MISSIONARIES OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALESSouth-East India Province

MSFS Provincialate

Kunnathur PostPudukkottai (Dt) - 621 316

Tamil Nadu, S. India

Ph: 0431 – 2680521 2680522

Email: provincialsoutheastmsfs@gmail.comprovincialsecretarysoutheast@gmail.com

My Dear Confreres,

Fraternal greetings to each one of you in the name of the Lord!

TRIBUTE TO REV. FR. A. ANTONY SAVARY RAJ, MSFS (1983 – 2015)

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”

Psalms 116:15

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AD/32 OCTOBER 2015

REV. FR. A. ANTONY SAVARY RAJ, MSFS

(1983 - 2015)

Rev. Fr. A. Antony Savary Raj, Msfs, son of Arulappan and Esther Rani, was born at

Michael Puram, Villupuram, in the Archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu on

06th June, 1983. He had his schooling at St. Michael’s High school, Michael Puram from

1990 to 2000. He joined S.F.S. Minor Seminary, Pudukkottai in 2000. He did his Novitiate at

Salesianum, Visakhapatnam in 2003 and professed his first vows on 10 th June, 2004. After

the Novitiate, he did his regular B.A. studies at S.F.S. College, Habbagudi, Bengaluru from

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2004 to 2007. He pursued his philosophical studies at Suvidya College, Bengaluru from 2007

to 2009.

He did his Regency at Kolli Hills from June 2009 to April 2010. He pursued his

theological studies at Vijnananilayam, Janampet, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh from June 2010 to

December 2013. He made his Perpetual Profession at Msfs Study House, Janampet, Eluru,

Andhra Pradesh on 09th June, 2012. He was ordained a deacon by his Lordship,

Rt. Rev. Dr. Mathew Cheriankunnel, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Kurnool at Msfs

Study House, Eluru on 27th January, 2013. He did his Diaconate Ministry at Ammapatti in the

Archdiocese of Madurai from December 2013 to April 2014. He was ordained a Priest by his

Lordship, Rt. Rev. Dr. Sebastianappan Singarayan, Bishop of Salem at Michael Puram on

25th April, 2014.

After his ordination, he was appointed Assistant Parish Priest at Our Lady of Fatima

Church, Jayankondam in the Diocese of Kumbakonam. After doing a commendable parish

ministry at Jayankondam for one year, this May 2015, he was appointed Assistant Parish

Priest at St. Thomas’ Church, Alphonsapuram, KG Kandigai, Thiruvallur in the Archdiocese

of Chennai-Mylapore. He was doing an excellent parish ministry as Assistant Parish Priest at

Alphonsapuram till he was diagnosed with TB a month or so back, for which he was also on

medication. While on treatment, he is said to have reduced his otherwise active ministry to

some extent to care for his health. In the meantime, the saddening unexpected thing took

place and it was on the morning of 11th October that he collapsed vomiting blood. At once, he

was rushed to a nearby hospital for first aid and after a little while, he was moved to

St. Thomas Hospital, Mount, Chennai.

While being received into the hospital itself, he was already unconscious. The doctors

spared no time to nurse him. In the process, he was diagnosed with a massive brain

haemorrhage and a heavy bleeding in almost all of his vital internal parts, especially in his

lungs and abdomen. The doctors in the hospital and the specialists brought in did their best

and all of us also did our best by way of intensely praying for our beloved confrere but God

had His own plans.

At one point, his condition seemed to better to some extent and gave us some glimpse

of hope and sadly it did not improve more than that and soon many complications began to

set in, his blood became contaminated and his body stopped responding to any further

treatment. Finally, his brain became completely dead and his body became paralyzed and he

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was in ventilation till the last moment of his life. After two days of their sincere efforts to

save him failed very sadly, the doctors declared his death at 1.30 a.m. on 13th October.

