have fixed Rs. 3 per plough. There are altogether 47 ploughs in this village, belonging to Christians. So that we ought to get yearly Rs. 141, if they all pay (This than £ 10). But to make these people pay for their priests is like fetching wine from the moon... The cost of the Catechist and School master alone comes to Rs. 133. If you add the cost for altar-win and candles, the support which the priest gets will be 0 + plenty of fresh air!”

The money problem is also at the root of the Minor Seminary question:

"At the Synod it was decided to remove the Minor Seminary from Nellore, and to incorporate it with an Indian boarding establishment, to be started in connection with St. Mary's College at Madras. The fee for boarding and tuition will be Rs. 5 per month, exclusive of books, clothes, etc. As small as this fee may appear to you, the death-knell of vocations among our Telugus has been sounded. 1° these people do not understand that they should pay, at all for any education; 2o especially not if they give up their sons for the Church; 3° Madras is too far away from us." -

Hence the plans of Fr. Dieckmann to begin a boarding school at Phirangipuram; and Fr. Francis' plans to have it rather in Guntur Town. Also, the caste problem comes in here: so far only caste boys have been invited for Seminary formation, as local socio would not yet be ready for a harijan priest....

It may be good to call that in the 1880 and 1890s Protestants were very active in the Telugu districts, and a conversion movement was taking place. Fr. Francis notes that all Catholics mainly from caste families, whereas Protestants district mainly in towns and with schools:

While we Catholics have hitherto done nothing to settle the Protestant Societies have their schools and cones in every town. Narasraopet, three miles from here, with about 10,000, contains not a single Catholic; the same is to be said of Vinukonda, also in my district but in each of these places the protestents have their schools. The large and flourishing town of Guntur, only 13 miles from Phirangipuram does not a single Catholic resident (there are a handful of Tamil whilst the protestants have their great establishment there...

Kondremutla: a Promising Out-Station

In August 1889, a year after arriving in Ravipadoo Mission we see Frs. Anthony and Francis fully involved in the village apostolate. Fr. Francis writes from Kondremutla.

Kondremutla, near Vinukonda is one of the oldest places with a Catholic population in Guntur district. In his History of the Telugu Christians, Fr. Anthony mentions that as early as 1700 there was a convert Dasari Jojappa in the village. The first church was very close to the village and was later shifted by Fr. Anthony to a different place not very far from the first. He bought the present two acre plot in 1892.

August 29th 1889: Fr. Francis is sharing:

With Fr. Anthony he arrived August 17th. Fr. Anthony was due to travel south to the Nellore Villages, but his presence was to settle split in the local community: we found our Christians (who without exception, belong to the Sale caste i.e., Weavers) in terrible enmity: the 230 Christians (including women and children) were divided into two parties, to the great detriment of religion and charity. My colloquial knowledge of Telugu being insufficient, Father Anthony was obliged to establish..."

"There is no village where the Hindus feelings to our holy religion. From early morning bed, they as well as the Christians, are coming and going...The Missionary who must try to be all to all, must always put on a pleasant face, and have a good word to say to each o important that you should attract them and make them your friends...."

"Every night we have some twenty, thirty people on the ground in front of the chapel... Luckily we have in this village, who know any amount of songs and sin well... Most of the songs are in honour of the Blessed Virgin, some are on St Francis Xavier, one of a sinner asking St Peter to the doors of Heaven, and of course being refused. There is very long song on the life of Our Lord, beginning with the message the Archangel Gabriel etc., etc. The Hindus listen to these song with infinite pleasure, and learn at the same time something of our holy religion. For a change we had yesterday (Sept 2nd) the martyrdom of St Thersa read for them"

"We hope that (if our young men at Mill Hill will only pray) there will gradually be a great number of conversions on this side of our Mission; the Hindus are so friendly and testify their esteem by little gifts; they are so honoured if we pay them a visit in their houses and sit for a few moments on their cot... that with the blessing of God, through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, darkness may be conquered and many souls added to the true Fold.

"We have been here now a fortnight and a Priest ought to remain here, for in a neighbouring village, the people are anxious that we should come; ... Our beautiful chapel is about eight yards long and nine feet high. The heat in it is simply excessive at times, we would gladly sleep outside at night, but unfortunately a heavy dew falls in this month, and we must put up with at their re conversion and have succeeded b had priests and means, all the hopes. All the poor people almost of the Guntur district (i verily believe) could easily be made Christians. Of course they are at the very bottom of human civilisation….”

