As everyone is aware, families, communities and society at large are badly affected by the evil effects of addiction. It is by nature a chronic lifelong condition that involves compulsive seeking and taking of a substance or performing of an activity despite its negative and harmful effects in one’s life. Consequently, it can significantly impact one’s physical and mental health, social relationships, career and overall quality of life. However, addiction is treatable and so it is crucial to seek help for healing and recovery as soon as one develops signs of addiction. Today more than ever in the Indian society, large number of people (both youth and adults) are affected by various kinds of addictions, paralyzing their personal and community life. It is a serious issue that affects individuals, families, communities and society. Therefore, it is another kind of challenging ministry undertaken by the South-East province as a pastoral response to the signs of the time.
The present site where Nalam centre is established was bought at the time of Fr. Mani Panthalani, MSFS, the provincial of Visakhapatnam province. He directed the fathers at Vaniyambodi community to find out the availability of land in Tamilnadu, and Fr. A. Dharmaraj, MSFS along with the community members found a piece of 5 acres and 19 cents of land available in Dharmapuri. The provincial with the approval of the provincial administration gave permission and the money needed to buy it for the purpose of starting a school in the future. Though the land was bought in 1995, the project of starting school did not take off immediately and so the land remained unused for a long time. When Tamilnadu was raised to the status of a Region in 2005, Fr. A. Lawrence, MSFS, the Regional Superior, made efforts to start a social service centre but that proposal also could not be actualized. It was in 2015, when Fr. C. Sebastin Raj, MSFS expressed his readiness and proposed the idea to Fr. A. Dharmaraj, MSFS, the provincial about the need of starting a De-addiction counselling centre for the province, using the land in Dharmapuri. The provincial administration, after an elaborate discussion and consultation approved the project and gave permission in 2015, appointing Fr. C. Sebastin Raj, MSFS as the director. He made lots of efforts at the initial stage, preparing the groundwork necessary to start the centre. He first obtained the formal approval from Rev. Dr. Lawrence Pious, the Bishop of Dharmapuri in 2015 and worked out the other procedures to get the legal approval from the government officials for constructing a house.
Vision of Nalam
Reaching out to the addicted and assisting them overcome the addictive behaviors through medication and counselling; motivating and guiding the addicts to give up dependence on various substances; instilling in them the hope of recovery and to experience wholeness of healing, and to lead a life of happiness and contentment with family and society.
Mission of Nalam
Guiding through counselling the disoriented addicts and their codependents to live a sober life; providing orientation to be aware of the harm caused in their relationship to God, oneself, family, and society; creating in them self-confidence to overcome the temptation to addictions and accompanying them to live a dignified life with due respect and honor.
The Meaning of “Nalam”
Fr. C. Sebastian Raj, MSFS, learning from his own experience and the experience of people affected by various addictions in life, was deliberating and reflecting about finding a proper name for the centre which would be biblically rooted and appealing to ordinary people. He finally came up with the name “Nalam,” which means “Wellbeing and wholeness of healing.” Jesus himself used this term in his miracles to indicate “getting well, being healed and being restored to good health” (Jn 9:1-38). In our present social context that is influenced by various addictions, the name explains the focus of the ministry, and inspires the addicts return to a life of sobriety and wholeness of healing so that they can live a life of wellness and good health.
Developments at Various Times
After completing the legal modalities, Fr. C. Sebastian Raj, MSFS, the director first built a small shed with the support of the province and obtained three-phase EB connection in November 2015, drilled a borehole, and officially surveyed the land, demarcating the borders. He also initiated to get the official Patta in the name of “Tamilnadu and Pondicherry Fransalian Society.” All the original land documents and the Patta were entrusted to the provincial Bursar. The land was registered in three phases in January 1995, and it seems to be that one of the original land documents was missing, which was informed to the province bursar Fr. M. Nicholas, MSFS. However, all the three documents of the land had been scanned and kept as a soft copy with the province accountant Mr. Daniel in his office. Later, Fr. C. Sebastin Raj, MSFS took his residence in the small shed, built at our land from 28 April 2016 onwards. He stayed there for about seven months, looking after the construction and conducting AA (Alcoholic Anonymous) programs at different places. During this time, he visited many of the parishes in the diocese, informing and motivating the people about the centre and the ministry. He stayed with Fr. Arputha Raj, the parish priest of Kandhikuppam parish for two weeks and made wide a range of interventions, motivating and guiding the addicts towards the process of recovery and healing.
