By Lalita Roshni Lakra
New Delhi, Jan 10, 2023: A Jesuit priest died January 10 in a road accident in central India a little over two months after his priestly ordination.
Father Arun Bara died around 4 pm when his motorcycle was hit by a truck near Bandarchua village near Kunkuri in the Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh state. He was 33 and was ordained a priest on October 26, 2022. He was a Jesuit for 13 years.
He was rushed to the Holy Cross Hospital in Kunkuri in a critical condition. However, he could not be saved because of his serious wounds. The doctors declared that he was already dead when he was brought to the hospital.
Father Bara was engaged in his pastoral ministry in Shanti Bhavan in Jashpur when the accident occurred, according to a communication from the provincial of the Madhya Pradesh Jesuits.
“With a very heavy heart I share this sad news that Father Arun Bara, SJ, is no more. Soon after his accident, he left for his heavenly abode,” the provincial’s letter said.
“We Jesuits lost a very young priest who was ordained in October 2022. Please pray that he is received in God’s glory and granted eternal peace.”
The funeral Mass followed by burial are scheduled at 1 pm on January 11 at Khrist Milan Ashram, Namna, Ambikapur, a major town in Chhattisgarh.
Father Bara was born on November 9, 1989. He joined the Jesuits on June 29, 2009 and pronounced his first vows on June 21, 2011. He did his juniorate studies at St Stanislaus College at Sitagarha in Jharkhand and college studies at Andhra Loyola College, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. He studied philosophy at Satya Nilayam, Chennai and theology at the Regional Theology College in Ranchi and Vidya Jyoti College of Theology in Delhi.
It’s a huge loss not only to the Jesuit Congregation, but to the Indian Church as a whole.
Rest in Peace Father