ADMISSION ESSAY

From,
Fr. Sebastian Mathew OFM cap
Mittathanickal
East Asian Pastoral Institute

To,
Office of the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs,
Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute

Dear Sir,
I am Fr. Sebastian Mathew Mittathanickal, a Franciscan Capuchin Priest,
from the Province of St. Joseph Kottayam, Kerala, India. I made my religious
profession on 15th May, 2003 and was ordained on 20th November 2010.
First and foremost I want to be an integral person and be a minister
equipped with professional, spiritual, and theological capacities. I also want to
develop a critical awareness of the ways and means in which my ministry is
being carried out. I am sure that the Transformative spirituality and research will
help me to sharpen ministerial skills and competencies in areas of ministry. I
want to develop the capacity to integrate biblical, theological, spiritual, and
educational insights, skills, and practices toward the delivery of faith-based
services to Christian communities and organizations. Also a compassionate
professional, committed to the service of the Church, the nation, and the global
community.
For the present generation nothing seems to be permanent: everything
changes even the values. So it is better to have a deep spiritual life for the
effective ministries in the modern world. My spirituality may be very limited so if
I focus on specialization in this particular subject I can be competent preacher in
the future more than that I can grow personally day by day in a disciplined
spirituality.
I am a Franciscan religious priest and also a retreat preacher so if I have
strong spirituality and theological reflection in my consecrated life, my ministries
will be more effective. I am sure that this research will help me to have a border
understanding of spirituality and theological reflection. People have a thirst for
God, but at the same time they know little about God. Relationship becomes very
complicated and shallow. What is my relationship with God, to the self, to the
fellow being and to the society? People find it difficult to reconcile the mystery
of suffering especially the suffering of the innocent with a God who is good,
caring and loving. This research is an attempt to find answers to all these
questions.
In addition to that, personal improvement in the capacity to integrate
biblical, theological, spiritual insights and skills, and practices in my ministry. In
fact the difficulties that I am going to face in my chosen program of study are quite
natural. Only I am little bit uncertain that my intended research ‘Doctor of Philosophy in
Transformative spirituality’ how much it could be helpful in my pastoral as well as the
formation field in the future. It is natural that I will have to work hard to achieve my
aim.
Yes of course this research will help me to improve my personal qualities
and skills in different ways. It can also provide me with the chance to explore a
topic in more detail, extending my academic career. I am sure that it will help me
to sharpen my thoughts from a comprehensive perspective. So I have to sharpen
all my qualities and skills for the service of God and the establishment of his
kingdom. Today in a changing world, the concept of spirituality is also changing.
So my desire is to become better equipped with the modern technologies and skills
in my spiritual life and also in my ministry.
Along with the core requirements of a graduate course, there are often
many other tasks to undertake, which must be balanced with research and study.
Some of the feelings may be like as an outsider, overcoming the language barrier,
coping with cultural misunderstandings, finical stability and climate. Graduate
Studies can also be a way of ensuring that I am well-informed about how to
overcome the difficulties that I may have to encounter when undertaking the
course. Since I am foreigner I will be alone in my community. My relatives,
friends and above all my filed of ministry are away. I have to be stern with my
study. Mentally, physically, intellectually I have to tune myself with the time
table. I know that I can’t do a fruitful research without it. Hope I can do the best.

Yours Sincerely
Fr. Sebastian Mathew OFM cap.