...at the same time a vigorous attempt ought to the conversion of the caste-people. But what is the use of speculing? Until we have a fund for the support of the establishment of schools and churches, it is idle converting the districts confided to our care. Of stray conversions here and there, but until whole villages are brought into the fold, our work will be slow. Let some Croesus bequeath a legacy of £ 10,000to the Josephite Fathers in this Mission, and then we shall begin earnest to convert the people."

How to overcome the caste problem?

"Besides the caste people have such a horror of harijans that the latter are not allowed to live in the villages, but must live by themselves outside the villages. If, harijans were to be converted in any large numbers, there is a moral certainty that caste hindus would look with disdain upon our Religion. When the Jesuit Fathers three centuries ago undertook the conversion of what now forms the diocese of Trichinopoly, there were priests specially set apart for the conversion of the harijans. I do believe that we should have to follow the same plan to a certain extent..."

The work goes on

September 11th, 1890

"I have just returned from visiting villages and am off again this afternoon....I beg you will send me a lot of good-sized and crosses, if you can get some one to make such a Hindus hang spells round their necks; so our Christians some Christian sign about them. I require them some 30 or 40 families of poor people are to be them without delay. Some of these families are simply returning from their apostacy: others are a few new Christian. . I baptised some this week, and had not a medal or cross to give them."

October 14th, 1890

First some news from Kondremutia: Fr Francis reports the weaver Pullaya and his son who was well-instructed to ask for Baptism. Fr Anthony baptised him June 21st. “Among the weavers or Salevandlu as they are called at Kondremutla, there remains now only one non-Christian family, whereas only one Christian family was in the place when the oldest Christian still living there first, settled in the village."

Then, news from Gudipadoo.

Since June 1st, my brother and I have baptised 60 adults consoling result... In order that God may give the increase, we must pray, and pray unceasingly. The prayer of St Francis Xavier for the conversion of the heathen ought to be a daily prayer in every household.

I mentioned in one of my letters that the poor people of Gudipadoo - many of whom had been baptised during the famine-time, but had ceased to be practising Catholics - had asked us to visit them. We have there now a congregation, children included, of 132 souls, of whom 82 were baptised last month. About 40 more will be baptised as soon as they know the prayers. I recommend them all to your prayers in the Holy Sacrifice that they may persevere....

We found the caste people very well disposed at Gudipadoo, d I have doubt if they will allow themselves to be caught in the net of Peter... a certain Reddie who was most forward in making objects and asking questions told the catechist that he had made up his mind to become a Christian. Yet we don't believe it until we see it.

Hindus ask? Mind that men who can neither wn perhaps you would like to know what sort of questions the Hindus ask? Mind that these difficulties are very often made by men who came neither write nor read: "Show me God", or "Has anybody ever seen hell or returned from there people who speak thus it is useless to argue with.

Why should God having created man for His own happieness and for the latter's good, allow him to fall in allow the devil to approach Eve at all?"

"What was the necessity of having a tree eating of its fruit? Does not God indirectly create damned when He foresees that this man will not should God have thought it necessary to redeem man ignominious death as that of the cross etc., etc" Yet the reddi spoken of above had sufficient light to say that he understood man had no right to ask God for the reasons of His ac the real difficulty with the Hindus is not the nature of the of faith offered for their acceptance, but human respect family relations, bondage of caste, and, I have no doubt in cases corruption of the heart and the fear of leading to according to the dictates of Christianity. With all these obstacles to overcome we may ask: "Who will roll away the stone for from the door of the tomb (Mk 16:3) i.e., from their hearts, And the Missionary looks hopefully to the help of pious souls who by their prayers and alms deeds show that they take a real interest in the work of the Foreign Missions."

Then, Masaram: "When I next write to you I hope to be able to give you good news of a neighbouring village, called Masaram. Already five caste people were baptised there three Sundays ago; others are under instruction; several from fear of being disinherited have for the present withdrawn."

Finally, Ravipadoo: 'I would most respectfully ask you would try to 'knock up' somewhere a hundred pounds to new church at Ravipadoo. This place is our headquarters and should have a decent church. The present chapel is a di altogether too small for the congregation. I see from of 1860 that Ravipadoo had a Catholic population Plus 28 in the neighbouring palem (ie, a kind of suburb for the harijans). Now the population amounts to 437 souls, plus 155 in two neighbouring ‘palems’…. Father Dieckmamt at Phirangipuram and father grand at Rentachintala are building the churches, the beauty of God's religion Ravipadoo still has the mud chapel of ‘yore’ and it is time there should be least a decent chapel, worthy of being dedicated to the Immaculate Conception….

