By Matters India Reporter
Bengaluru, October 15, 2019: Bishop Emeritus Antony Devotta of Tiruchirappalli passed away due to a massive heart attack on October 15, according to a press release from the Bengaluru-based Conference of Catholic Bishops of India.
The end came at 2:20 am at St Augustine Minor Seminary, Trichy, Tamil Nadu. He was 76.
Funeral will be held at 10 am on October 16 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Tiruchirappalli.
Bishop Devotta’s eyes were donated to St. Joseph’s Eye Hospital, Tiruchirappalli. He has donated the body for medical research education to St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru.
After the funeral Mass and last rituals, the mortal remains will be taken to Bengaluru, some 340 km north of Trichy, the CCBI press release said.
Bishop Devotta was born on June 30, 1943, in Santhome in Chennai. He was ordained a priest on August 27, 1971. He was appointed Bishop of Tiruchirappalli on December 12, 2000, and ordained on January 28, 2001. He was the vicar general of Madras-Mylapore Archdiocese before becoming Bishop of Tiruchirappalli.
He was the parish priest of St. Mary’s Co-Cathedral, Chennai, assistant editor, New Leader, assistant director, Catholic Centre, Chennai, manager, Good Pastor Press, Chennai and parish priests in St. Joseph’s Church, Chengalpattu, Infant Jesus Church, Guindy, Fatima Church, Tambaram, Santhome Cathedral Basilica.
He was professor, Systematic Theology, Pastoral Theology, Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee. He resigned from the pastoral governance of the diocese of Tiruchirappalli on July 14, 2018, at the age of 75.
He was the Chairman of the Commission for Social Communication of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council. He also served the national Church as the chairman of the CCBI Commission for Catechetics from 2017 to 2015. He was a priest for 48 years and Bishop for 18 years.