From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 31: Fr Abraham Giriraju, professor and director of Pastoral Studies at St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary and registrar of St Peter’s Pontifical Institute at Malleswaram in Bengaluru passed away on Tuesday, May 30.

The funeral mass and burial service of the 52-year-old priest, who was ordained on May 4, 1993, will be held June 2, 2017 at 10.00 am at Sacred Heart Church, Richmond Road. His mortal remains will be kept for public homage at Sacred Heart Church on the same day from 9.30 am onwards.

As Fr Giriraju died while in service as professor and formator at St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary and Institute, a Requiem Mass is arranged on June 2 2017 at 7.00 am at St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary Chapel for the benefit of the staff and students of the seminary and the institute to pray for his soul and to pay their last respects.

Archbishop of Bengaluru Dr Bernard Moras has expressed heartfelt sympathies to his relatives and friends.

"May the Lord grant them grace and strength to bear this irreparable loss. Fr Giriraju died as he lived. In the death of Fr Abraham Giriraju, we have lost a young dynamic priest of our Archdiocese. We shall continue to gratefully remember his valuable services to the Archdiocese and also pray for the repose of his soul. On behalf of all and the Bishops of the Board of Administration of St Peter’s Seminary and Institute, I offer my deepest condolences to the staff and student as they bid fondest farewell to their dear departed Professor and Formator," Archbishop Moras said in a condolence message.

Fr Abraham Giriraju was born on March 11, 1965 at Halasuru, Bengaluru. His parents were the late K Raju and the late Catherine Raju who had five children, three boys and two girls; and Fr Giri was the second child. After completing his school studies at St Patrick’s High School, Bengaluru, Fr Giri decided to become a priest in 1982 and was sent to Mysuru to do his initial formation course. He pursued philosophy and theology studies at St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Bengaluru. He was ordained a priest on May 4, 1992 at St Mary’s Basilica, Shivajinagar, by Fr Alphonsus Mathias.
 
After a few years of pastoral ministry in the Archdiocese, he joined the Staff of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary. From there he was sent to Rome to do his Licentiate in Theology in the Lateran University. He also obtained his master’s degrees in Sociology from Annamalai University, and in Philosophy from St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary. Fr Giri was appointed as the vice-rector of St Peter’s Seminary in 2006 and was again reappointed to this post in 2009. After teaching a few years in St Peter’s Seminary, he was again sent to Rome in 2011 to do his Doctorate in Theology which he had completed successfully in 2014.

He had served the Archdiocese at various places for the last 24 years, including as a vice-rector of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary.  Malleswaram.