Fr Cyril Desbruslais SJ is no more! He was called to his eternal reward last night (September 8, 2025) in Pune. He was 84 years old and sixty years as a Jesuit. Fr Cyril, however, is still ‘fully young, fully alive’, because he will continue to live in the hearts and minds of many forever!
Cyril leaves behind a legion of friends, admirers, well-wishers and students. In his pilgrimage on earth, he accompanied, mentored, guided, and inspired thousands from all walks of life- very specially the youth. Tributes are flowing in from all over! From Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor to several others who were guided by him in their youth, from Jesuit companions to those who were his students once upon a time. There is a genuine outpouring of grief and, at the same time, a sense of deep gratitude at the profound and positive impact he has had on their lives!
In 2020, Fr Kuruvilla Pandikattu SJ (who was then a Professor of Philosophy at Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune), edited a memorable tome in honour of Fr Cyril Desbruslais’ 80th Birthday. The festschrift entitled ‘Fully Human and Fully Alive’ is an over five hundred pages magnum opus, a true labour of love, consisting of 36 articles written by Jesuit scholars and others, including some lay persons. The thumbnail to the book says, “As Cyril Desbruslais approaches 80 years, his friends, colleagues and admirers have come together to reflect on his philosophy (understanding of God, human beings and world). The 36 articles in this volume, reflecting on the rich and varied experiences of human beings ‘fully alive,’ is a labour of love for Cyril.”
This morning, after I heard of Cyril’s going home. I began browsing through this amazing work and I cannot help but resonate with all that is said in it, particularly on dear Cyril. I am one of the writers in this book; re-reading what I wrote about Cyril almost five years ago, brings back warm, loving and nostalgic memories of a human, who was my friend, mentor, guide, companion, brother and more. My article is titled ‘Fully Young! Fully Alive! The life and message of Cyril Desbruslais.’ It is more than relevant today, as we celebrate the life and times of Cyril!! Here is an edited version of what I wrote:
For someone who first met Fr Cyril Desbruslais almost fifty years ago (late sixties and early seventies), there is one phrase I think which encapsulates this extraordinary human, that is “Fully young! Fully alive!!!” Cyril was a young Jesuit Scholastic at the time of our first meeting in an AICUF (All India Catholic University Federation) camp; over the years, my admiration for him has grown very particularly in the way he responded to the youth.
Companionship
Cyril always has been a great companion; be it to his Jesuit companions or to the youth ‘out there’. He was convinced he had to be there: available, accompanying. He was there for long hours, sipping “chai’ in a restaurant in Pune after having cycled the distance from De Nobili College. The youth were never in doubt about their genuine friend. The Eucharist was a powerful means in this process of accompaniment. Eucharistic Celebrations which were meaningful, participative and which resonated with the youth. ‘Breaking the bread ‘with them helped the youth over the years to internalise key values of the faith, particularly sharing one’s life and resources with others.
Youthfulness
In Cyril, one could see a perennial youth! The age-old song “You Will Never Grow Old” was so apt for him. He remained young because he believed that he had to always walk with the young. Cyril reached out to all the young; there were young men and women from other faiths (and even non-believers) who were his ardent fans. Among them were drop-outs and also those whom society regarded as ‘no-gooders’. Cyril was a friend to all the youth. He was also challenged by the youth as they insisted that the adults also ‘walk with them’. This he did without any hesitation. He was convinced that the Church, the priests and the religious had to walk with the youth of today. One cannot isolate oneself or be indifferent to their reality. One had to, as Pope Francis says so emphatically, “smell of the sheep”. Cyril also believed consistently that youth had to have a more participative and decisive role in the Church.
Renewal
Cyril’s companionship and youthfulness have also found strong resonance in his desire towards renewal. The teachings of Vatican II, the courage of Pope John XXIII and his profound admiration for his first Superior General, Fr. Pedro Arrupe, have had a tremendous impact on him. Vatican II called for a deep and authentic renewal; Pope John XXIII and Pedro Arrupe, in their own inimitable ways, made sure that ‘renewal’ was necessary if one read the signs of the times and needed to respond to them. For Cyril, constant consultation, receiving feedback (even critical comments) was his ‘forte’. Since he believed in encouraging youth to be participative in everything, there was this constant urge to move towards the ‘magis’. This was possible only if there was a genuine movement towards renewal.
Integral
Cyril has always encompassed an integral approach to all that he did. As a person who is fully young and fully alive, his mission could not be restricted to water-tight compartments. He had problems with those who were exclusive, piecemeal in their approach or, for that matter, lived in silos. He helped youth to respond to the signs of the times in an integrated and balanced way. He has been doing his best to make them see reality through various prisms
Listening
None of the above would make sense if Cyril was not a listener. Over the years, he has been listening with his heart and seeing with empathy. Youth and others have poured out to him their hopes and joys, their griefs and anxieties, their pains and their search for a more fulfilling life. He had the courage to listen. Like a true shepherd, he has always believed in the value of listening.
For Cyril, the young want to be heard. He was able to challenge priests, religious and other adults who did not feel the responsibility of being a listening Church.
Finally, listening to the cries of the people, particularly the youth, has never been an option for Cyril; it is a mandate, a responsibility that has to be shouldered by everyone who is called to exercise a prophetic role today.
As we celebrate the life and times of Cyril Desbruslais, we need to thank God for the gift of him to the World, to the Church and to the Society of Jesus and very specially the thousands of youth and others he has accompanied so faithfully over the years. His name clearly spells out Companionship, Youthfulness, Renewal, Integral, Listening(CYRIL): all necessary components for meaningful Christian discipleship today!
Cyril had many favourite songs/ hymns. One of those is, “The Impossible Dream (The Quest)”. It is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. The song is the most popular song from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha and is also featured in the 1972 film of the same name starring Peter O'Toole. The complete song is first sung by Don Quixote as he stands vigil over his armour, in response to Aldonza (Dulcinea)'s question about what he means by "following the quest". It is reprised partially three more times, the last by prisoners in a dungeon as Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant mount the drawbridge-like prison staircase to face trial by the Spanish Inquisition. Some years ago, Cyril also put up a widely acclaimed drama on the same (of course, highly contextualised too).
The lyrics of the song are:
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest, to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lay peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To fight the unbeatable foe
To reach the unreachable star
Cyril lived this dream: a person who has given so much to many. Today, as we celebrate him, his life and times, we thank God for the gift of him to so many, and particularly to the youth! Cyril will always live in our hearts and lives: fully human, fully young, fully alive!
(Fr Cedric Prakash SJ is a human rights, reconciliation & peace activist/writer. Contact: [email protected] )
