Four Kandhamal survivors ordained priests

By Purushottam Nayak

Daringbadi, Nov 23, 2023: Four survivors of the Kandhamal anti-Christian violence were ordained priests, a month after the Vatican granted permission to start the beatification process of 35 martyrs

About 5,000 people attended the November 23 ceremonies at Our Lady of Holy Rosary Parish, Dairingbadi under Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese of Odisha state.

“God has made you worthy. You are to fulfil God’s will not our own will,” Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar told the newly ordained during his homily.

The prelate, who led the Mass, reminded Fathers Kedar Pradhan, Binod Kiran Kiro Ishmael Sobhasundar, Sukadev Nayak, Nabin Baliarsingh their ordinations coincide with the Vatican’s October 2 permission to start the beatification process of 35 people were killed for their Catholic faith during the 2007-2008 anti-Christian violence

“Now, they are servants of God. It is our glory and gladness. God never forgot them even though the anti-Christian violence had brought fear, agony, and anxieties to the faithful. But today the anti-Christian violence is defeated by the 35 people who are to be called martyrs of Kandhamal The lives of martyrs strengthen our faith in Christ,” the Divine Word prelate added.

One of the newly ordained priests, Father Kedar Pradhan, said the call of God and his constant care and protection are stronger than the Kandhamal anti-Christian violence

“We took shelter in the forest in the time of communal violence in our teenage years. As I was studying class 8 my study was affected very much, but it is God who protected us from our attackers,” he told Matters India.

Vicar General Father Pradosh Chandra Nayak, who attended the ceremonies, said the young men were severely affected by the violence but their firm faith in Jesus and perseverance in the call of God have made them priests to serve the Lord and His people courageously and fearlessly.

Father Pradhan’s mother Sumitra expressed gratitude to God for her son’s ordination. “Nobody can challenge the call and love of God. It is this call and love of God that made my son a priest to serve His people. We had spent days and nights without food and drink in the jungle during the Kandhamal persecution but it is God who stood before us,” she added.

Father Pradhan was born August 17, 1995, at Mondakia under Our Lady of Charity Parish, Raikia. He is the youngest of the seven children. He completed his tenth grade from Vijay High School Raikia in 2010. He studied philosophy at St. Thomas Aquinas College Gopalpur-On-Sea and Theology at Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune.

Father Binod Kiran Kiro was born July 12, 1992, at Bagburh Parish Kusumdegi, as the elder of two sons of Philip and Rahil Kiro. After completing high school at Kusumdegi in 2008, he joined the seminary. He too studied Philosophy at St. Thomas Aquinas College Gopalpur-On-Sea, Ganjam, and Theology at Khrito Jyoti Mahavidyalaya , Sambalpur, Sason.

Father Ishmael Sobhasundar was born August 18, 1995, at Godapur, Kandhamal. He has four siblings. After high school at Capital High School Bhubaneswar in 2011, he studied Philosophy in Aquinas college and Theology at Khristo Jyoti Mahavidyalaya, Sason, Sambalpur.

Father Sukadev Nayak was born December 25, 1991, at Kupibadi under Daringbadi Parish, as one of the five children of Rasanata and Elizabeth Nayak. He did his matriculation in 2011 frim Topabana High School Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar. He studied Philosophy at St. Thomas Aquinas College Gopalpur-On-Sea, and Theology at Khristo Jyoti Mahavidyalaya, Sambalpur, Sason .

Father Nabin Baliarsingh was born July 2, 1996, at Godapur as the eldest of four children of Bilash and Sushama Baliarsingh. He completed tenth grade in 2011 at Godapur High School. He studied philosophy at Dimapur, Nagaland and Theology at Khristo Jyoti Mahavidylaya, Sambalpur, Sason.