Fr Arockia Dhas Rayappan –
I took my Ph.D. comprehensive exam (COMPS) at Concordia University from June 17 to June 20, 2024. I submitted the answers online on June 20, 2024 at 12.45 p.m. after the rigorous hours of studies for the duration of twelve months The total duration of the COMPS was 72 hours. It has been a taxing time for me
After completing the COMPS, I opened the June edition of the Voice of Delhi to read some writeups for relaxation. I was heartbroken to learn of the sad demise of Father Prakash Gill. I was not happy that I learnt of the event after twenty plus days. I referred back to the May edition of the Voice of Delhi where I found on page number 38 that Father Gill was assigned with two responsibilities: In-charge of Saint Mary’s Boys’ Hostel and In-charge of Bahu Akbarpur Mission. He was to assume these in the first week of July 2024.
Though I was in grief and heartbroken owing to his death at the prime of his life, I was comforted by our Christian belief and Jesus’ promise that Father Prakash Gill is where he was meant to be experiencing peace and consolation at the bosom of the Sacred Heart of Jesus accompanied by heavenly patrons Saint Joseph and Mother Mary. God’s plan is always the best plan though we fail to comprehend it at the time of occurrences such as sudden deaths of person we know and love. Jesus’ words kept an echoing within me: “Do not let your hearts be troubled; have faith in God; have faith also in me” (John 14.1).
Vinay Gurukul is our Delhi Archdiocesan Minor Seminary where the boys join to discern their priestly vocation. Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas was the minor seminary rector when Prakash Gill arrived at Vinay Gurukul as a young boy. He was accompanied by his family, especially his religious sisters and late Father Alex Toppo. We had even arranged a short welcome ceremony at the refectory before lunch.
I still vividly remember it. As a young boy, Father Gill was unassuming by nature and gentle towards everyone. He was prayerful and did not speak much. I still remember that he taught me Hindi. He used to spare his precious time in the afternoons to teach me Hindi often sacrificing his siesta. I was also his beadle at the seminary for more than two terms. I can honestly say that I did not have to remind him to complete the work he was entrusted with. He took time, but he would always finish it. He was very faithful and responsible to daily and weekly responsibility entrusted to his care. He was one of the members of Refectory committee. He was the one who left the refectory last after making sure that the refectory was clean, and the cutleries were placed back safely.
He sang melodiously with so much devotion. He had an angelic voice with which he used to sing Bhajans which helped us to pray better. Our rector Bishop Ignatius had sent him to get trained in Hindustani Music and Tabla. He willingly shared his talents of music and singing for the sake of serving the Vinay Gurukul community, so also the Saint Michael’s Church community, Gurugram. On Sundays, the minor seminarians would help in the Church in decorating the altar, singing in the choir and the other responsibilities assigned by the parish priest. He was an automatic choice for the choir when the choir of inter-religious and formation house activities were formed. He always carried Rosary with him as does our Pope Francis. In one year of my journey with him at Vinay Gurukul, I never saw him lose his temper. He was very composed. He talked gently. His footsteps were gentler than those of the cat’s footsteps. He kept himself clean. He always dressed himself well. He was very gentle in his dealings. Some of the companions used to take advantage of his nobility and made fun at him. But he used to enjoy their sense of humour. While he joined us, I think, he was much senior to us in age.
As Father Prakash Gill has bid us farewell, I offer prayerful condolences to his assistant Father Maria Antony and the parishioners, religious sisters and formators belonging to Gurugram formation houses. May they experience the spiritual consolation that emanates from the bosom of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He left for his heavenly reward while we prepared to celebrate the feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth in May, Month of Mary. His is a family which had generously offered a priest and religious sisters for the service of our Mother Church.
In God’s providential plan, his funeral mass was held, and he was laid to rest on June 3 on which the Mother Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Charles Lwanga, the patron saint of the Youth in Africa, and Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas his birthday. It was my ordination anniversary too. The upcoming priestly anniversaries will surely remind me to seek his heavenly intercession. I gratefully remember his parents who played an exemplary role in planting in the hearts of their children the seeds of religious vocation.
To me, he came across as a gentle and humble priest. We maintained the cordiality that we had developed throughout our seminary days. He used to fondly call me after the name of our rector Bishop Ignatius. All the more, I remember him for his infectious smile radiating his genuine prayer-filled life. May he intercede for his brother priests of Delhi Archdiocese and the intentions of Archbishop Anil Couto and his auxiliary Bishop Deepak and those of our Diocese. He is also a priest from North India. May God bless our Archdiocese with vocations from North India after the saintly words of Saint Pope Leo XIII: “Filii tui India, administri tibi salutis” (Your own sons, O India, will be the heralds of your salvation). As we are about to celebrate the Jubilee Year, God has willfully taken a young priest with many more promises yet to be fulfilled. May he intercede for us from heaven! Dear Father Prakash Gill, rest well as you continue to whisper a prayer for us all and especially for our future priests who would be trained in Vinay Gurukul of which you remain an alumnus.
The author is a priest of Delhi Archdiocese, and Ph.D. student at Concordia University, Canada. Please visit the weblink of Concordia Library Spectrum Research Repository for more details; His Orchid ID. His most cherished quotations are: “Inspiring and effective leaders are made not born – and it can take a lot of hard work to develop the skills and know-how to do this.” “Our life’s trials often reveal our capacity for empathy and kindness.” “A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.”