Rev. Fr. Pradeep MATHE, an Indian SMA, was ordained a priest on Sunday, January 19, 2017, along with four other diocesan priests at Gunadala Matha Shrine, Vijayawada. He is the second of the twenty or so new SMA priests going to be ordained this year in different countries.

On the following day, January 20, he celebrated his Thanksgiving Mass in his home village, Manuguluru, under Bhyravapatnam Parish in Vijyawada Diocese (Andhra Pradesh). He is also the second SMA priest, after Fr. Joji Thambi, SMA, from this village. Around 40 priests were present along with many religious sisters and the faithful.

Pradeep was born in 1985. His father, Vijaya Babu, was a fisherman and his mother, Mariamma, is a housewife. Pradeep’s desire to become a priest, and later a missionary, was always encouraged by his parents and family members. He is the second of four children (3 boys and 1 girl). They are now proud of their son for having achieved his goal. Their wish is for Pradeep to be a good missionary according to the charism of SMA and its Founder, Mgr Marion de Brésillac.

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Pradeep joined SMA in 2004. After his initial formation, he was sent to the Philippines for his International Spiritual Year (ISY) in 2011. He did his stage (Pastoral Year) in Kenya. He went back to Chennai, India, for his theological studies, and that was where he was ordained a deacon and now a priest.

Without a doubt, it was his hard work, enthusiasm, desire and passion for Africa that made him become a missionary priest today. His says, despite a lifetime of often falling short of my own true potentials, I’ve always held onto a quote by the writer James Baldwin: The world is before you, and you need not take it or leave it as it was when you came in. That always sounded like something I wanted to do. I just never knew how. The moment has come to carry SMA wherever I go!!!”

May the Lord who chose him continue his good work forever in the life of Fr. Pradeep.

Joe GUVVALA.