Six Months Later: a bolt from the blue: a transfer letter archbishop Colgan,ensconced in his hill station created to escape the onslaught of debilitating heat: Father Kleinschneider had been recalled by the Superior General, to found the first Mission Seminary in Austrian Tyrol (April 8th). I must ask you to proceed and revile Father Kleinschneider from the charge of the Seminary ORE, either as a temporary or permanent measure I trust arrange to leave at once for Nellore, so as to have a few with Fr Kleinschneider before he leaves for Europe….”

Summing up 'Ravipadoo

In every way Fr. Francis work at Ravipadoo was a success story, although the full impact of his efforts would take some more years to mature and be manifested.

First, by dint of hard work, apostolic zeal, much prayer and sacrifice he had begun to make a break-through in the missionary work some of the lapsed Catholics were returning to a good Christian life; a small movement towards conversion had begun among non-Christians in some villages.

Secondly, Fr. Francis had given companionship and inspiration to his elder brother Fr. Anthony. After Fr. Anthony's very difficult posting in the Poloor Mission (1883 - 1885), he badly at a boost. During the two and a half years that Fr. Francis was with him in the same Mission, Fr. Anthony still often suffered ill-health.

All the Fathers are in good health except Fr. Dieckmann periodically ill, and Fr. Anthony Kroot who is

We Fathers are in good health except Fr. Dieckmann periodically ill, and Fr. Anthony Kroot who is often ailing of late, (16 Jan 1890). In his letter to Fr. Francis, the Archbishop Writes (Jan 20th 1890) I am sorry to cited to hear of Fr. Anthnony’s critical illness. I am quite willing that he should have a charge somewhere for the benefit of his health, and to and as you propose a trip to Machistan, I hereby grant him one month's leave......

Fr. Anthony had also stopped writing to Mill Hill leaving all correspondence to his brother: When Fr. Anthony told you that Fr. Anthony never wrote to anybody, he was as long as we were together, I never put knowing that all correspondence was very safe in his hand. (Nov 17th, 1891)

At the same time. Fr Anthony was fully involved in the missionary work, and especially the village work, covering the Nellore' villages, and introducing Fr. Francis gradually as he became more proficient in Telugu - to the Kondremutla Guntur district villages.

After Fr. Francis was transferred to St Joseph's Seminary, Nellore, Fr. Anthony carried forward the evangelising thrust initiated especially in the Kondremutla region.

By Jan 1894: Fr Anthony was freed to work full-time among non-Christians the Kondremutla region. On June 1^st, was the inauguration of the Sacred Heart Church at Kondremutla (1894) built for some Rs. 8.000 by Fr. Anthony. His work was hearing fruit, e.g. in Kanuparti Village (Aug 17, 1892) and in 5 dipalayam....

We may now record Fr. Anthony's tribute to his younger brother, at the time of his transfer to Nellore:

"Much as I enjoyed the benefits of his companion’s spiritually, as well as in a worldly sense, still far be it for me had no higher motives for regret than those of blood.

No, No: my great reason for deprecating his removals dead stop which has thereby been given to a most promising which he in his zeal started with all the energy of a Xavier. A regular move was set on foot by him among the Hindus and his work was so singularly blessed by our Good Lord that we were fast feeling the fruitful effects of it. In my village, where before the people had never given a thought to anything higher than their fields, a stir was brought about, and many souls were rapidly brought into the fold. In the two and a half years that Francis was here we baptised besides their; children130 adults. Take now into consideration that it took him at least a year to master the language (he had been among the Tamils previously) you will be able to judge of the great misfortune that befell his transfer. Just as a revolution was taking place here between the powers of Heaven and hell, of which he was no doubt the instigator, the devils laughed up their sleeves, for the BRAVE general was carried off the field! Who will fill up this gap?

Salve this question if you can. You know money is required as real: and as we were living together 'on poor rates' our allowed us to build chapels and to have a number of catechists…….” (Nov. 17th, 1891: Fr. Anthony to the Rector of Mill Hill).

This was not the end of the story:

First there was Fr. Anthony's fruitful evangelising ministry in that area for the next 6 - 7 years, and secondly the Archbishop did not take kindly to Fr. Anthony's tribute to his brother as published in St Joseph's Advocate.

In an official letter to Fr. Anthony (March 16th, 1892) he rebuked Fr. Anthony for publishing exaggerated and inflated figures of conversions and baptisms - and for being childish in his fondness for his younger brother.