It is unfortunate to write an obituary for my nephew, less than eighteen months after preaching at his first thanksgiving Eucharist on 17th December 2017. There have been times when his mother, who was with him the last three months of his earthly life, would say, “Why is the Lord making you suffer so much, especially that you are a priest?” His reply was always, “Amma, don’t blame the Lord, he is wonderful and gracious.” After the third surgery, he concelebrated at the Eucharist with Frs. Varghese, Shaji and me on the Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Probably the last time he was concelebrating wearing the vestments. He told us jokingly that he felt one with St. Ignatius especially now that his left hand and leg were paralyzed and he was bedridden. Rarely did he complain or grumble about his sickness or pain.
Amalan was studious, clever and hardworking. He scored more than 80% in Std. XII and did well in his undergraduate studies majoring in Chemistry from St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad. He told me that he was interested in working with Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS). He expressed his desire to Fr. Provincial and was sent to Cambodia for his regency. His spiritual director in Cambodia shared with me once that Amalan mastered Khmer, the native language of Cambodia, in a short time and enjoyed his ministry.
Amalan lived his priestly life to the full though it was just for six months. Then the third surgery left him paralyzed on his left side. As Fr. Provincial mentioned in the introduction at the funeral Mass, Amalan was a young man in a hurry to live his priestly life. He was spiritual, hopeful and a faith-filled person. He seems to have told a number of people that he would surely go to heaven, “Because I am a child of God and where else will God send me?”
- David K Roy, SJ