Our fathers from both Mount and

Kelambakkam communities, accompanied

by a few relatives of Fr. Savary, left for

Trichy with his mortal remains at 3.30 a.m.

They reached Trichy at 10.00 a.m. The

Provincialate community fathers were

already there at Child Jesus Hospital,

Trichy to receive the body and after doing

the process of cleaning and dressing up of the body for public presentation with the help of

FMM Sisters at the hospital, the body was moved to S.F.S. Minor Seminary, Pudukkottai at

10. 30 a.m. A big crowd of our confreres, relatives of Fr. Savary and laity was already

waiting at S.F.S. Minor Seminary, Pudukkottai to receive the body.

The ambulance with the body, accompanied by our fathers and a few relatives of

Fr. Savary, reached the Seminary by 11.30 a.m. and amid loud cries and unstoppable tears,

the body was shifted from the ambulance to the seminary auditorium. The body was kept

there for paying respect and prayers after it was blessed by our Provincial, Rev. Fr. Anthony

Dharmaraj. A lot of people turned up to pay their homage to the body of Fr. Savary Raj.

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By 4.00 p.m. the funeral service started with a procession towards the stage set near

the basket-ball court in the Seminary, where the Holy Mass was arranged. Rev. Fr. Anthony

Dharmaraj, the Provincial of the SE India Province presided over the Holy Eucharist,

celebrated in Tamil. With him at the altar were Very Rev. Fr. Thumma Mariadas, our

Assistant Superior General, who was on visit to our Province, Rev. Fr. S. Vincent

Lourduswamy, the Provincial Superior of Pune Province,who made it to the funeral Mass as

he was in Salem, Fr. George Kootinal, the Rector of S.F.S. Minor Seminary, Pudukkottai,

Fr. G. Cosmon Arockiaraj, the Parish Priest of Jayankondam, Fr. Sesu Arul Prakasam, the

Parish Priest of Alphonsapuram, KG Kandigai, Fr. Mahimai, the Parish Priest of Michael

Puram and Frs. I. Jone Gragori, K. Martin Anand and Balaraju from Vizag Province, the

batch mates of Fr. Savary.

Nearly hundred priests, fifty sisters and five hundred lay people were there

participating at the Holy Mass and praying for the Soul of Fr. A. Antony Savary Raj.

Fr. Mahimai, the Parish Priest of Michael Puram, gave a touching introduction, in which he

told that God loved Fr. Savary so much that He called him to be with Him at an early age

itself. He added that God’s ways are different and at times mysterious, and we need to accept

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in faith and total surrender to Him what He has designed for Fr. Savary. After the

introduction, Fr. K. Rajasekar, who did well as the MC for the Mass, gave out the bio-data of

Fr. Savary in detail. Fr. C. Sebastin Raj, the Admonitor cum PCIC of Education, preached an

emotive homily, in which he said that the short life of Fr. Savary was one of holiness and

loyalty to God. Fr. I. Jone Gragori, his batch mate, gave a tear-jerking parting message at the

end of the Mass, in which he remembered Fr. Savary as a constant source of support,

encouragement and inspiration to all of his companions.

Fr. G. Cosmon Arockiaraj, the Parish Priest of Jayankondam, where Fr. Savary did his

first year of priestly ministry, in his message, gave credit to Fr. Savary as an active person,

never going tired of fulfilling all his responsibilities in time and out of time and taking new

initiatives for the betterment of the Parish and the school in it. He said that Fr. Savary

performed well as a mature Parish Priest for some time when he was abroad. He also said that

in a short span of one and a half years of his priesthood, he achieved what a senior priest

could have achieved and that was evident from the fact that a lot of people from the places he

worked, turned up for his funeral.

