Archbishop Joji Laid to Rest at Gunadala Shrine

NEW DELHI , Sept. 01, 2010, 14:00 Hrs (Benigna Menezes / CBCI News):

Vijayawada city witnessed an unprecedented crowd of people at the funeral of Archbishop Marampudi Joji who was buried with honour and dignity at the Gunadala cemetery on August 30.

Andhra Pradesh Bishops’ Council (APBC) President, Bishop Gali Bali of Guntur praised him for his relentless service for the Church of Andhra Pradesh and for the marginalized people.

Quoting from scripture Bishop Gali said that the good work he had done would follow him into heaven and that would be his eternal reward.

Archbishop Joji had a strong will power with which he managed to carry on his responsibility as the archbishop of the Hyderabad diocese in spite of the massive heart attack in 2002, said Bishop Praksash of Vijayawada paying rich accolade to the dalit leader and welcoming his presence into Vijayawada cemetery in his diocese.

Archbishops and Bishops of Nagpur, Madras- Mylapore, Jamshadpur, Adilabad, and the other bishops of the twelve dioceses of Andhra Pradesh and hundreds of priests, nuns and faithful from all over the state participated in the last rites of Archbishop Joji.

Archbishop Marampudi Joji of Hyderabad died on August 28, following a massive heart attack, at the age of 68 in his Secunderabad office cum residence in the evening hours. He was the third bishop of Hyderabad and the first dalit archbishop of the state.

After the public Mass in Hyderabad the body was brought to Khammam where he was bishop for four and a half years.

The body reached Vijayawada Cathedral at 11.30 pm on August 29, and was received by the Vijayawada Bishop Prakash Mallavarapu. Thereafter people continuously came in tens and hundreds to pay him homage from all across the state.

According to his last wish expressed in his Will Archbishop Joji wanted to be buried in the Gunadala cemetery along with the Italian missionaries who had brought faith to Andhra Pradesh, His body was brought to the city, said Monsignor Swarna Bernard, the Vicar General of Hyderabad who accompanied the remains of the archbishop from Hyderabad and celebrated the morning Mass in St. Paul’s Cathedral of Vijayawada.

Bishop Joji worked faithfully and with untiring zeal carried out whatever responsibility he assumed. He is the model of the servant of the gospel of St. Matthew who received the five talents from his master and laboured untiringly to pay it back to his master as a good and faithful servant, said Monsignor Bernard, in his homily.

During the requiem Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Gunadala many of the bishops, priests, leaders of the Christian federation of Churches in AP, politicians, MLA,s MP,s paid him rich tribute and praised his leadership capabilities and down to earth practical sense in organizing the diocese and working for the poor and the underprivileged. He was truly a diplomat of the Church, said a speaker who eulogized his capacity to move in political circles. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah in a condolence message described the archbishop as “a person who cared for the poor, downtrodden and championed their causes.”

Marampudi Joji was born in Bhimavaram of West Godavari district on October 7, 1942, And grew up in the care of the Italian PIME missionaries.

‘He grew up in our convent in Bhimavaram’, said Sr. Lorenza, MSI an Italian nun who recalled the childhood days of the bishop and his enthusiasm in learning about Christian faith.

Joji became a priest in 1971 and was appointed as the secretary to Bishop Joseph Thumma of the Vijayawada diocese and later worked as the director of the social service centre of Vijayawada.

His work during the Andhra Cyclone of 1977 was notable.

Then he was appointed bishop of Khammam in 1991 and in 1997 he assumed office as the bishop of Vijayawada.

He was appointed Archbishop of Hyderabad on January 29, 2000 and was consecrated by Archbishop George Zur, the then nuncio in India, in the presence of his predecessor Archbishop Saminini Arulappa on April 30, 2000.

Former PIME Bishop of Kurnool, Matthew Cheriankunnel conducted the last rites at the cemetery and the remains of the Archbishop were laid to rest along with his predecessor and the Italian bishops of the diocese in the tomb which he himself had prepared in the year 2000.