Cardinal Ferrao pays tribute to late Visakhapatnam archbishop [Video]

VISAKHAPATNAM, Andhra Pradesh (Indian Catholic News) — Cardinal Philip Neri Ferrao, president of India’s Latin-rite Catholic bishops’ conference, expressed grief over the death of retired Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu of Visakhapatnam and praised his years of service to the Church.

In a message read during the Requiem Mass on June 11 at St. Anthony’s Church, Visakhapatnam, Cardinal Ferrao said he was “indeed pained to learn about the demise of your revered predecessor, most Reverend Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu, who returned to his heavenly home last Sunday.”

The cardinal, who is president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), conveyed “our heartfelt sympathies and the assurance of our prayers for his eternal repose” to Archbishop Udumala Bala Showreddy of Visakhapatnam, the clergy, religious, laity and family members of the late prelate.

The Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam announced June 7 that the retired Archbishop Mallavarapu, 77,  had died that day after a sudden deterioration in his health.

Cardinal Ferrao, in his message read by Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore, vice president of the conference, recalled that the late archbishop served as secretary-general of the CCBI from 2005 to 2011 and was a member of several commissions of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and regional bodies.

“I pray that the good Lord may now grant Archbishop Prakash eternal reward, making him a sharer in the fullness of everlasting life and joy obtained for us by Jesus through his death and resurrection,” he said.

Cardinal Ferrao noted that Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore, CCBI vice president, would attend the funeral on behalf of the Latin-rite episcopal conference.

Unable to attend because of “important official engagements” in his Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, Cardinal Ferrao said he would remain spiritually present, assuring the faithful that he would be “closely united to all of you on the occasion of the funeral service of our dear departed Archbishop Prakash.”

CCBI President Cardinal Filipe Neri’s condolence message read by Archbishop Peter Machado.