Covid third wave claims Fransalian priest

By Sujata Jena

Bhubaneswar, Jan 16, 2022: The Church in the eastern Indian state of Odisha is mourning the death of native priest in the third wave of Covid-19 now on the rise across the country.

Father Sushant Kumar Mantri, a member of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, or Fransalians, died at 12:30 pm on January 16 while undergoing treatment at KLES Doctor Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre in Belagavi (formerly Belgaum), a town in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

The funeral scheduled at 10:30 am on January 17, at St. Jude’s Church in Belagavi where he was the parish priest followed by Mass with strict Covid restrictions.

The 50-year-old had tested Covid-19 positive a few days ago.

Father Mantri was born March 3, 1969, as the fourth among five brothers and three sisters in Kattama the parish of Berhampur diocese in Odisha.

He was ordained a priest on February 1, 2001, as a member of the Pune province of the congregation.

Bishop Niranjan Sual Singh of Sambalpur, who is from Father Mantri’s village lamented the death. “I am shocked at the sudden demise of Father Sushant Mantri. He was a very energetic, sociable, prayerful, and committed missionary. He was concerned about injustice, exploitation, and inequality in society. He was sincere, courageous, outspoken, without guile, and very helpful, hospitable, and respectful,” the prelate said in his condolence message.

The priest’s eldest brother Radhakant Mantri told Matters India that he wanted to go and meet his brother a week ago in the hospital and take care of him. “I cannot accept he is no more. He was just 50. We will miss him a great deal,” he added.

Radhakant, who is in Rajasthan, and another brother Samir Kant, who is in Odisha, have rushed to Bengaluru, capital of Karnataka, to attend the funeral.

Bishop Singh said Father Mantri had recruited many vocations from Odisha and other places for his congregation. “When I used to conduct vocation camps in Kandhamal, he used to come to recruit candidates, and boys in large numbers used to approach him because he was quite dynamic and attractive. Whenever he came to Kattama, he always helped the parish priest in pastoral needs.”

Father Alexis Nayak of Sacred Hearts, a school classmate of Father Mantri, told Matters India that his friend’s “death is saddening and a great loss. I knew him as a very dynamic person with many gifts. He was an advocate.”

Father Udayanath Bishoyi, a friend of Father Mantri and the parish priest of Phulbani, mourned the death of the congregation, whose missionaries from France introduced the gospel to Odisha’s Kandhamal hills.

“Father Sushant was very jovial, friendly, sociable, and responsible. He indeed familiarized Odisha in Karnataka. May God welcome him to His heavenly abode,” Father Bishoyi told Matters India.

Father Pradeep Behera, also from Kattama and the principal of Carmel English Medium School, Phulbani, mourning the death, recalled Father Mantri meet everyone when he came to his native village and listened to them. “All loved him because of his loving nature. We will miss him a lot,” he told Matters India.

Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Sister Sabita Singh, who is in Mumbai, recalled Father Mantri as a jovial and fun-loving person whose presence made everyone comfortable. “Father Sushant was a simple priest. He treated everyone equally and fought against injustice. He loved the youth, supported them, and accompanied them in odd circumstances,” she told Matters India.

The second wave of Covid-19 in 2021 had claimed 5 bishops and 295 priests and brothers along with 265 nuns.