By Jessy Joseph
New Delhi: Bishop Jacob Barnabas of Gurgaon died of post Covid-19 complications at noon on August 26 in a private hospital in New Delhi. He was 60.
Bishop Barnabas is the fifth Catholic prelate in India to die of Covid-19 and its complications.
Bishop Barnabas was admitted to New Delhi’s Holy Family Hospital on April 16 after he tested Covid positive. As his conditions worsened he was shifted to Fortis Gurgaon on July 16 where died, according to an information from the diocesan headquarters.
Bishop Barnabas was born Chacko Aerath on May 25, 1960, at Ranni in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district. He was the eldest among three boys and five girls. His three sisters are members of the Sisters of the Imitation of Christ congregation.
He joined the Order of Imitation of Christ in 1975 and professed his first vows in 1979. He studied philosophy and theology at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth (JDV) in Pune.
Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios of Trivandrum, the second head of the Syro-Malankara Church, the youngest Oriental rite in the Catholic Church, ordained Father Aerath a priest on October 2, 1986. He was appointed in-charge of religious formation of pre-novices. Later, he did higher studies in moral theology at the Academia Alfonsiana, Rome.
Father Aerath served as superior of Bethany Ashram and rector of Malankara theology house in Pune. He headed the department of pastoral and moral theology at JDV. He was the first provincial superior of Bethany Navajyothi province in 2000.
On February 7, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him the apostolic visitator with an episcopal character for the Malankara community in regions in India not covered by any Malankara diocese. The bishop was consecrated on March 10, 2007. He was a priest for 34 years and bishop 14 years.
On March 3, 2015, he was appointed the bishop of the newly erected Syro-Malankara diocese of St John Chrysostom Gurgaon, with a base in New Delhi. The diocese covers 22 Indian states.
Bishop Barnabas was known for his social work. The diocese under his direction supplied food for thousands of people daily.
The other bishops who died of Covid-19 were Paul Alois Lakra of Gumla in Jharkhand on June 16, retired Archbishop Antony Anandarayar of Pondicherry-Cuddalore on May 5, and Basil Bhuriya of Jhabua in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the next day. Retired Bishop Joseph Pastor Neelankavil of Sagar Syro-Malabar diocese died on February 17.
Respectful farewell to Bishop Jacob Barnabas. Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let your perpetual light shine upon the departed soul.
Is God sending a message to us that the Catholic Church in India is top heavy with too many bishops? Is this the Lord’s form of purgation and restructuring?