Fr. Sesu Arul Prakasam, the Parish Priest of Alphonsapuram, KG Kandigai, where

Fr. Savary was serving last as the Assistant Parish Priest for the last four months, in his

heart-rending message, gave a detailed report of Fr. Savary’s sickness and the related

developments. He said that Fr. Savary was a promising young priest with lots of visions for

the development of the parish and that he was burning with zeal for the parish activities and

totally committed himself to the same. He also said that he was quite happy that God gave a

very good companion to him but his happiness could not last long as God felt jealous of their

companionship and took Fr. Savary away from him to give company to Him in the heavenly

abode.

Fr. Edwin, the delegate of the Archbishop of Chennai-Mylapore, in his message,

expressed heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Archbishop and the Archdiocese to the

grieving Province and the family members of Fr. Savary. He said that Fr. Savary’s death was

shocking and hard to digest for the whole of the Archdiocese as it took place at a least

expected time of his prime life. Fr. Sagaya Selvaraj, who spoke as the representative of the

sons of the soil of Michael Puram, from where Fr. Savary hails, said in his message that

Fr. Savary’s death was a great loss and nothing could compensate for the death of their loved

one.

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Rev. Fr. Vincent Lourduswamy, the

Provincial Superior of Pune Province, in his

message, expressed heartfelt condolences

on behalf of Pune Province and on his

personal behalf to our Provincial Superior

and to each member of our Province and to

the family members of Fr. Savary, who

mourned over his premature death. He said

that God’s plans are inscrutable and we, the simple humans, need to surrender ourselves

totally to God as He has a purpose in each of His plans.

Very Rev. Fr. Thumma Mariadas,

our Assistant Superior General, in his

message, explained the grave difficulty

involved in accepting the death of a beloved

one and that too at an early age itself. He

said it is not how many years one lives that

matters but how well one lives one’s life.

No doubt, Fr. Savary has lived his life to the

fullest, worthy of God’s call to him, even though it was only for a short duration. God’s ways

are not purposeless and we in full faith and trust entrust our beloved confrere, Fr. Savary to

the everlasting care of the Lord to cherish the eternal bliss.

Finally, Rev. Fr. Anthony Dharmaraj,

our Provincial Superior, gave a moving

message, in which he said that Fr. Savary

Raj was an active and really committed

Fransalian, who gave himself unreservedly

to the works of the Lord even to the extent of

forgoing his own interests, and not bothering

about himself and his health. He was always

straightforward, courageous and able to manage any situation. He was always busy with the

good works of the Lord and those of himself and was never a botheration to anybody. He

could bloom wherever he was planted. He was a busy silent worker in the vineyard of the

Lord, bringing many to the fold of the Lord in compliance with his motto, “To be Messenger

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of Peace” and true to the same, he left for his heavenly inheritance in all silence, peace and

serenity.

He added that in the death of Fr. Savary, the South-East India Province had really lost

a very active, talented, gifted and promising confrere, who, if alive, could have for sure and

certain achieved many good things for the betterment of our Province. In his death, our young

Province certainly suffered a great loss that could not be made up easily. On behalf of the

Province and on his personal behalf, he expressed heartfelt condolences and promised

prayerful support to the bereaved family members of Fr. Savary.

OTHER MESSAGES RECEIVED ON THE DEATH OF FR. A. ANTONY

SAVARY RAJ VIA EMAIL:

Message from our Beloved Superior General, Very Rev. Fr. Abraham Vettuvelil, Msfs: “My dear Father Dharmaraj, Please accept my hearty condolence at the sad and sudden death of Fr. Antony Savary Raj. I join you and the entire Province community as you grieve over the loss of our dear confrere. May the good Lord receive him to eternal reward and I am united with you in prayer and grief. Live Jesus!”

Message from our Beloved Former Superior General, Rev. Fr. Agnelo Fernandes, Msfs: “My Dear Fr. Dharmaraj, I share the pain and sorrow of you as well as that of the Province and the Congregation at the death of Fr. Antony Savary Raj. The loss of such a young confrere and so suddenly baffles us and tests our faith and trust in God's Providence and Plan. Let us surrender to His Will as He knows what is best for all of us. One thing is sure, our confrere, Fr. Antony Savary is in God and in His love forever from where he will pray for all of us and continue his ministry of blessing us in God's name. My sincere condolences to the family members of Fr. Antony Savary Raj.”

