Sowing Seeds of Goodness

07-12-2026Weekly ReflectionFr. Abraham Orapankal, Pastor

Dear OLP Family,

There’s a nice story about a farmer who entered each year his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovering that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors, asked: "How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?”

The farmer replied: “Why sir, “didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

Today, as we give an official farewell to Fr. Sebastian Kaithackal, CMI, (though his last day with us is July 24), I thought how appropriate the line in that story of the farmer is: “If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.” Fr. Sebastian helped others grow in goodness and healing. He was a hardworking missionary priest in north-India and he began his ministry in our Diocese as chaplain to the Cloistered Carmelite Nuns in Flemington. Then he served as Hospital Chaplain in the Hackensack Meridian Health network. During his full time ministry as chaplain at JFK Hospital, we were privileged to offer him residence in our OLP Rectory for the past six years out of his 31 years of service in the Diocese of Metuchen.

We, at OLP, are indebted to Fr. Sebastian for always helping us with Mass and Confessions. Many of our parishioners have told me that Fr. Sebastian anointed their dear ones who were in the hospital and prayed with them. He has been a spiritual guide and a source of unwavering support especially in times of sorrow to countless families. His gentle spirit has been a reflection of God’s love for us. This year Father has completed 45 years as a priest – a remarkable testament to a life dedicated to serve the People of God in India and here in the United States. His is a journey of faith that touched countless hearts and left an indelible mark. The photo-collage in the parish hall downstairs is just a small reminder of that noble life of service.

As Fr. Sebastian returns to India to begin another chapter of his life, we offer him our heartfelt prayers, gratitude and best wishes. May his days be filled with joy, peace, and the warmth of God’s unending love. Let me conclude with an excerpt from “To Bless the Space Between Us” by John O’Donohue, the renowned Irish poet and philosopher: “When you look back on a life of goodness, it is not the single acts that stand out, but the underlying current of compassion and care that animates your presence. Your life has been a gift, a dwelling place of warmth and welcome. You have been a shepherd to the lost, a friend to the lonely, and a beacon of light in the darkness. The seeds you have planted in the hearts of others will continue to grow, bearing fruit in seasons you will never see. This is the quiet, enduring harvest of a well-lived life.” Thank you and God bless you, dear Fr. Sebastian.

Your brother in Christ, in the name of our OLP Family.