Indian Church bids farewell to valiant prelate

Mumbai: Thousands of people turned up for the funeral of Archbishop Raphael Cheenath on August 17 in Mumbai, western India.

The Divine Word prelate, who led the Catholic Church in Odisha as the archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar for more than a quarter century, died on August 14, the eve of India’s Independence Day and feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Bombay and one of the eight advisers of Pope Francis, led the funeral Mass at 3 pm at Sacred Heart Church, Mahakali Caves Road, Andheri-East, Mumbai.

As many as 16 archbishops, bishops and several hundred priests and nuns, many from Odisha, attended the services.

Archbishop Cheenath was buried in the cemetery of the Divine Word center. A large bouquet of flowers was placed next to the grave with the words, “Thank you Archbishop Cheenath for all you have done for Orissa.”

After communion, Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, described his predecessor as a “dynamic leader, who gave 42 years of life to serve us, the lost, the least and the last.”

According to Archbishop Barwa, Archbishop Cheenath was “a zealous pastor, a great visionary, an accomplished organizer who with courage and clarity stood for our justice in the time of Kandhamal riots.”

Kandhamal, a district in Odisha, witnessed in 2008 the worst Christian persecution in India’s modern history. Archbishop Cheenath “took care of the victims of violence, fought to stop the trafficking of women, and worked for the rehabilitation and return of houses to affected Christians,” Archbishop Barwa recalled.

“Our beloved Archbishop Cheenath,” added Archbishop Barwa, “you died as a winner since the Supreme Court of India on 2 August granted your petition to enhance relief efforts for victims of the violence against Christians in Kandhamal. The Supreme Court directed the Odisha government to give will additional compensation.”

“My people in the Archdiocese are truly proud people today of their faith and their ever loving God. They have their unshakable faith strengthened by you being their leader and good shepherd. Today, our people in Kandhamal repeat the words of St. Paul, ‘We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”

Raphael Cheenath was born on December 29, 1934, to Francis and Theresa Cheenath at Manalur, Trichur, Kerala, southern India.

After his school education, he joined the Society of Divine Word and was ordained priest in 1963. He became the bishop of Sambalpur in 1974. He was appointed as the archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar in 1985, a post he held until his retirement in 2011.