Vincentian provincial dies of Covid-19

By Purushottam Nayak

Berhampur: Father Prakash Tirkey, Northern Indian provincial of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), died of Covid-19 on May 7. He was 57.

The death occurred at1:45 pm at St Joseph’s Hospital in Visakhapatnam, a port town in Andhra Pradesh, Vincentian Father Pravas Joseph told Matters India.

His body will be brought from Visakhapatnam to Gopalpur on May 8 and Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak of Berhampur will lead the funeral at 10:30 am under strict Covid-19 protocols.

Father Tirkey was admitted in St. Anne’s Hospital at Malkapuram, near Visakhapatnam on April 26 for Covid treatment. Initially he showed some improvements, but later the oxygen level fell drastically. When he was not responding to the treatment, he was brought to the Visakhapatnam hospital and admitted in the Intensive Care Unit.

The hospital authorities said Father Tirkey was given the best care and attention but he became weak as the oxygen level decreased.

Father Jose Nazhianpara, assistant provincial of the Vincentian North Indian province, said nobody would be allowed to go near the body. Only six people would carry the body and only less than 20 people will be allowed in the cemetery, he added.

“We will not have a common Mass but you are requested to offer Mass in your own communities for the eternal repose of his soul. We would appreciate if fathers and sisters do not come to attend the funeral service,” Father Nazhianpara’s message to his confrères said.

Mourning the death, Bishop Nayak noted the Vincentians lost their leader when the entire Indian Church was praying and fasting for the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

The prelate said the faithful in his diocese remembered Father Tirkey for his pastoral service in various parishes, fostering quality education in schools as principal. He was appointed the provincial two years ago.

Bishop Nayak described Father Tirkey as “a man of few words” with serenity and unassuming personality, who provided “truly a servant-leadership” to the province.

“His silence spoke louder than his words. His simplicity could defeat any sophist or duplicity,” he added.

He thanked God for Father Tirkey’s “great contribution to the Church in Odisha, especially to the Diocese of Berhampur.

Father Tirkey was the first of the nine children of Benjamin and Regina. He was born in 1964 at Saunamara parish under Rourkela diocese in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.

He did his early priestly training at St. Justine De Jacobis Minor Seminary, Baripada, Odisha. He entered the noviciate at Stella Maris, Gopalpur-On-Sea in 1985. He studied philosophy at Aquinas College, Gopalpur-On-Sea and theology from Janna Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune, western India.

After ordination on May 2, 1992, he worked in parishes such as Aligonda and Chandiput in Berhampur diocese. He also served the Tanzania Mission between 1995 and 1998. On his return, he was made parish priest of Ghatiduba under Balasore diocese, a post he held for two years.

He had a master’s degree in English literature and Bachelor of Education from Kolkata.

He was appointed rector of the Minor Seminary Baripada, Balasore, for three years. He was the founding principal of De Paul School in Tolyganj, principal of the Sacred Heart School, Rayagada and rector of Jyoti Nivas Baripada.

He took over as the provincial March 8, 2019, from Father Bijay Kumar Nayak presently, who is currently the scretary of the Office of the Dalit and Backward Classes under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.