BELLARY, NOV. 24: Thousands of faithful bid tearful farewell to the popualar British missionary Fr Joachim Tinneny, ofm yesterday evening.
Over a thousand faithful gathered from many parts of northern Karnataka mourned the death of Franciscan friar Fr. Joachim Tinneny, ofm, (85) who passed away at 9 AM on Sunday at Bellary.
The funeral mass was presided over by the Bishop of Bellary Henry D’Souza. Almost all the priests of the diocese and most of the religious joined the Holy Eucharistic celebration held in a somber mood.
Bishop of Gulbarga Robert Miranda joined the funeral service and blessed the mortal remains of Fr Joachim Tinneny.
Bishop Henry D’Souza lauded the “exemplary life of utter poverty and abiding love for the poor” shown by Fr Joachim throughout his priestly life of 55 years.
“He was truly a son of St. Francis, sincerely walked in his footsteps through a life of utter poverty and sincere love for the poorest of the poor”, added Bishop D’Souza.
Many of the mourners included Catholic lay faithful from the economically poorer sections from Kowtal, Jawalgera, Raichur, Shahabad and Chittapur.
Fr. Sleeva Reddy, provincial Councilor of the Franciscan Friars Minors paid rich tributes to the dear departed.
Fr. Joachim’s mortal remains were interred in the 300-year old Cowl Bazaar cemetery.
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