Pune: The Jesuit community in India and beyond is mourning the passing of Rev. Cyril Desbruslais SJ, a pioneering priest, philosopher, and playwright, who died in Pune on September 8 at the age of 84 following complications from pneumonia. A figure remembered for blending rigorous intellectual inquiry with creative expression and social engagement, Fr. Desbruslais leaves behind a profound legacy in Indian Jesuit education and thought.
A Life of Formation and Service
Born in Calcutta on December 21, 1940, Fr. Cyril was educated at St. Xavier’s School, where he later became both teacher and mentor. He entered the Society of Jesus with a passion for uniting philosophy, theology, and social justice. Influenced deeply by the global Jesuit vision of Pedro Arrupe and the theological insights of Teilhard de Chardin, he sought to make faith an active force in shaping a just world.
At Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth (JDV), Pune, where he taught for decades, Fr. Cyril developed the influential course Philosophy of Liberation. This pioneering program challenged students to confront oppressive structures and to envision transformative change rooted in dignity, compassion, and rational engagement. For many young seminarians and scholars, it was an intellectual awakening that combined spiritual conviction with a responsibility toward society.
Theatre as a Voice of Conscience
Fr. Cyril was not confined to academic halls. Beginning in 1972, he turned to theatre as a medium of expression, writing and directing plays that addressed urgent questions of his time: nuclear disarmament, materialism, misuse of religion, and the need for interfaith understanding. His stage productions became platforms for youth to explore moral dilemmas and societal challenges, blending art with activism.
Through this work, he carved a rare path where philosophy met performance, insisting that faith was not only to be believed or studied but also dramatized and lived in the public square.
Inspiring Generations
Among those influenced by Fr. Cyril was Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who recalled him vividly from his student years at St. Xavier’s. Speaking of his formative encounters, Tharoor said:
“I remember a young Jesuit Father, Cyril Desbruslais, who actually took us through an epistemological argument for the existence of God, which certainly impressed my fourteen-year-old imagination… His rational, structured philosophical argument from a Jesuit priest struck me at a time when I was flirting with atheism. It left a lasting impression.”
Tharoor also praised the broader Jesuit tradition embodied by Fr. Cyril, pointing to the values of service, compassion, and intellectual rigor that shaped generations of students.
Legacy of Integration
For his colleagues and students, Fr. Cyril’s most enduring gift was his integration of faith and reason. He demonstrated that theology could be intellectually robust, philosophy could be humane, and theatre could be spiritually transformative. His vision was that being fully human meant recognizing both transcendence and solidarity drawing from reason, compassion, and creativity in equal measure.
Final Farewell
Fr. Cyril’s funeral is being held in Pune, where the Jesuit community, along with students, friends, and admirers, are gathering in prayer and remembrance. The ceremonies are marked not by solemnity alone but by deep gratitude for a life that illuminated countless others.
Though his passing closes an important chapter in Indian Jesuit history, the ideas, plays, and students he nurtured will carry forward his spirit of liberating thought and hopeful imagination.
Source: Catholic Connect