Fr. Vincent Vinod Fernandes S.J. PhD is the author of « Ignatian Identity of Jesuit School Educators in a Multicultural Society ». Fr Vincent is currently the Principal of Loyola School in Jamshedpur India.

In a country whose diversity can only be compared to the vastness of the universe, how does one identify oneself? How do people blend in with this multicultural environment and yet retain and preserve their unique flavour and their identity ?

In his book “Ignatian Identity of Jesuit School Educators in a Multicultural society of India” Fr Vincent Vinod Fernandes has done an in depth and candid SWOT analysis of the state of Jesuit Institutions in our country.

In a research spanning 4 years Fr Vinod has attempted to discover the “Mantra” that makes Jesuit schools still the most sought after institutions in the country, he has tried to assess how this branding has happened, what are the challenges these institutions face today, what has led to the introduction of lay collaboration,  and finally he comes up with specific, measurable, achievable, relatable and time bound suggestions to ensure that these institutions continue to be the trail blazers that they have always been.

While Jesuit institutions continue to retain their core competencies that make them stand apart from the rest of the crowd, they do face numerous challenges. The decreasing number of Catholic Jesuit educators in the world, the rising fire of fundamentalism in the country, the lack of access to good education for the marginalized members of the society are just a few of the issues faced by these institutions.

Well, challenges are a part of life. We need to face them and find our way to overcome them. Jesuit institutions turned to lay collaboration when the number of competent and qualified personnel of their own was not enough to lead their schools. Making a comparative study of two De Nobili Schools, De Nobili FRI and De Nobili School, Sindri the author explores how school leaders and teachers in each Jesuit school make sense of their identity as Ignatian educators. There are numerous in depth interviews with lay collaborators which give a candid picture of their role in a Jesuit institution, how they have been hand picked, how they are supported in their mission and what challenges they face. If we wish to sum up the thoughts and sentiments of these lay collaborators in one sentence we can say that these teachers believe they work WITH the Jesuits and not FOR them Therein lies the secret to the extraordinarily low turnover rates of employees in Jesuit institutions across the country.

What is the secret ingredient that sets apart Jesuit education from the rest ? What are the characteristics of Jesuit education ? The author delves into the IPP or the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm which lays more emphasis on character formation and excellence rather than mere academic pursuit. The five tenets of the IPP i.e. Context, Experience, Action, Evaluation and Reflection form the core of the ethos of Jesuit education.

The IPP emphasizes more on experience than on learning, absorbing rather than reading, transformation instead of change, giving rather than taking, listening rather than hearing. In other words it teaches us to exist, not just live. Flexibility and adaptability in Jesuit education is another reason why this system of imparting knowledge thrives till date.

As one reads the book one can form a mental picture or a profile of an Ignatian educator. Jesuits believe in cura personalis or care for every individual. This sentiment is filtered down to the minutest level of education that is imparted to the students. “An Ignatian Educator serves as a guide with and for students on their formational journeys in a Jesuit school.” Teachers in Jesuit institutions continue to learn along with their students. Continuous Professional Development is insisted upon in order to ensure that learning never stops.

To summarize, this book is a bold attempt to highlight all that is bright and not so bright with Jesuit education in India. The author is bold in his assessment of the social situation of the country, the rising fundamentalism and right-wing activism and false propaganda that is threatening to create deep chasms in our otherwise secular framework.  He has delved deep into the heart of the Jesuit systems and processes and studied what works well and what needs to be remodelled.

The interviews are engaging to the reader with well researched questions and candid responses.

The book gives a very clear insight into every aspect of Ignatian identity. Any newcomer who does not know about Jesuits and Ignatian Values can reach for this book as it is a one stop shop for comprehensive and candid information on these issues.