Today I like to honor and acknowledge a priest I worked with in Bend, Oregon between 2013 and 2016. He comes from Kerala, India and has been serving in my former diocese of Baker since 2012. Unfortunately I just heard he was involved in a traffic accident, when he was walking and was hit by a car in the vicinity of Prineville where he is serving as Pastor since 2016. The news reached me that he was unconscious for a day or two, with multiple injuries, but being cared for at St. Charles Hospital in Bend. The last report is that he is talking and alert, but needs some surgery because of broken bones. The details I have are very sketchy, but I ask you to pray for him and for a full recovery. Fr Joseph Kunnelaya is a very dedicated priest who was my assistant at St Francis of Assisi in Bend and was very helpful and very much loved by all our parishioners.
When we started together in October of 2013, there was some turmoil in the parish, but we calmed things down, and the people backed us up and appreciated our support, just as we appreciated their support to us. I know he was very happy at Prineville which is not a big town, but active and devout, thanks to his leadership. I know he is fond of my blog too and checks it regularly – in fact just this weekend he reproduced one of my posts in his parish Bulletin. We love you Father Joseph, and we all hope you will be back in shape after some time of convalescence and rest. May God bless you with our incessant prayers.
Praying for Fr Joseph! 🙏🙏🙏
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