Cyril Desbruslais

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Cyril Desbruslais
SJ
Cyril desbruslais.jpg
Born (1940-12-21) 21 December 1940 (age 84)
Calcutta
Died(2025-09-08)8 September 2025
Pune, Maharashtra (India)

Cyril Desbruslais SJ (b. 21 December 1940, Calcutta) was an Indian Jesuit priest, a playwright and Professor of Philosophy at Jnana-Deepa, Pune, India. [1] He died in Pune, India, on September 8, 2025, of penumonia. [2]

Contents

Family Background and Early Life

Desbruslais was born in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India, on 21 December 1940. He was born to Cyril and Maisie Desbruslais. He has a sister named after his mother. Another sister, Marina, was born two years later but she died of tuberculosis at the age of eighteen months. Desbruslais has stated, "She has always been my little baby intercessor in heaven. Mum and Dad died, also of TB, in the early 1950s (it was a fatal illness, in those days). We were brought up by a very loving uncle (my Mum's brother)."

Desbruslais was schooled in Calcutta with the Jesuits (St Xavier's), then with the Irish Christian brothers in a boarding school in Asansol. He gained his Bachelor of Commerce at St Xavier's College (Calcutta) and worked for a year at Remington Rand of India, before joining the Society of Jesus. His uncle Vernon Desbruslais was also a Jesuit. [3] He died on September 8, 2025 of pneumonia.

Searching in Service and Unity (SSU)

While studying theology at De Nobili College, Pune, India in 1971, he started a youth group, "Searching in Service and Unity", (SSU). [4] He wanted to support young people, to hold inter-faith celebrations and develop young people's charitable impulses for more than 50 years! [5] This has made many of the SSU members socially conscious and committed to the marginalised. [6]

Celebrating 50 years of his Jesuit life at De Nobili College, Pune, India, one of the largest Jesuit communities in the world Cyril 50 years.png
Celebrating 50 years of his Jesuit life at De Nobili College, Pune, India, one of the largest Jesuit communities in the world

From Liberation Theology to Philosophy of Liberation

Introduction to Liberation Theology

During his theology studies (1971–1974) at JDV, Pune, Desbruslais was introduced to the principles of liberation theology, a movement within the Catholic Church that connects faith with the pursuit of social justice, especially in Latin America. He was deeply moved by its call to interpret scripture and Christian doctrine from the perspective of the oppressed and marginalised. In particular, Desbruslais drew inspiration from the Nicaraguan poet-priest Ernesto Cardenal, who combined artistic creativity with radical commitments to the poor and to social transformation. [7]

As Gustavo Gutiérrez argued, liberation theology was not simply a re-statement of traditional doctrine with a few social emphases, as in Jürgen Moltmann’s Theology of Hope. Rather, it represented a new theological method, what Gutiérrez called “a theologising from the underside of history.” Desbruslais encountered these ideas while studying in Pune, where he began to reflect on how theology could engage with India’s complex religious and social context. [8]

Philosophy of Liberation in the Indian Context

Desbruslais observed that India was 98.5% non-Christian, and thus concluded that liberation theology could at best mobilise only a small minority of the population for faith-based social action. Instead, he argued that what was needed was a united commitment to justice and liberation that could involve Indians of all religions, rooted in a shared vision of human dignity. [9]

Building on the 1975 Synod of Bishops, which affirmed the “inseparable link between authentic faith and action for justice,” and on the deliberations of General Congregation XXXII of the Society of Jesus, Desbruslais developed a distinctive approach he called a “philosophy of liberation.” [10]

Drawing from the scholastic philosopher Francisco Suárez SJ’s idea of “common human nature, adequately understood,” he articulated four constitutive dimensions of being human: (1) embodiedness, (2) social relatedness, (3) rootedness in the world, and (4) capacity for transcendence. For Desbruslais, it was not strictly necessary to profess belief in God to be fully human. Rather, what mattered was openness to transcendence and a willingness to work for justice and community across religious and cultural boundaries. [11]

In lectures and publications such as Dancing to Diversity: Science, Religion, Dialogue in India (2013), he consistently highlighted the intersection of faith and reason, arguing for a philosophy that serves the marginalised and fosters dialogue among different traditions. [12]


