Nepal's oldest Jesuit missionary dies at 90

Father Casper J Miller (90), a Jesuit missionary who taught hundreds of Nepali students and brought Christianity to the Tamang people, died on January 15, at Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

He lived and worked in Nepal from 1958 until his death.

The Nepal Jesuit Society reported that Father Casper, known as "Fr Cap", died peacefully on January 15, 2023, at 3 pm in St. Xavier's Jesuit Community, Jawalakhel. Lalitpur. He suffered from no major illness but had been confined to bed for over a month.

“Funeral services took place on January 16 at 11:30 am at Assumption Church, Dhobighat in Kathmandu. Following the funeral Mass, his mortal remains were cremated at Teku," said The Nepal Jesuit Society. 

One of his former students, Chirendra Satyal, said, "He was a saintly man who did everything a Catholic missionary should do. He was evangelistic in his time."

Father Casper J Miller SJ was born on December 13, 1933, in Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States.

After joining the Jesuits on September 2, 1951, he was ordained as a priest on March 29, 1964.

Fr. Cap was one of the first people to do a PhD in Anthropology in Nepal. He carried out his research at the Nepal's Tribhuwan University, resulting in two bestselling books: "Faith-healer in the Himalaya" (MA) and "Decision Making in Village Nepal" (doctorate). In order to conduct this research, Father Miller lived in very challenging conditions in many remote villages.

Fr. Casper J Miller, S.J., mentor, writer, storyteller, educator, counsellor, and pianist

He was fluent in the Nepali language and well-versed in Nepali culture and life. Besides his formal studies in Social Anthropology on Nepal, he has made the study of folk and classical music a life-time hobby.

During his active age, Fr. Cap served as the principal of St. Xavier’s School, Jawakhel from 1967 t0 1969 and St. Xavier’s School, Godavari from 1969 to 1975.  He was also a Research Writer at Human Resource Development and Research Centre from 1976 to 1987.

As he grew older, he joined St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar, as a student counsellor in 2018 at the age of 85

Fr Cap, mentor, writer, storyteller, educator, counsellor, and pianist, will be remembered best for pioneering the entry of Catholicism into the Tamang tribes of Dhading district.