Fr. Cornelius Ekka is no more. His mischievous smile and hearty laughter will not be seen and heard any longer, and the Institute is without a Church historian and Ecclesiologist. But we bow to the Will of the Almighty, and accept his death, as we accept life, as coming from the hands of our loving Father in heaven.

On 19 October, 2017, in the evening he went to St. Xavier’s School ground to play football. Earlier in the day, he had organized Ecumenical Day Seminar (Conflict to Communion) and even chaired a session. A few minutes into the game he complained of chest pain. The scholastics asked him to rest for a while. But he chose to continue with the game. A few minutes later he found he could no longer play. He stopped playing and started to walk out and collapsed on the way. He was immediately rushed to Sant Paramananda Hospital where he was declared dead at 6:16 pm. The passing away of Father Cornelius Ekka (affectionately called Corne) is an irreplaceable loss to his innumerable friends, colleagues, former and present students of Vidyajyoti, in Delhi, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.

In our human reckoning, his death was untimely; all of us are deeply saddened. Corne was known among his colleagues and students for his devotion to duty and availability to all. He was full of affection and concern. He was very appreciative. If he had lived for a few more years we would have benefitted from his contribution to Church History and Ecclesiology. He was a friendly and companionable person. I am reminded of the words of Hamlet, “He was a man, take him for all in all: we shall not look upon his like again”.

Fr. Corne was born to Mr. Barnabas Ekka and Mrs. Christina Ekka on 18 May, 1969, in Benjora Village situated in Jashpur Civil District. He was the youngest in the family. He has left behind an elder brother and sister. He completed his Primary and Middle school at Ambakona and the Higher Secondary at Kunkuri in Jashpur, Chattisgarh. In 1993, he went to Bhopal for his graduation in B.Sc., Mathematics which he completed in 1996.

He joined the Jesuit Pre-Novitiate in 1989 at Boirdader, Raigarh and was schooled in the Ignatian Exercises at Khrist Milan Ashram, Ambikapur from 1989-90. Then he was sent for Juniorate at XTTI, Patna. He did his Philosophy studies from JDV, Pune in the years 1996-98. He was sent for Regency at Loyola Higher Secondary School, Kunkuri, Jashpur. He was sent to pursue his theological studies at Vidyajyoti, College of Theology and was ordained a priest on 7 May, 2004, at Ambakona, Jashpur. He did his Masters in Theology at Vidyajyoti from 2006 to 2008. As a student, Fr. Cornelius was very bright. He was hard-working and intelligent. He was a serene, calm and cool – a well-integrated person. He showed keen interest in Theology. He worked as a tutor in Theology from 2008-10 and was appointed lecturer in 2010. As tutor and lecturer, he taught different courses: General Church History, Tribal Messianic Movements, Trinity and Tribal Theology. He has written a few articles and book reviews. Notable among these is ‘Contribution of the Laity for the Spread of Christian Faith in Jashpur-Raigarh-Ambikapur’ in ICHR. Vol. 52 (2009). In 2011, he was sent to do his doctoral studies at Leopold Franzens University, Innsbruck, Austria. In 2016, Fr. Cornelius Ekka completed his doctorate in Church history. The title of his dissertation is ‘The German Swiss Jesuits in India (1914-1962) – A Historico-Missiological Study’.

He returned to India and joined the Vidyajyoti staff in July 2017. On 9 October, he began his classes on the subject ‘Church in the Middle Ages and Contemporary Times’.

Fr. Cornelius touched the hearts of the faithful of different parishes of the Archdiocese of Delhi: Rosary Church, St. Mary’s Church, Kapashera, Diocese of St. Poelten and Innsbruck (Austria) and the hearts of the domestic working girls from Jharkhand. He organized beautifully the Karam festival this year. As the fieldwork Director he was planning to organise Vidyajyoti Annual Balmela. He visited the places where our students go and had a special love for the poor and slum children. On the 15th of this month when the children of Majnu ka Tilla slum came to VJ he showed special love to them.

‘Mrtyorma Amruthangamaya’ (Lead us from death to life). His baptism, in which he was buried with Christ, has its full effect now in his death; for it unites him to the Risen Christ. Therefore, while we mourn his death, because our Christian hope is based on the resurrection of Christ, our hearts must also experience joy and peace.

While we mourn his loss with sorrow, we remember also the prayer of the liturgy which reminds us, “Lord, for your faithful people, life is changed, not ended”.

• P. R. John, SJ

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