His thinking left an indelible mark on both religious and secular leaders in India. Shashi Tharoor, a former Minister of External Affairs, recalled Desbruslais as an inspiring teacher at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. [13] Retired General Shankar Roychowdhury, former Chief of Army Staff, also acknowledged Desbruslais’s formative influence on his intellectual and moral outlook. [14]

Plays

Desbruslais has written and directed yearly plays with current social themes since 1972. Believing that theatre can change mindsets and attitudes, his plays tackle subjects including nuclear disarmament, globalisation, terrorism, consumerism and religious dogma. "Through the messages embedded in our plays, SSU is promoting out-of-the-box thinking among the young and is abating - if not removing - hatred that's making us all such violent beings," he says [15] [16] Some of his plays include:

Books

Tributes/Obitury

On his 80th birthday, his colleagues and well-wishers brought out a festschrift in his honour. [18] Its title represent's Desbruslais' life-long dream of enabling a world where everyone, including the marginalised and exploited, can lead a life "fully human and full alive."

Book Cover in Honour of Prof Cyril Desbruslais Fully-Human Desbruslais Festschrift.png
Book Cover in Honour of Prof Cyril Desbruslais

On his passing away on September 8, 2025, many have paid him rich tribute. [19] . They see him as a mentor and role model. Honorable Shashi Tharoor recalls how young Desbruslais influenced him at St. Xavier's College, Kolkata and how he continued to influence many young men at Jnana Deepa, Pune. [20]

References

  1. "Cyril Desbruslais". Times of India.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  2. "Fr. Cyril Desbruslais SJ, Jesuit Mentor and Philosopher, Passes Away at 84". Catholic Connnect. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  3. http://www.cyclopaedia.de/wiki/Cyril_Desbruslais Archived 22 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine [ circular reference ]
  4. Searching and Service in Unity (SSU) - Pune. "SSU - Pune". Ssu-pune.blogspot.in. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  5. "SSU Pune — official Instagram profile". Instagram. Meta Platforms, Inc. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  6. "Cyril Desbruslais und Paul F. Röttig im Gespräch mit "Daddy Darling" bei Literatur im Ground Xiro". meinbezirk.at (in German). 11 January 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  7. UCA News (9 September 2025). "Indian Jesuit who pioneered liberation philosophy dies at 84" . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  8. Pandikattu, Kuruvila, ed. (2008). Dancing to Diversity: Science-religion Dialogue in India. New Delhi: Serials Publications. ISBN   9788183871945 . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  9. Pandikattu, K. "Cyril Desbruslais SJ – Jesuit priest, philosopher and playwright" . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  10. Indian Catholic Matters. "Fr. Cyril Desbruslais: Still, 'Fully Young! Fully Alive'" . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  11. Desbrulais, Cyril (1997). Towards a Philosophy of Liberation. Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth Publications.
  12. Pandikattu, Kuruvila, ed. (2008). Dancing to Diversity: Science-religion Dialogue in India. New Delhi: Serials Publications. ISBN   9788183871945 . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  13. "Conversation with Shashi Tharoor, p. 1 of 5". globetrotter.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  14. "The Telegraph – Calcutta (Kolkata) : Xaviers 150". 22 January 2009. Archived from the original on 10 February 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  15. "Educationworldonline.net". Educationworldonline.net. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  16. Hindustan Times website
  17. Desbruslais, Cyril (2017). Postmodernity: An Indian Christian Philosophical Appraisal. JD-Textbook Series. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  18. Pandikattu, Kuruvilla, ed. (2020). Fully Human and Fully Alive: Essays on Being Human Today in Honour of Dr Cyril Desbruslais SJ. New Delhi: Christian World Imprints. ISBN   9789351484165 . Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  19. UCANews (9 September 2025). "Cyril Desbruslais SJ, Jesuit Mentor and Philosopher, Passes Away at 84" . Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  20. Times of India (9 September 2025). "Shashi Tharoor recalls Fr. Cyril Desbruslais' impact at Jnana Deepa Institute" . Retrieved 10 September 2025.