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560 BENEDICT VADAKKEKARA As the news that the Capuchins would soon be taking possession of Monte Mariano was widely known, some of the diocesan clergy felt that the hillock was ill-placed, as it would be too outlying for the clerics to frequent the Seminary in Mangalore. They, therefore, proposed other sites within the proximity of the Seminary and the local commission agents too joined the fray with attractive prices 1 82 • Openly confessing the Order's unpreparedness to buy houses or lands, the Commissary closed the issue. He firmly declared, "we shall, therefore, do the best we can at Monte Mariano, and afterwards, Dio volente, we shall see whatever we can in the town" 183 . Another press report put a damper on the dream of the Capuchins in India. The press put in circulation the say-so that the decision on the transfer of Monte Mariano to the Capuchins would be finalized only after the new Bishop assumed charge. Since Fr General was yet to give the project his imprimatur, the Commissary too had to play it safe. Thus he made it clear that notwithstanding his word to the authorities of Mangalore that the Capuchins would accept Monte Mariano, the Study would remain at Mussoorie, where without incurring heavy expenses, additional facilities could be made for the swelling numbers. And Monte Mariano could be manned by two Fathers and a Lay Brother, with a view to promoting vocations to the Order 184 . The letter of 14 June 1926 from the Secretary for the Missions was a great blow to the Commissary. He was stiffly reprimanded for having accepted Monte Mariano without getting the authorization from the general superiors, let alone seeking their permission. He was simply asked to retract the steps taken and vici e pure grande; nondimeno costretti dalle circostanze lo abbiamo dovuto accettare". C£ Fr Commissary to Fr General, Mussoorie 24 June 1926. 182 There was the offer of ''Brito Bunglow" with 23 acres of land for Rs 60,000 at the outside; another plot of 7 acres opposite the Seminary was on sale for Rs 14,000. C£ APCap– Tusc, Missione Indostan, Letters of D.R D'Silva to Commissary, Kankanady 28 April 1926;John Brito's telegram to Commissary, 2 May 1926; Rev. VJ. D'Souza to Commissary, Mangalore 5 May 1926; AGCap G 68, II, Novizjato e Stud.to, Fr Commissary to Fr General, Mussoorie 24 June 1926. 183 APCapTusc, Mis.riong Indostan, Fr Commissary to Fr D'Souza, 17 May 1926. 184 AGCap G 68, II, Novizjato eStud.to, Fr Commissary to Fr General, Mussoorie 24 June 1926: "Una divisione di case sarebbe attualmente una rovina finanziaria e forse anche morale per la buona formazione religiosa dei giovani studenti. Dovendo.aprire un altra casa di studio, e dico anche per Mangalore, e necessario di avere diversi altri Padri e mezzi materiali; ma i Superiori delle Missioni quantunque raccomandino questo estendersi non possono dare ne gli uni ne gli altri''.