By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, July 8, 2020: Tributes continue to pour in for Father Raymond Ambroise, a noted communicator in the Asian Church, who died of heart attack on July 7 in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.
Father Raymond’s elder brother Bishop Emeritus Yvon Ambroise of Tuticorin conducted the burial service on July 8.
Father Raymond, as he was popularly known, “was a trail blazer and luminary in the field of social communication, social development, innovative educational programs and numerous other forms of pastoral ministry,” wrote Charles Maung Bo, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).
The Myanmar prelate said Father Raymond spearheaded church communications in the Asian continent for more than 40 years. Father Raymond served Asian Church for almost 16 years from Manila. In March 2019, Father Raymond completed his assignment with the FABC Office of Social Communications in Manila, the Philippines.
The bishop of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have expressed “deep” sorrow over the sudden death of Father Raymond, whose “tireless and highly dedicated services” have contributed to overall growth of the Telugu Church spread over the two southern Indian states.
“We are deeply indebted to you,” said a condolence message signed by Bishop Moses D Prakasam of Nellore on behalf of the Telugu Catholic Bishops’ Council.
The bishop also said the bishops of the region held the priest in “high regards” and thanked and appreciated his “versatile services to spread the Good News of Jesus in words and deeds.”
Cardinal Bo hailed Father Raymond’s administrative acumen and capacity to read the signs of the times and said, “An able administrator and meticulous planner, he was calm, unassuming, gentle and above all deeply spiritual in all that he did.”
The 72-year-old Salesian cardinal pointed out that the Indian priest had handled lots of funds and projects “but lived a very frugal and austere life. His deep insights and progressive thinking helped Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) migrate from Short Wave (SW) to an online service. He guided the process of transition with diligence. He was a visionary and his efforts have borne abundant fruit.”
The cardinal, who is also the archbishop of Yangon, acknowledged Father Raymond’s contribution to church communications in Asia saying, “He served Radio Veritas Asia as a Consultant from 2003 to 2009 and from 2010 to April 2019 to serve the Asian Church as the Secretary of FABC-OSC.”
Quoting from Father Ambroise letter on completion of his term in Manila the cardinal wrote, “I was serving the Lord and it is He who selected me, I was confident that He would complement and empower me to achieve His plan for all my assignments and in particular to Radio Veritas Asia as per the demands of the new technological innovations. In all these I had to be only an instrument in His Hands.”
According to the Telugu bishops, Father Raymond was “a very good example of a priest who preached the Gospel in season and out of season.” Despite handling several responsibilities, Father Raymond found “a great amount of quality time” to serve the poor and the least in society “in concrete and very tangible”ways.
“Your selfless services and dedication will be always remembered and deeply inscribed in our hearts,” the Telugu prelates told the Pondicherry native, who began as a priest of Hyderabad archdiocese and ended as a member of the Srikakulam clergy.
Former Signis India vice president M D. Vincent from Hyderabad recalls that the word from Father Raymond to anyone who came to him with an issue was, ‘No problem. Don’t worry.’”
Vincent says he was “fortunate to have been closely associated with this saintly personality as assistant script director of Dayasagar serial. He always admonished his associates saying ‘We must rise above feeling level.’”
Magimai Pragasam, another former Signis India vice-president and a Signis World Board Member, noted that Father Raymond was the first to introduce media literacy in India as well as make full length feature film, ‘Karunamayudu’ in Telugu which was a box office hit. “
He also initiated the tele-serial but he had to stop it due to issues with scripts,” the Chennai-based lay media professional said. According to him, Father Raymond was “a visionary and at the same time a ‘down to earth’ person. Simple to the core, and always wanted to do something for the poor and the needy.”
Michael Peria, Hyderabad Archdiocesan Choir Director and a visiting professor of Theology of Sacred Music in several seminaries in India and Sri Lanka, says, “I was supposed work with him on ‘Radio Veritas Golden Jubilee’ Souvenir from next Monday (July 13). He was so much of a support to me in my ‘360 Responsorial Psalm Music Score Book’ project that is nearing completion.”