Renowned Indian Catholic theologian Paul Puthanangady Dies

Bangalore, 14 Nov 2013: Salesian Father Paul Puthanangady, a renowned Indian Catholic theologian who was suffering from cancer for a long period, died Thursday at Don Bosco Aluva, Kerala. He was 79.
The funeral mass will be held at St. Antony`s Church, TC Palya, Bangalore on 16 November, Saturday at 10.30 am. Thereafter, the burial services will be held at the Salesian Cemetery, Kristu Jyoti College, Bangalore. The body will be exposed for the public to pay their last respects from 6 am on 16 November, Saturday, at Kristu Jyoti College, Bangalore.

Fr. Puthanangady, former director of the National Biblical Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC), based at Bangalore, had taught Liturgy and Sacramental Theology at Kristu Jyoti College, and was a leading proponent of inculturation. According to him, inculturation is concerned with every aspect of the Church’s life. The richness of the Gospel must be expressed in all its variety in all areas of Christian life. Since liturgy is the supreme manifestation of the mystery of the Church and most efficacious means of fulfilling her mission, celebration of the liturgy in indigenous forms is of paramount importance, he asserted.

He was the chief organizer of the Indian Church`s observation of two millennia of existence of Christianity, titled Yesu Krist Jayanti 2000. Fr. Puthanangady, who was the Episcopal Vicar for Religious at the Archdiocese of Bangalore recently, is renowned for his vibrant sessions.
As the Episcopal Vicar for Religious he held the view that consecrated life is “the heart of the Church.”
He often spoke on the “new way of being a Religious” and urged those who have opted to serve God and society to radically change their attitude and response to the Gospel by situating themselves “in the concrete human situation in which we are called to live and act.”

The theologian also wanted priests and nuns in India to focus more on building people than maintaining Church institutions.

According to Father Puthanangady, India´s religious pluralism, cultural diversity and unjust social and political system all challenged Catholic priests and nuns during this third millennium of Christianity. Religious must change “from a life of fidelity to the rule to a life that is centered on relationship to persons,” he had asserted.
Source: CBCI