Fr. C. Sebastin Raj meanwhile prepared the proposals for building the facilities needed to provide residential treatments for the addicted patients. He presented three proposals to the provincial administration, and the provincial approved the plan for constructing the ground floor for the use of priests’ residence. The newly constructed house consisted of two individual rooms, a kitchen, a dining hall and a common hall and the new house was blessed by Rev. Dr. Lawrence Pious, the bishop of Dharmapuri on 5 December 2016 and opened by Fr. A. Dharma Raj, MSFS, the provincial. From then on, Fr. C. Sebastian Raj continued his ministry, contacting the addicts, assisting them to get medical treatment and counselling the families, etc. During this period, Fr. A. Christu Raj, MSFS also joined the community and they carried out their ministry of retreat preaching, youth ministry and providing treatment to those addicted. Later, as there was greater need for a chapel and extra rooms, he made proposal to Fr. K. Ignacimuthu, MSFS, the provincial at that time. He approved the project in consultation with the provincial administration in 2019 to construct the first floor which consists of two more rooms sufficient to accommodate inpatients, a chapel and extension of the kitchen with more facilities. The house was inaugurated on 10 December 2019 by Fr. Ignaci Muthu, MSFS the provincial and blessed by Rev. Dr. Lawrence Pious, the bishop of Dharmapuri. Furthermore, as the house was on the open field and there was no safety for the house, Fr. C. Sebastian Raj, MSFS proposed to the provincial administration the need for building a compound wall to create a safety environment, Fr. Iganci Muthu, MSFS, the provincial after consulting the administration granted permission to build a compound wall in front of the property from the main road to safeguard the land and the house. The director made efforts and supervised the construction work and completed the compound wall with a new entrance gate. It was blessed by Fr. Abraham Vettivalil, MSFS, the Superior General on 30 November 2022 and opened by Fr. Ignaci Muthu, MSFS, the provincial.
Today, Nalam is not just house accommodating priests, it is a home for the addicts who experience loving and honourable respect, inner healing, and rehabilitation to a new life of sobriety and wholeness of wellbeing. Fr. C. Sebastian Raj, MSFS along with other Fransalian priests is always available to motivate and guide those who are trapped into various forms of addictions that they could experience inner healing, totally free from the harmful effects of addictions and live a renewed life. The fathers at Nalam offer personal and group counselling to the addicts and their families to begin a new start overcoming the negative impact of addiction. The fathers also are invited to give orientation to school students, the youth and people in the parishes. The addicts feel at home in Nalam, seeking guidance for medical treatments and rehabilitation to lead a sober life with determination. Moreover, considering the importance of social media and utilizing such resources to reach out to the people, Fr. C. Sebastian Raj, MSFS had launched two YouTube channels in Tamil language to conscientize and motivate people about the ministry at Nalam, and to extend the healing ministry. The first channel was named “THELIVOM,” and its purpose is to convey the message of addiction, and its harmful effects, leading the people to recovery and sobriety of life; the second channel was named “NALAMALICKUM NARCHEITHI,” which carries short reflections of God’s Word on Sundays to the people bringing them the message of hope and optimism.
The number for the YouTube Channels can be accessed at +91 9944826323. As Fr. A. Christuraj, MSFS was transferred to take charge as the superior of the provincial house at Trichy, Fr. Amirthanathan, MSFS was appointed 2024 as the procurator of Nalam community with Fr. C. Sebastian Raj, MSFS.
