By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, Nov 5, 2023: Capuchin Father Suresh Mathew, editor of Indian Currents, a leading Church publication in the country, has been transferred to Punjab as a manager of a school.
A November 5 message from Father Raphie Paliakara, the new leader of the Capuchin’s Krist Jyoti province, says Father Mathew will take charge as the guardian and manager of St Joseph’s School in Bhrariwal near Amritsar on November 30.
Father Mathew, 50, took over as the Indian Currents editor nine and a half years ago.
He is succeeded by Father Gaurav Joseph, a 33-year-old Capuchin priest and a native of Delhi.
Indian Currents was launched 35 years ago as a project under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India with Father John Vallamattam as its first editor. As the weekly ran into difficulties, the Capuchins took over the publication in 1998.
Catholic media persons and activist have received the news of Father Mathew’s transfer with shock and dismay.
Presentation Sister Dorothy Fernandes, national convener of the Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace based in Patna, Bihar, says although transfers are part of the life of a Catholic religious, the congregation could have avoided changing Father Mathew from the post at this time.
“From the role of an outspoken journalist to the confinement of a school?” she asks and adds, “We need bold and insightful journalism at the time of our country’s history.”
John Dayal, a veteran journalist who has been associated with Indian Currents since its inception, finds the transfer “very sudden. Didn’t have an inkling.”
Dayal says Father Mathew has achieved great heights as a professional editor. “Surely will miss your unique touch and guts at IC and in Catholic journalism. God bless you.”
Ignatius Gonsalves, president of the Indian Catholic Press Association, said he was “shocked, although I expected something of this sort.”
Father Mathew, Gonsalves adds, will continue as the association’s secretary and remain “a much valued, productive and prophetic member of our organization. That is my solace.”
Father Irudhaya Jothi, a columnist of Indian Currents, applauds Father Mathew “for being a leading and fearless voice of the Church and against the powers. I wish you all the very best for the new mission.”
Father Jothi, a Calcutta Jesuit, expressed the hope that the new editor will uphold the standards of Indian Currents.
Sister Sujata Jena from Bhubaneswar, says she is deeply grateful to Father Mathew “for adhering faithfully to convey the truth all through. May you continue to be the ‘voice of the voiceless’ wherever you may be.”
Fr. Suresh Mathew brought out some of the boldest cover stories at a time when Indian mainstream media with a lot of clout and financial prowess was crawling before the powers that be though they were just asked to bend. That is why I was always ready to write for him. He will missed by Indian Currents and hope that he is sent back after his stint elsewhere.
He is a real Catholic priest, a real Capuchian, a real prophetic journalist who should have been awarded for his efficiency to write for voiceless in most difficult time in indian senerio. Recent time he was really on the floor to stand for the persecuted people in the field of evangelization, in CG, Manipur etc. Unlike any catholic “professional journalists” who is awarded for the name sake of church journalists.
Unfortunately church in india : appoints personals to grow and after growing they throw. Every time in capital we have new faces without any past knowldge. Father was giving awareness to educational institutions. Now he will grow in it when he will become efficient to manage school naturally they will throw as usual. It is funny face of indian Hyrarchy-which usually not get transfered only they get promotion from bishop to cardinal.
But we see providence of God through the provincial superiors. It is divine plan best wishes Fr. Suresh. Bloom bloom where you are planted.
Hope he will be awarded for his great service by the catholic media agencies in coming days. Because he could influence national and internstional media because of his authentic nature. The way he think was news for the many. Salute.
The constructive contributions of Fr. Suresh, as the Editor of Indian Currents, to the media world and to the society at large are deeply appreciated.
Fr. Suresh indeed gave me a lot encouragement by publishing my articles that I have contributed to IC as a freelance journalist.
My whole-hearted wishes to Fr. Suresh in his new mission in the education sector. May God continue to shower abundant blessings on him!
IC under the leadership of Fr Suresh Mathew took down to earth issues affecting the lives of Christian communities in particular. Fr Suresh used IC to promote his Prophetic mission to preach the good news and take up those concerns which affect dignity and human rights issues of individuals, especially those most vulnerable and marginalised. Fr Suresh played his prophetic role as a true journalist. I hope he will continue to contribute his thought provoking articles as he did as Editor of IC. May his mission continue wherever he is posted.
We hope Fr. Gaurav, the new editor, will read the signs of the times like Fr. Suresh.
The province could make an exception and keep Fr Suresh as IC Editor.
Wonder if government pressure was behind this move? Besides we talk of a controlled Godi media. It’s no different in the clergy controlled Catholic media. Our only hope now rests in independent lay Catholic editors who make big personal sacrifices to keep independent news and views flowing.
Also big salute 🫡 to Suresh.
We remain forever grateful to dear Fr Suresh Mathew for taking care of our INDIAN CURRENTS, Past nearly 10 years and wish him BEST OF BEST in his new Mission. Also we welcome Fr Gaurav Joseph to take care of our INDIAN CURRENTS, and help it to be true to truth.