FRANCIS ACHARYAAND KURISUMALA
An Integration of Western Monasticism, Syrian Liturgy and Indian Sanyasa
Keywords:
KURISUMALA, Western Monasticism, Syrian Liturgy, Indian SanyasaAbstract
As Kurisumala Ashram. a uniQue experiment spearheaded by Francis Acharya. a
BelgianCistercian monk. in the context of Christianand Indian religious life. celebrates
the golden jubilee of its foundation. Mathew Chandrankunnel. CMI picks up the
major trends and traits of the Ashram and the Acharya. The author. in this article.
gives a detailed account of the genesis and the synthesis of the Ashram. In the
Ashram. according to the author. the individual is disciplined by the Benedictine
vision of prayer and work along with the Indian genius of dhyana. nididl!vasana and
apariJ;raha. Dr Chandrankunnel presents the pilgrimage of Francis Acharya as a
yoga of uniting God. fellow beings. and creation. programming everything towards
a comprehensive transformation of the individual and community taking into
consideration the spiritual and mateial development of humanity,
References
Marthe Mahieu-De Praetere, Kurisumala, Francis Mahieu Acharya: A Pioneer of Christian Monasticism in India, ATC Publications, 2008.
Francis Acharya, Prayer with the Harp of the Spirit, 3rd revised edition, Kurisumala Ashram, 1996.
Uma Majumdar, Gandhi's Pilgrimage of Faith: From Darkness to Light, New York: State University of New York Press, 2005.
