Asian Bishops mourn the death of Father Jacob Theckanath

The Asian Catholic Church mourns the death of a 79-year-old Indian priest, who played a significant role in evangelization.

Father Jacob Theckanath, former executive secretary of Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC) Office of Evangelization (OE), died on November 28.

According to the statement released by the FABC Central Secretariat, Father Jacob served as OE Executive Secretary from 2007-2016. Father Theckanath was present in the VII FABC Plenary Assembly in 2000 in Bangkok, the IX FABC Plenary Assembly in 2009 in Manila, Philippines and the X FABC Plenary Assembly in 2012 in Xuan Loc, Vietnam.

The statement issued by Maryknoll Father William LaRousse,  FABC Assistant Secretary-General, Father  Theckanath, was very much involved in evangelization, Bible and liturgy.

"Through these seminars and consultations, Father Jacob touched and transformed the lives of many, playing an important role in evangelization in Asia," Father LaRousse noted.

Father  LaRousse expressed sympathies and condolences on behalf of Asian Bishops.  The statement stated that Father Theckanath's "faithful service, untiring efforts and energy together with his generosity contributed valuably to his availability as part of the drafting team for final statements and messages of various plenaries and programmes along with his important assistance in preparing liturgies. He was a pillar among the Executive Secretaries and was consulted by and assisted many others." 

Before serving FABC, Father Thechanath was the director of the National Biblical, Catechetical, Liturgical Centre (NBCLC) in Bangalore, India, for ten years. Catholic Bishops set up the center in India in 1967 to promote a renewal of the church in the Indian context.

Father Theckanath was born in Malayattoor, Kerala and ordained a priest in 1967 for the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Orissa. He held postgraduate degrees in Theology (S.T.L) and Sacred Scripture (S.S.L) from Rome's Pontifical Biblical Institute.

Father Theckanath's funeral mass at St. Thomas Church, Malayattor, Kerala, in his native parish under the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese on December 1.