Société des Missions Africaines – District d'Inde

né le 19 septembre 1973 dans le diocèse de Tuticorin (Inde) membre de la SMA le 29 mars 1999 prêtre le 7 mai 2004 décédé le 27 juillet 2006

2004-2005 missionnaire en Egypte 2005-2006 Mangadu, Inde, animation missionnaire décédé à Chennai (Madras, Inde), le 27 juillet 2006 à l’âge de 32 ans

Le 27 juillet, au matin, il s'est plaint de n'être pas bien et il est mort peu de temps après à l'hôpital de Thomas Mount, à Chennai (Madras).

Il est enterré à Azhagapapuram.

Joseph Ramesh was born on September 19, 1973 in Azhagappapuram, Kanyakumari District not far from the southern tip of India. Ramesh was the last born to his parents who had three boys and three girls.

Ramesh joined the SMA in 1994 and did a preparatory programme for a year in Mangadu and then three years of Philosophy in Karumathur. The SMA Illam of Karumathur was inaugurated when Ramesh was doing his first year of Philosophy in Arulanandar College. As one of the pioneers in the house, Ramesh joyfully worked hard to plant trees, organise the garden, fetch water from far and take care of house cow. As the construction work was going on, the community did not have many regular employees. The students took care of everything. Ramesh was one of the good cooks of the community. Ramesh was a gifted singer and dancer. He was blessed with great social skills. He could relate with people easily.

After finishing the three-year degree programme in Philosophy, Ramesh went to the Philippines for the Spiritual Year. Frs. Gus O’Driscoll and John Denvir accompanied him during the programme and at the end of which Ramesh was admitted as a temporary member into the Society of African Missions on March 29, 1999.

Ramesh was then sent to Egypt for Stage, where he was introduced to Arabic language, Egyptian Church and the pastoral ministry in an Islamic world. He cherished his ministry with the mentally challenged people in Choubra. Ramesh renewed his membership in Egypt on May 12, 2000.

Returned to India after the Stage, Ramesh studied theology in Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee for four years from 2000 to 2004. He stayed in one of the cottages in the SMA house, Mangadu during those years. Preparatory year students stayed in the main building. Being a senior student in India, Ramesh rendered valuable service to the SMA at various levels – helping students of the preparatory programme, vocations animation, fund-raising and local house administration. Ramesh was ordained a deacon on March 19, 2003 by the Archbishop of Madras Mylapore, Most Rev. Arul Das James in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee. A year later, Ramesh was ordained a priest on May 7, 2004 in St. Anthony’s Church, Azhagappapuram by Most Rev. Antony Pappusamy, the bishop of Dindigul.

For his first mission, Ramesh was sent to Egypt where he had done his stage. Ramesh returned to India towards the end of 2005 and was asked to work on Mission animation. The year 2006 was the jubilee year for the SMA marking 150 years of our foundation. There were celebrations all over the Society. Many SMA pilgrims came to India to mark the occasion in Coimbatore where our Founder was the first bishop. Ramesh participated with great enthusiasm in all preparations during the summer.

On July 27, 2006, very early in the morning, Ramesh walked out of his room with difficulty and knocked at the door of one of the confreres as he was finding it hard to breathe. He was rushed to the hospital in the dark and was declared dead by the doctors on arrival.

Ramesh was the first Indian SMA priest to enter the necrology and it was at the age of 32.