By Robancy A. Helen
Tiruchirappalli, Jan 8, 2025: Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, head of the Catholic bishops in Asia, on January 8 led the Church to mourn the death of Father Felix Wilfred, a globally renowned theologian.
Father Felix, as he was popularly known, died of heart attack on January 7 at his residence in Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu, southern India. He would have turned 77 on February 21.
His funeral will take place on January 9 at St James Church, Puthenkadai, his native parish near Thiruvattaru in Kanyakumari district.
A funeral Mass was offered at 9 am on January 8 at the Asian Centre for Cross-Cultural Studies (ACCS) that Father Wilfred founded in 2008 at Chennai.
Another Mass was scheduled at 4 pm on the same day at St Paul’s Seminary, Tiruchirappalli.
Mourning the death, Cardinal Ferrao, president of the Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Asia (FABC), hailed Father Wilfred as a beacon of intellectual and spiritual wisdom.
Acknowledging Father Felix’s “immense contribution” to the global theological community, the cardinal said: “Prof. Wilfred’s life was a testament to his extraordinary dedication to theological scholarship, interreligious dialogue and the promotion of justice and harmony.”
The cardinal, who is also the president of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, said Father ‘Felix’s “profound insights, scholarly rigour and compassionate pastoral approach have inspired theologians, clergy and laypersons worldwide.”
Highlighting the theologian’s far-reaching influence, Cardinal Ferrão remarked, “As a globally celebrated scholar, Prof. Wilfred’s contributions transcended boundaries, enriching the Church’s mission across Asia and beyond.
Bishop Raja Rao of Vijayawada said he was saddened to hear the news. “For decades, Fr. Felix has been an inspiration and a model to thousands of students. It’s a tremendous loss to the Church in India and the theological fraternity across the world,” the prelate mourned.
Father Felix served as the director of the ACCS until his death.
He was born in 1948 as the second child to B. Arogyam, a headmaster in a local school, and Mary Josephine, in Puthenkadai parish in Kottar diocese.
He completed his schooling at 16, and went to Rome in 1965 to study philosophy and theology at Pontifical Urban University.
He was ordained a priest in 1972.
He studied Italian literature at the University of Perugia Italy, and French philosophy and literature at the University of Caen, France.
As a student, he won three gold medals for his academic excellence.
Father Felix mastered the philosophical and theological systems taught in the university classrooms, and learnt the classical languages of Latin and Greek, besides Italian, Spanish, French, and German, said Father Gnana Patrick, who succeeded Father Felix as the head of the Department of Christian Studies, Madras.
Father Felix was listed as one of the speakers for the March 27-29 International Conference on Mission in Rome.
In 2023, he delivered the prestigious Duffy Lectures at Boston College, further solidifying his status as a leading figure in contemporary theology and cross-cultural studies.
He has contributed to the empowerment of Dalit Christians. Wrote a book on them.
Father Felix wrote in Vision, not Title, Matters in Indian Currents on November 14, 2022, “If change and renewal are to happen, the leaders should go beyond titles of Beatitude, Eminence, and Grace; discern and identify, as is done in the papal election, the bishop who has the qualities of leadership for the times, regardless of the title.”
Father Philip Sudhakar of the Dindigul diocese in Tamil Nadu told Matters India that Father Felis is among the down-to-earth priests who inculcated liberation theology in the hearts of Tamil Nadu seminarians. He is a prophet of our times,” “he added.
He was remarkable, known for his profound contributions to theology and social justice and his commitment to the marginalized.
In addition to his roles at the University of Madras, Father Felix was a member of the International Theological Commission of the Vatican and president of the International Theological Review, Concilium, published in multiple European languages.
He was a visiting professor at several international universities, including the University of Frankfurt, the University of Nijmegen, Boston College, Ateneo de Manila University, and Fudan University in China.
He was also the first to hold the Chair of Indian Studies position at the University of Dublin, Ireland.
Throughout his career, Father had directed more than 30 doctorate dissertations and authored numerous books and articles.
My Loving Tribute to Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Felix Wilfred
I am saddened by the news of Fr. Felix Wilfred’s demise. His specific call to the Church in India and Global Church was prophetic indeed. He formed himself well both in Philosophy and Theology. He was very sharp and clear thinker in his theological assumptions. He was well abreast with the ‘signs of the times’ and his timely interpretations were authentic and well grounded, biblically, theologically and from life experiences.
While the Second Vatican Council was on in the years 1962-65, during that period of time, he shaped himself on the deliberations made at the New Pentecost event of the Universal Church. He was thoroughly an Indian, whose dream was to make the Church in India truly Indian in Indian Religio-cultural perspective through dialogue. It was the felt need of the Church in India to develop a sound and practical Interfaith and Intercultural dialogue, ecumenism, and taking the concerns of the poor and the marginalized ‘an option for the poor’. He built his strong theological inputs with the social teachings of the church and he was down to earth. He raised his voice against many injustices and discrimination due to ‘structural sin’ within the Church and Ad Extra. He was truly a post modern John the Baptist. He made “Gaudium Et Spes’ his tool and constant endeavor to implement the teachings of Second Vatican Council. While the Latin American Church went ahead with various pastoral plans through the Latin American Bishops’ Conference. They were able to implement many of those recommendations suggested during the Second Vatican Council. The leaders of the Church in Latin America and their theologians were sensitive to the pastoral needs of the Church. In India, Fr. Wilfred raised his theological assumptions in the Indian context and he became the voice of the voiceless and the marginalized.
He was much sought after theologian in India, in Indian sub-continent and overseas due to his experiential knowledge of the poor and the voiceless and his deep theology were well grounded in the Paschal Mystery of Christ. He did not compromise with Truth and Justice when it was to protect the rights and dignity of the poor and the marginalized. Dalits were dear to his heart and he became their voice and champion. May his soul rest in peace! Hope his legacy will continue and theologians of our time will take those challenges to promote Interreligious and Inter-cultural dialogue to build bridges among the people of all faith and rich cultural traditions and heritage of India. May his spirit live among the new generation of Indian theologians who will carry his legacy forward. I have lost a companion in dialogue and a priest totally dedicated to contextualize and in Practical theology. He left us too soon and it has created a vacuum, in the evolution of theology that is pertinent to Indian sub-continent and Church at large.