Catholic Jesuit Priest Swami Prabhudhar is no more

BELAGAVI: Eminent Catholic Jesuit Priest and well known social activist, writer and thinker Rev Swami Prabhudhar (78) died on Monday morning here.
Hailing from Santibastwad village near Belagavi, Swami Prabhudhar was born in August 1936. After his post graduation worked in post for a few years after which he joined Society of Jesus to become a priest.
He was ordained priest on March 22, 1969 and was posted at various places in Maharashtra and Karnataka where he worked towards the upliftment of the poor and marginalised.Apart from Kannada, Swami Prabhudhar had mastery over English, Marathi, and Konkani, German and French languages. His preaching and practical ways of spreading spirituality among the classes and masses were well acclaimed.
In his 46 years as a Jesuit priest, Swami Prabhudhar worked in Srirampur, Karad and Ajara in Maharashtra where he founded schools, convents and boardings for the village children due to which a large number of village children could get an opportunity to pursue their education in English medium. Swami Prabhudhar also rendered yeoman service at the Jesuit Ashrams in Madanbhavi, Yaddalgudd and Savadatti. Very popular among people of different castes, many of his students and followers have excelled at national and global level.
Bishop of Belagavi has expressed profound grief over death of Swami Prabhudhar. “Swami Prabhudhar was not only a missionary, but a well accepted man in the society both as a scholar of languages and connoisseur of culture. He was a proficient in inter religious dialogues and was a votary of communal harmony. For Christians he was a symbol and icon of a very positive and dynamic leadership. He mobilised public opinion and had a thousands of followers in the districts of Belagavi, Kolhapur and Goa, especially in the villagers. The Jesuit Society and the Diocese has lost a stalwart in the death of Swamy Prabhduhar,” Bishop Peter said.
The mortal remains of Swamy Prabhudhar have been kept at the Jesuit House here. The funeral mass will be organized on Tuesday at Fatima Cathedral, behind St Paul’s High School here at 3.30 pm. This will be followed by burial at the British Cemetery near Race Course here. Bishop Peter Machado and Provincial of Goa province Rev Fr Rosario Rocha will be present for the mass.
Apart from priests, followers of Swami Prabhudhar from three states, belonging to different religions are expected to pay tributes during his funeral on Tuesday.