Popular priest returns home to India after stint in Offaly

THE popular Birr priest Fr Antony Sajeesh returned home to India recently, flying out on Thursday morning December 14.

It was only a week previously when it was announced that Fr Antony was no longer going to minister in Birr but was heading back to his native land.

The announcement came as a bolt out of the blue for many who were hoping that Fr Antony would carry on for many years more. He had a very affable and hard-working nature which endeared him to a lot of the parishioners.

“I am so sad to say that my Missionary Congregation,” began Fr Antony when making his announcement that he was leaving, “have asked me to return home to prepare for a new mission. I am very sad to be leaving Birr and the Brendan Pastoral area. I have really enjoyed the last 5 years here and I will miss you all very much. I want to thank you all for everything you have done for me over the last 5 years. It has been a wonderful experience to minister among you."

“I once again thank you all for your support and I ask you to keep me in your prayers as I embark on my next chapter.”
Parish Priest Fr Tom Hogan told The Midland Tribune that he had hoped this day would never come and he was very upset when the announcement came through.

“Antony's recall has been a body-blow for me and for the parish,” said Fr Tom. “It was fantastic having his energy and hard-working spirit in our busy parish. We were very fortunate to have such an excellent priest in our midst. He was only meant to be with us for three years but thankfully that was extended out to five. We of course would have liked him to stay for years more but his Missionary Congregation called out for his return.”

Fr Antony's departure places a huge and impossible burden of work on Fr Tom's shoulders but thankfully the powers that be have told Fr Tom that a replacement will be arriving in the new year as soon as the visa is finalised.

Fr Antony grew up in Kochi, a major port city on the south-west coast of India in the province of Kerala. Kochi has a population of two million and is known as “the Queen of the Arabian Sea”.

Tragically his father died of a heart attack at the age of 43 and it was left to his mother to look after Fr Antony and his sister, who were only five and six years of age when their Dad passed away. Their mother raised her children extremely well and her faith inspired Antony. “My mother was great,” he commented, “she did so much for us. She was part of the inspiration for my vocation.”

He felt the call to be a priest at a young age. “I joined the seminary in 2001 when I was 15 years old. I joined an order called the Missionary Fathers of Incarnation.” His intention was to become a Missionary.

He studied for a degree in Philosophy in India and for a degree in Theology in Italy. During his time in Italy he helped the poorer, abandoned and troubled young people in his area. In 2015 he was ordained a Deacon and in 2017 he became a Vice Rector. In 2018 the Superior of the Kochi Seminary told him Bishop Fintan Monahan was looking for priests to go to Ireland. Antony arrived in Ireland on September 25, 2018. He knew little about Ireland (for example, he thought everyone only spoke Irish!) however he soon found his feet and settled in.

One of the problems he saw in Ireland is the difficulty of getting young people to continue attending the church after the sacrament of Confirmation. “There is a big gap now between young people and the church,” he remarked.