Missionary Apostolates

Inspired by Jesus’ commitment to the marginalized and his preferential option for the poor, Ruhalaya Major Seminary places a strong emphasis on missionary formation within its curriculum. Under the guidance of dedicated formators and with the support of religious sisters from neighbouring convents, seminarians from both theology and philosophy actively engage in various apostolates in and around Ujjain. These initiatives provide opportunities to share the compassionate love of Jesus with the community, living out the Gospel through both word and deed.

Ruhalaya’s formation programme is fundamentally missionary in nature, preparing candidates for mission ad gentes. This missionary orientation permeates every aspect of formation, including human, spiritual, and intellectual development. An action-reflection methodology is integrated into the theological programme, encouraging students to be open to diverse values, cultures, and civilizations while actively participating in the socio-cultural context of the area. Below are some of the key apostolates undertaken by the seminarians of Ruhalaya Major Seminary:

1. Village Visits

In alignment with the Mission Policy of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church, which emphasizes training missionaries within mission contexts, philosophy students visit nearby villages every Thursday afternoon. These visits foster personal relationships with the villagers as seminarians visit homes, offer consolation to the sick, conduct tuition classes, and organize activities for the youth. Moreover, an annual event is held at the seminary to which all the children in contact with the seminarians are invited for a day of games, competitions, cultural programmes, and values-based education.

2. Tuition Centres

Beyond their philosophical studies, seminarians and staff engage themselves in social and developmental activities in nearby villages, especially by assisting school-going children with free tuition classes. On Thursdays, seminarians teach local students and mentor the youth. On other days, they provide tuition in English and Mathematics to students who need additional support.

3. Live-in-Village Programme

After the first semester, philosophy students participate in a ten-day live-in-village programme. In groups of ten, they immerse themselves in village life, gaining firsthand experience of the local culture, challenges, and community spirit. During this time, they also offer tuition, conduct classes for youth and elders, and engage with the community on a deeper level.

4. Self-help Groups

Ruhalaya, in collaboration with religious sisters from the area, runs over 100 self-help groups, predominantly for women in the villages. Seminarians from both theology and philosophy assist in these groups, participating in meetings and organizing gatherings for special occasions like Christmas and International Women’s Day. Regular training and animation programmes are also conducted to empower group members.

5. Pastoral Ministry

Fourth-year theology students participate in pastoral ministry at mission stations every weekend, assisting priests with parish activities. Their duties include delivering homilies during Holy Qurbana, teaching catechism, and visiting families.

6. Prison Ministry

Every Thursday afternoon, a selected group of seminarians, accompanied by a staff member and two religious sisters, visits the central jail in Ujjain, which houses around 2,300 prisoners. They offer spiritual guidance, personal counselling, and educational support. Activities include teaching languages, music, and organizing cultural programmes during festivals. Assistance is also provided to help release prisoners, and support is extended to their families, particularly in the education of their children.

7. Juvenile Home Ministry

Seminarians visit a government-run juvenile detention centre every Sunday, spending time with the 70 children housed there. They offer classes, conduct cultural programmes, teach music, and provide personal guidance, offering love and support to help reintegrate these children into society.

8. Remand Home Ministry

Every Sunday morning, seminarians visit a remand home for children with criminal backgrounds, engaging with the 25 residents. They listen to the children’s experiences, offer guidance and support, and conduct educational and cultural activities.

9. Ministry in Bal Samrakshan Grah

This government-run institution for the children of lepers is visited by seminarians every Sunday. The seminarians provide tuition, teach moral lessons through stories and songs, and organize cultural programmes, helping almost 50 children with guidance and encouragement.

10. Slum Ministry

Every Thursday afternoon, Ruhalaya seminarians engage in slum ministry, gaining insight into the harsh realities of poverty. They offer tuition classes, visit homes, and listen to the people, providing guidance and support to both adults and children.

11. Non-formal Education

Seminarians visit one of Ujjain’s 16 Shramik Vidyalayas—non-formal schools for underprivileged children—every Thursday. They assist the 50 attending students with their studies, providing love, compassion, and encouragement through educational support and cultural activities.

12. Youth Ministry

Our seminarians have built up personal relationships with the youth in the neighbouring villages. They visit them on Sundays and Thursdays. They listen to them, walk along with them trying to know and understand their pulses. They also conduct six self-help groups for the youth through which they are helped financially and empowered morally.

13. Ministry among the Mentally Challenged

Some of our seminarians are involved in the ministry for the mentally challenged children on Thursdays and Saturdays. They visit two special schools, Manovikas and Prem Sagar Special School, for the mentally challenged children. They actively take part in training, teaching and helping the children. They find real joy and happiness in taking care of these children.

14. AIDS Ministry

Ruhalaya seminarians are involved in the AIDS ministry at ‘Saathi,’ an institution run by the Eparchy of Ujjain. They visit AIDS patients, offering them emotional support and organizing blood donations for those in need. Additionally, they conduct AIDS awareness classes for various groups and provide support to the children of AIDS patients.

15. Media Education

Almost a dozen seminarians are involved in media education in two high schools in the vicinity of the seminary every Thursday. They teach basic lessons on communication skills and help people to become effective communicators. Basic lessons are conducted on low-cost media, stage art, chart making, newspaper evaluation, film evaluation and public speaking. Group games, project works and workshops render the classes more active and livelier.

16. Service for the Destitute

A handful of seminarians visit once a week the centre for the destitute run by the Missionaries of Charity. The inmates are abandoned by the family members and the society. The visits give seminarians an opportunity to know the hard realities of life. They express love and concern for the destitute people through their service, by being with them, teaching them songs, telling them stories, arranging some entertainment programmes, etc.

17. Exposure Programme

The students of the second-year theology are sent for a week-long exposure programme to centres of different specialized ministries like homes for AIDS patients, rehabilitation centres for the mentally retarded, for the deaf and dumb, SOS village, social action centres, etc. They observe and learn the services rendered in those centres. It is an occasion for them to understand the hard realities of life and to develop aptitudes for compassionate love and service to the less privileged and marginalized people.

18. Asara: Ruhalaya Animation and Empowerment Centre

‘Asara’, Ruhalaya’s Animation and Empowerment Centre, hosts regular developmental programmes for the local community. Around 55 students from the area benefit from a tuition programme conducted at ‘Asara,’ with many past pupils excelling in higher education.