By F M Britto
Raipur, Jan 15, 2020: Father Xavier Kodathala, the seniormost priest of Raipur archdiocese, died Jan 15 morning in a car accident.
The 87-year-old priest was driving his car to the bank in Raipur city, the capital of Chhattisgarh. “It seems he hit a vehicle and was found unconscious,” said Archbishop Victor Henry Thakur of Raipur. “He was taken to a nearby hospital. By then he was already dead,” he added.
The funeral Mass is scheduled at 2 pm on January 16 in the archdiocesan cathedral.
His loss is condoled by the priests, nuns and the laity of the archdiocese.
The retired priest was serving as the spiritual father staying at the diocesan minor seminary in Bhanpuri, Raipur, and as a co-pastor in that urban parish, prior to his death.
Hailing from Nellore diocese, Andhra Pradesh, Father Kodathala joined Raipur diocese in 1970, having served his home diocese after his ordination on Dec 8, 1960.
Revered as a man of prayer, Father Kodathala served as a confessor to may priests, convents and parishioners. In the last archdiocesan priests’ meeting, he exhorted the priests to spend valuable time before the Blessed Eucharist every day.
As a good pastor and missioner, he served many rural missions and town parishes, including the cathedral, showing much concern to the people, especially the needy.
Spending his free time in reading, he exhorted the priests to form themselves by reading books and magazines, in the last meeting of the Catholic Diocesan Priests of Raipur.