Church media persons mourn death of erudite editor

By Jose Kavi

New Delhi: Catholic media persons in India on August 26 mourned the death of Monsignor Benedict Aguiar, who edited Bombay archdiocese’s Examiner weekly and the Indian Currents, a national weekly published from New Delhi. He was 95

He was one of the founding members of the Indian Catholic Press Association and served as its president during 1969-1978.

“The Archdiocese of Bombay regrets to announce the death of Monsignor Benny Aguiar ….at Clergy Home in Bandra on August 26,” an official message says.

It also says the funeral details will be announced later.

Monsignor Aguiar was born on March 10, 1926. He was ordained a priest for the Bombay archdiocese on December 21, 1951. His brother and sister had also joined religious life, says the Bombay archdiocese’s Facebook page.

Monsignor Aguiar, fondly known as Father Benny, “is best remembered for his stint as the editor of ‘The Examiner’ which is now in its 166th year,” the Facebook page says.

According to the archdiocese, writing came “second to his vocation. His expressed desire has been to spread the Gospel, encourage missionaries and be the change that he wants to see in the world.”

He used to urge priests to continue to serve their flock by asking themselves, “What can I do for my flock?” and not, “What can my flock do for me?” His advice to the younger generation is to work for the good of the country, to fight corruption and stride towards progress and development. He encourages us to set examples for others through a dedicated practice of the Catholic faith, the Facebook page notes.

Monsignor Aguiar had contributed to various publications such as ‘The Tablet’ and ‘National Catholic Reporter.’ He also served as the president of the South Asia Catholic Association and member of the International Union of Catholic Press.

His published works “Rajiv Gandhi – The Fight of the Scion,” and “Indira Gandhi – A Political Biography” have received critical acclaim. His latest book, “The Making of Mumbai,” focuses on the development of the Catholic community in the vibrant western Indian metropolis.

“The grand old man of Catholic journalism is no more. Long live his memory even as we pray that the Lord grant him eternal peace,” says Ladislaus Louis D’Souza, a veteran journalist who has known Father Aguiar since the mid-1970s.

D’Souza says Monsignor Aguiar would always be remembered for his long stint as the editor of Examiner, which was followed by a shorter one with Indian Currents.

“He studiously maintained high standards in both publications … in content and language,” he recalled.

Monsignor Aguiar’s “stint with the Examiner, particularly, with its masthead in the classic Old English font, could be considered most remarkable. For it was at a time when electronic media was either unheard of or just about beginning to make its presence felt,” D’Souza explained.

The articles published by Monsignor Aguiar in the Examiner were “a collector’s delight,” says D’Souza, who still possesses “a few of those as page pullouts in my personal collection.”

“As editor of one of India’s most prestigious periodicals, Aguiar held his own and yet was easy to interact with,” D’Souza, who had edited a couple of books by the priest, told Matters India.

Nirmala Carvalho, another veteran journalist who writes for international publications, hailed Monsignor Aguiar as “an editor with sharp analysis on religious political scenario.” According to her, Monsignor Aguiar had groomed cub reporters many of whom have become great journalists now.

“He wrote three books on Gandhis without meeting them,” said Carvalho who had attended the release of those books.

Josephine Marquis, a parishioner of Holy Name Cathedral, recalls that Monsignor Aguiar was attached to her parish when he was the Examiner editor.

“He was a very simple priest with his head down walking. He would only acknowledge when greeted .He was a man of few words but a dedicated and sincere worker. My prayers for him for good health and long life,” she wrote in the archdiocese’s Facebook page.