Message from Rev. Fr. George Panthanmackel, Msfs, the Provincial Superior of North-East India Province: “Dearest Fr. Dharmaraj, Please accept the profound condolences of the members of North-East India Province on the untimely demise of Fr. A. Antony Savary Raj. The members of North-East India Province join you with our prayers for the peaceful repose of his soul and for all of you and his family members. Eternal Rest, Grant unto him, O Lord. May he rest in peace!”

Message from Rev. Fr. Jose Kumblolickal, Msfs, the Provincial Superior of South-West India Province: “Dear Fr. Dharmaraj and members of the SE India Province, First of all, my sincere condolence and assurance of prayers on this very sad moment in your Province and in our Congregation due to the sad loss of our confrere. We are all with you and the SE Province in prayer and sharing in your sorrow. Be assured of our prayers and support at this moment. May God grant our confrere eternal rest and comfort his family and all of us his confreres.”

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Message from Rev. Fr. Joy Mampally, Msfs, the Rector of Suvidya College: “Dearest Fr. Dharmaraj, Greetings of love and prayers from Suvidya College! It was with great sadness and shock that we received the news of the demise of Fr. Savary Raj. We join in the sorrows of the Province at the loss of a young, promising and loving confrere and extend to the bereaved family members of his all our prayerful sympathies. Suvidya College does pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. Savary Raj. May his soul rest in peace!”

Message from Rev. Fr. Mathew Kozhuppakalam, Msfs: “My dear Father Dharmaraj, Greetings of peace and love. I was indeed very sad to hear about the death of Fr. Antony Savari Raj at such young age. I shall offer my Mass today for the repose of his soul. I join with you and the whole province in the sad moments of pain of losing a promising young confrere. The designs of God are inscrutable and we do not know why Fr. Savary Raj had been called back by the Lord. I can imagine your pain as you had lost another young confrere, Fr. Paul Samy last year. I pray to God to give you strength and courage in these moments of pain and sorrow. I also pray for the whole Province.” 

Message from Rev. Fr. Matthew Thayil, Msfs: “I am shocked to hear of the sad and sudden passing away of such a young priest, Rev. Fr. A. Antony Savary Raj, Msfs. It is said God takes away to Himself those whom He loves most. May our dear departed enjoy the peace and joy he deserves! Fr. Raj, I can very well understand what you must be going through at the loss of two young priests in the recent past. May the Lord Himself be your strength!”

Rev. Fr. Anthony Dharmaraj, the Provincial Superior of the SE India Province, after

his message, very specially thanked everyone who attended the funeral service and everyone

who contributed their best for the beautiful arrangement of the funeral ceremony. In this

regard, many thanks are due to the Seminary community, School community, Parish

Community, ITI community and Farm community in Pudukkottai. Our sincere and special

thanks are also due to Rev. Sr. Rosy Antony, the Provincial Superior of the Sisters of the

Cross of Chavanod of Trichy Province and her Sisters for helping us to have a good choir and

beautifully decorated altar for the Mass.

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After the Mass, the Assistant Superior

General and the Provincials paid their last

homage to Fr. Savary by together placing the

wreath of flowers over his body and

thereafter, the body was respectfully carried

by our SE confreres in procession and with

the final prayers said by both the Assistant

Superior General and our Provincial

Superior, it was laid to rest in the Seminary Cemetery at about 6.30 p.m.

Eternal rest, grant unto him, O Lord! & Let perpetual light shine upon him!

MAY HE REST IN PEACE!

Yours Fraternally in Christ,

Rev. Fr. Anthony Dharmaraj, Msfs

Provincial Superior

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