Hi Valan! Could you please introduce yourself…
I am Eruthayavalan Arockiaraj, SDB, of the Province of Tiruchy. I was born on 14 January 1997 in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India, where the Salesians arrived for the first time in 1906. From July to October 2018 I had a community experience in Varadarajanpet. On 4 October 2018 I entered the Prenovitiate. In 2019-2020 I did my novitiate in Yelagiri. From 2020 to 2022 I completed my Postnovitiate in Yercaud. In 2022-2023 I did my Practical Training at Don Bosco Varadarajanpet. From 2023 to 2024 I did my Practical Training at the Don Bosco Nursing Home in Moolakadu, in Nilavaarapatti.
What inspired you to choose to become a missionary?
Ever since I was a child, I wanted to become a priest Once, an old Italian priest came to my parish and talked about missionary work. That was perhaps the starting point of my missionary desire. I understood that the key to improving society is to inspire young lives, which will automatically improve society. God sent Fr Barnabas to my parish and so I became a Salesian. During the novitiate and postnovitiate, some Salesian missionaries visited us. The missionary animation videos also lit a spark for me. So I felt a call within the call to become a Salesian missionary.
Are you happy with where you are going? Do you have any fears or concerns about the new place, culture and people?
Fr Alfred Maravilla, the General Councillor for the Missions, told me: "I am going to send you to Francophone Africa". I searched online for information about the place, but I found that 29 African countries speak French. I was then informed that I would be sent to the Africa Congo Congo (ACC) Vice-Province. To be honest, when I did on-site research, I was shocked that Rep. Dem. Congo is facing one of the world's worst humanitarian and food insecurity disasters, with deadly clashes between armed groups, rampant violence, frequent flooding, high-impact epidemics, acute food insecurity, and inadequate or absent basic infrastructure. But I prayed before the Blessed Sacrament and received the strength to accept to work for the most needy and poor young people.
How did your family members, friends and confreres react when you told them about your missionary vocation?
Like myself I was initially shocked, my family and friends were also worried about how I might handle this project. I answered them in the words of my Spiritual Director, saying: “Will not the God who called you guide you and keep you in this difficult situation of yours?” So, with a strong hope in God, they too encouraged me to continue my missionary journey.
What are your plans and dreams for your missionary life?
My vision as a Salesian missionary is to serve and inspire the most needy and poor young people, and to spread the Gospel throughout the world, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As the motto of our profession says, "Your will be done", I am open to doing God's will. I hope that, by God's grace, I can be a useful tool in God's hand to support the Church and my Congregation.
Do you have some great missionary role models in mind whose lifestyle you want to follow?
At this time I would like to nominate Fr Francis Guézou SDB, the great missionary who came to India and worked very hard to improve the pastoral and educational development of the poor tribals of the Yellagiri hills. It was my inspiration to become a good missionary.
What is your message to young people about missionary choice and vocation?
Our Church is universal and our Congregation is international, therefore, my humble exhortation is to get out of your comfort zone and extend the ministry of Christ to all. And please pray for perseverance in my vocation.
