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524 BENEDICT VADA.KKEKARA Joelikote as the venue for the Study. "It is a thousand times better to make a few thousand rupees extra expenses than to destroy the work we so splendidly commenced", he insisted 63 . Fr Peter Mary not only seconded the Master's arguments but also put forward a still more enticing alternative. He said that a hilltop within the vicinity of Shampura was ideally placed for the Study6 4 • The General was not averse to the Commissary's compromise plan but was genuinely worried that the presence of the holidaying missionaries in the Study would be "inopportune" and "damaging" for the students. It was public know– ledge that quite a few friars took it for granted that during holidays they were dispensed from the choral obligation; in the same way, exemplariness could not be expected to be the strong point of all the missionaries. While the Archbishop, the Regular Superior and the Military Chaplain could reside in the Study, an alternate provision needed to be worked out for the holiday-makers. The General's mind was that the Study should function independently, however, without detriment to the prerogatives of the Guardian and the rights of the Mission of Agra 65 • The General also assuaged the Master's fears by saying that he had directed the Commissary to "choose another house at Sardhana or in its environs as recreation house" for the holiday-make.ts 66 • In all earnestness the Commissary set about organizing the translocation of the Study to Mussoorie, which was scheduled to take place in October 1924. The Novice Master intended to go to Belgium for his holidays and by then he would have returned to Sardhana. Fr Arsenius of Sant'Agata Feltria, who would be substituting the Master in his absence, would then be able to move to Mussoorie along with the students 67 • The Master took leave of Sardhana on 5 November 1923 and passed through Lahore en route for Bombay6 8 . As Acting Novice 63 AGCap G 68, II, Novizjato e Stud.to, Fr Master to Fr Peter Mary, Sardhana 20 August 1923. 64 AGCap G 68, II,Novizjato eStud.to, Fr Peter Mary to Fr General, Sagar 28 August 1923: "Il clima di qui e dolce, salubre ed il caldo solo per un mese all'incirca. Sotto vari .rispetti, e forse meglio di Joelikote. I vive.ri pure sono piu a buon prezzo ed inoltre il luogo e centrale per tutte le Missioni. Ne! caso potrei ottenere il terreno dal Governo per niente; di piu c'e la cava dei sassi e della calce". 65 AGCap G 68, II, Novizjato e Stud.to, Fr General to Fr Commissary, Rome 19 August 1923. 66 AGCap G 68, II,Novizjato eStud.to, Fr General to Fr Master,Rome 10 September 1923. 67 AGCap G 68, II, Noviziato e Stud.to, Fr Commissary to Fr General, Sardhana 3 October 1923. 68 AGCap G 68, II, Novizjato eStud.to, Fr Master to Fr ~eneral, Lahore 8 November 1923.

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