BELLARY, NOV. 22: Committed religious and a dedicated missionary, Fr. Joachim Tinneny, ofm, (85) passed away at 9 AM today at Bellary.
Member of the order of Friars Minor (OFM), Fr Joachim belonged to the English Province. He was born in England on July 22, 1924.
Fr. Joachim was ill for the last two weeks. He was admitted to the local St. Mary’s Hospital. From there he was taken to NIMHANS Institute in Bangalore for a thorough medical investigation”, said Bishop of Bellary Henry D’Souza.
“Fr. Joachim was brought to Bellary last evening and was re-admitted to St. Mary’s Hospital. I administered the last sacraments to him at about 10 PM. He was indeed, delighted to be back in Bellary and had a peaceful death this morning”, added Bishop.
His mortal remains are kept at the senior priests’ house, BETHANY, Cantonment for people to pay the last respects.
The funeral rites will be held at 4.00 PM on Nov. 23, at St. Anthony’s Cathedral, Cowl Bazaar and the mortal remains will be interred thereafter at Cowl Bazaar cemetery.
Fr. Joachim worked in parishes such as Kowtal, Maski, Jawalgera, Raichur in Bellary diocese and in Shahabad in Gulbarga.
The Franciscan Friars of the English province came to Hyderabad and they were given the Bellary mission.
32 Franciscan Friars worked in the diocese and Fr Joachim was the last of the British citizens.
“Fr. Joachim was a simple and committed religious. He lived totally for the poor”, affirmed his colleague in the senior priests’ house, Fr. H. Fernandes.
The Shrine of Bellary Arogya Mathe was blessed and dedicated on 8th September 2000 on the feast of the Nativity of our Blessed Mother Mary in memory of the great jubilee 2000 and the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Bellary