By Irudhaya Jothi

Kolkata: The Society of Jesus has suffered the largest number of Covid deaths among Catholic priests in India despite all alertness and preparations, says the congregation’s South Asia chief.

“Despite our goodwill and efforts, we lost about 37 Jesuits to Covid-19 this year,” Father Stanislaus D’Souza, president of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia told Matters India on June 10.

As on June 11, the coronavirus pandemic claimed three bishops, 125 diocesan and 131 religious priests, nine religious brothers and 248 religious women, according to a list compiled by Capuchin Father Suresh Mathew, editor of the Indian Currents weekly.

At the same time, India had 29,331,030 confirmed cases and 367,325 total deaths.

The first Covid-19 case in India was reported in Kerala on January 30, 2020, and the first death occurred on March 12 that year in Karnataka.

In the Catholic Church, Father Pascal Petrus, 70, of Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore was the first priest to die of Covid-19 on May 30, 2020.

The first Jesuit casualty was Father Joseph L Pragasam, 83, who died July 3, 2020, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

According to Father Mathew’s list. Jesuits with 44 deaths topped the men while Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity with 19 had the largest number of deaths among women.

Father D’Souza regrets that as many as 29 members who died of Covid19 were between 50-70 years, the most active and working age group among Jesuits after their long training and studies.

“Almost all had comorbidities: some issues related to heart, brain and kidney, some others cancer and diabetics, yet others were BP patients. Hence, health issues created complications,” he explained.

Some, he added, took time to realize that they were suffering from Covid-19 and delayed their medication. “A few had difficulties finding the right hospitals,” he added.

With more than 4,000 members, Jesuits serve South Asia through 19 provinces and two regions.

As the second wave hit the nation, Father D’Souza sent out two letters to all provinces to take care of the Jesuits and the people they ministered.

“Meetings of the provincials were called to discuss, discern and arrive at some concrete decision to face the possible challenge,” he added.

He said the Jesuit authorities in India decided to tackle the disease among its men the people they minister.

For this, they set up a Conference Covid Relief Fund to help the poorer provinces in South Asia and a Disaster management Committee (DMC) in every province.

The DCM got into action in most provinces and intervened at different level to save people, including the Jesuits, the Jesuit chief said.

The Covid Care Centres distributed medical accessories and food materials to the Covid affected families and those in need of food because of the locked down.

The Jesuits also collected funds from the provinces and distributed them to six provinces, one common house and two hospitals to face the challenge.

Many provinces collaborated with government and non-government agencies and Church-related institutions. “The good work is continuing at different levels,” Father D’Souza said.

The congregation also set up a Covid Task Force to monitor Covid-related works in the provinces.. The task force will soon submit its report on the work done so far and propose a way forward, he added.

Father Joseph Xavier, the director of the Jesuit-managed Indian Social Institute in Bengaluru, was concerned about the maximum working Jesuits dying in the second wave of the pandemic. However, he expressed confidence that “the good works left by these men will continue uninterrupted as Jesuits are very much committed to collaboration and networking.”

He recalled that the Jesuits’ 36th General Congregation in October 2016 had mandated them to launch strong collaboration and networking with people of good will. “So the mission of the Society of Jesus is a collaborative mission of all,” Father Xavier told Matters India.

Father D’Souza too sounded optimistic. “I think we are better prepared now to look after our men and the people we minister. However, as men of faith, we do our best and leave God the rest.”