By Matters India Reporter

Balasore, April 22, 2019: Bishop Simon Kaipuram of Balasore died early morning on April 22 due to massive heart attack. The Vincentian prelate was 65.

The funeral is scheduled at 3 pm on April 24, according to Father Prasan Singh, deputy secretary of the Odisha Catholic Bishops’ Council.

Bishop Kaipuram was the council secretary.

“It is difficult to believe the sudden demise of Bishop Kaipuram. It is heart breaking to know that he is no more. A few days back we both discussed regarding OCBC office as he was the secretary of OCBC,” Father Singh told Matters India.

“Our deep condolences to his dear and near ones, to all OCBC members and especially to all priests, religious and faithful of Balasore diocese. May God grant him eternal life,” the priest added.

Bishop Kaipuram died at Jyoti Hospital, Balasore, which is some 195 km northeast of Bhubaneswar, capital of Odisha state.

Sister Anitha Kanatt, a former student of Bishop Kaipuram, says she has lost an elder brother and a father figure in his death.

“Bishop Kaipuram was a very loving and caring person for all. He was approachable and friendly,” the member of the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood and principal of Sreepuram English medium High School and junior college, Kannur, told Matters India.

Sister Kanatt also hailed Bishop Kaipuram as “a very good professor of Scripture and theology. He had many students all over India and abroad.”

Vincentian Father Naresh Nayak said the prelate was “a true Vincentian missionary, scholar and a shepherd” and his death has left behind “the trail of compassion and missionary zeal. May his soul rest in peace.”

He was ordained the bishop of Balasore on January 30, 2014, the second prelate of the diocese, which was erected in 1990.

Bishop Kaipuram was born on February 9, 1954, at Tanneermukkom, in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, southern India, as one of the six children of Chacko and Mary Kaipuram. His parish was Kannankara under the Kottayam archdiocese.One of his sisters is a member of the Sisters of Province.

After his high school studies at St. Mathew’s High School, Kannankara, he came to Odisha (then Orissa) as a candidate of the Congregation of the Missions or the Vincentians.

He entered the first year of his seminary formation at St. Peter’s Seminary at Bhanjanagar, under Bishop Thomas Thriuthalil, who was then the rector of the minor seminary, in the undivided Diocese of Cuttack, Odisha. After completing minor seminary studies, he joined Aquinas College, Gopalpur-on-Sea- in 1972 for Philosophy. The same year he joined the Vincentians officially, pronouncing the first vows.

He went to Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune, in 1977 for his Theology studies. In 1980, he took the final vows in the congregation and was ordained a deacon. Six months later, on December 20, 1980, he was ordained a priest.

After ordination, he was sent to Aligonda parish for first year ministry and the second year he was at Mohana parish of Berhampur diocese.

He earned in 1993 a doctorate in Biblical Theology from Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.

He was a professor at Aquinas College, Gopalpur, for four years from 1985. He was the rector of the Theology Study House, Pune, for five years from 1994.

He was serving as the rector and professor at Aquinas College, Gopalpur, when Pope Francis appointed him the Balasore bishop.