Br. Maria Michael, could not speak till he was 5 years old. His parents prayed to his Patron St. Michael, and he started speaking. The parents were so overwhelmed with this Grace, they willingly offered him to God. Though he improved in his speaking, stammering remained till the end.
But stammering did not deter him from becoming a hero in the high school, as his companion Fr. Amalraj acknowledged; he was excellent in academics and amassed prizes; he was unbeatable in volleyball and badminton.
Br. Maria Michael wanted to become a priest. Unfortunately, the stammering disqualified him. It was again a challenge. Whether a priest or a brother, he wanted to be a religious, committed to God’s service. Br. Maria Michael, though he suffered painful situations because the brothers were not respected and honoured as much as priests, cherished his vocation to brotherhood in the Society of Jesus, and lived it out with great joy and fulfillment.
When he came to Andhra Loyola College, he had to face an entirely new situation with a new language and a new culture. He was not an engineer and yet he developed architectural skills to be a builder. During the 32 years that he served in ALC, he handled multiple responsibilities with extraordinary resilience, ease and efficiency. He was treasurer, campus purchaser, Manager of Electricity and Water works for the entire campus, planner and supervisor of Constructions.
With all these many seemingly incessant demands, Br Maria Michael was deeply committed to personal prayer and the Eucharist, and warm devotion to Mother Mary and St. Joseph.
At the end of his long life of service, his movements were restricted, but with ardour, he spent time in prolonged personal prayer, preparing himself to go to our heavenly home.
AXJ Bosco, SJ
