Fr. Mani V. Nedumattam, SJ was born on 18 February 1935 in a devout Catholic family. Wanting to be a missionary in North India, he joined the Patna Province in 1955. At Bettiah,northern Bihar, he learnt Hindi. He was ordained a priest in Patna on 12 March 1967. He was sent to study education from Loyola University, Chicago. He served as the principal of St Xavier’s, Jaipur, and the headmaster of St Xavier’s School, Delhi. He left his legacy as a capable administrator and mentor leaving an indelible mark on the lives of his students. As a pastoral guide and counselor,he contributed to the life of Jesuit brothers in training by being their teacher and spiritual guide. He also served as a capable retreat preacher.
He had a small stint as a spiritual guide and retreat preacher in Nairobi, Kenya and Allahabad. He also served as an assistant to the Provincial Superior of the Delhi Province from 1998-2009. He was assigned to St Xavier’s, Jaipur community to help the students as counsellor and a spiritual guide. He relished his life and complained about nothing. He had learnt to live as an ascetic because of the dietary constraints imposed by his long ailment of very sensitive inner walls of the mouth. In February 2023 he was diagnosed with the cancer of the mouth and the treatment was started. Ever a humble religious priest, he repeatedly requested that not much be spent for his treatment but obeyed his superiors. He breathed his last on 25 October 2023 at a ripe age of 88 years. He is much missed by his students, family and fellow Jesuits.
– Nelson D’Silva, SJ
