Navajeeran
Navajeeran Monastery Vijayawada, India
In a region with a predominantly Hindu population, ‘Navajeevan’, at Jaccampudi near the city of Vijayawada, is a flourishing mission. It has a co-educational school, with 810 students and 40 staff.
The foundation for St. Benedict’s school was laid in 1996 with a view to giving a value based and integral education to the poor children in the villages surrounding the monastery.
From mother house of Kerala to a vibrant mission in the predominantly Hindu State of Andhra Pradesh
Travelling from their monastery in Kerala, two monks reached the Diocese of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh in 1982, to explore the possibility of a Sylvestro-Benedictine presence in the south-central region of India.
A suitable site was located at Jaccampudi near the city of Vijayawada and in 1986 was established as a Foundation. Another group of four monks from St. Joseph’s Priory, Makkiyad joined the Foundation.
On 11 July 1987, the feast of St. Benedict, the official inauguration of the new Foundation took place at St. Peter’s Co-Cathedral, Vijayawada
The Abbot General arranged a generous donation of $30,000 and the work on the monastery was earnestly begun. On 25 November, the monks could move into a ramshackle building put up on the site and organize a community life of their own.
On 11 July 1987, the feast of St. Benedict, the official inauguration of the new Foundation took place at St. Peter’s Co-Cathedral, Vijayawada
The Abbot General arranged a generous donation of $30,000 and the work on the monastery was earnestly begun. On 25 November, the monks could move into a ramshackle building put up on the site and organize a community life of their own.
In the meantime, a new name was proposed for the new foundation and thus it was christened ‘Navajeevan’ which means ‘new life’. It is a Sanskrit word combining ‘nav’ meaning ‘new’ and ‘Jeevan’ meaning ‘life’. It is common practice in India to give such names to religious houses and monasteries.
The monastery ‘Navajeevan’, in accordance with its name, is intended to be a spring of new life in Jesus to all those who live there and visit it. This life rebounds in the rhythm of the ‘Ora et Labora’ of the Benedictine monastic tradition, echoing the simplicity of a Sylvestrine family.
The Benedictine presence in the Diocese of Vijayawada began attracting young men right from the start. Navajeevan began accepting candidates from the local catholic communities with their characteristic cultural heritages and traditions to be formed as monks with a view to truly implanting the Sylvestrine charism in the region.
The Benedictine presence in the Diocese of Vijayawada began attracting young men right from the start. Navajeevan began accepting candidates from the local catholic communities with their characteristic cultural heritages and traditions to be formed as monks with a view to truly implanting the Sylvestrine charism in the region.
The catholic children in our school are among the poorest
The foundation for St. Benedict’s school was laid in 1996 with a view to giving a value based and integral education to the poor children in the villages surrounding the monastery. The school was opened on 11 July 1998 though the building was in construction since 1996. The immediate needs for beginning the elementary classes, were met with funds received through the initiatives of Abbot Andrea Pantaloni. We are extremely grateful to the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), which offered a handsome amount of money for these initial expenses of the project.
The community is also indebted to many other benefactors including Ealing Abbey, England and its generous friends for coming forward with offers of financial help to complete the school construction. This school has a very promising future. In August 2002 a rudimentary computer course with just two PCs was begun in the school premises, to introduce students to an elementary level of modern technology. One of our monks dedicates his time for this purpose.
The Catholic children in our school are among the poorest. Some enjoy the benefit of distant adoption by generous souls in Europe. This programme of distant adoption, goes a long way to contributing to the education of our poor children. Situated in a rural setting, the school has become a centre of authentic and integral education of young children, in keeping with the venerable Benedictine tradition of monasteries becoming great centres of culture and learning. As always the amount of funds available makes this an uphill task!
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