November 22, 2009 I received
a personal message from Bishop D’Souza informing me of
Father Joachim’s death. Following is a press release from
the Bishop’s office. Lee and I had corresponded with
Joe since 1992. Rich Tinneny.
BELLARY, Karnataka, India November 22,
2009: Committed religious and a dedicated missionary, Fr. Joachim
Tinneny, OFM, (85) passed away at 9:00 AM today at Bellary.
A member of the order of Friars Minor (OFM),
Fr Joachim belonged to the English Province. He was born in England on
July 22, 1924.
Fr. Joachim was ill for the last two
weeks. He was admitted to the local St. Mary’s Hospital. From there he
was taken to NIMHANS Institute in Bangalore for a thorough medical
investigation”, said Bishop of Bellary Henry D’Souza.
“Fr. Joachim was brought to Bellary last
evening and was re-admitted to St. Mary’s Hospital. I administered the
last sacraments to him at about 10 PM. He was indeed, delighted to be
back in Bellary and had a peaceful death this morning”, added the
Bishop.
His mortal remains are kept at the
senior priests’ house, BETHANY, Cantonment for people to pay the last
respects.
The funeral rites will be held at 4.00
PM on November 23, at St. Anthony’s Cathedral, Cowl Bazaar and the
mortal remains will be interred thereafter at Cowl Bazaar cemetery.
Fr. Joachim worked in parishes such as
Kowtal, Maski, Jawalgera, Raichur in Bellary diocese and in Shahabad in
Gulbarga.
The Franciscan Friars of the English
province came to Hyderabad and they were given the Bellary mission.
32 Franciscan Friars worked in the
diocese and Fr Joachim was the last of the British citizens.
“Fr. Joachim was a simple and committed
religious. He lived totally for the poor”, affirmed his colleague in the
senior priests’ house, Fr. H. Fernandes.
Father Joachim was the son of William
Tinneny and Mary Ellen Mc Shane of Belturbet, County Cavan, Ireland and
the grandson of Robert Tinneny & Bridget Rooney of Belturbet. A complete
biography of Joachim will be placed on the Biography section of this
website in the near future.
