Mr. Rev. Fr Edwin Savundra
(Roman Catholic Priest with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Doctor in Philosophy, Professor, Founder of English Language Campus, Writer, Humanitarian, Spiritual Counselor))
Date of Birth: 12 October 1946 -
Deceased: 13 January 2023
யாழ்ப்பாணத்தைப் பிறப்பிடமாகவும், கிளிநொச்சி, மன்னார், கண்டி, இத்தாலி Rome, Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, Minnesota ஐக்கிய அமெரிக்கா ஆகிய இடங்களை வதிவிடமாகவும் கொண்ட அருட்தந்தை எட்வின் சவுந்தரா அவர்கள் பேராசிரியராகப் பணியாற்றி, Immaculate Conception of Marysburg Catholic Church and Church of the Nativity தேவாலயங்களின் இளைப்பாறிய பங்குத் தந்தையராக இருந்து, தற்போது Viswamadhu English Language Campus கல்லூரி உரிமையாளராகவும் இருந்து, Buffalo, New York இல் 13-01-2023 வெள்ளிக்கிழமை அன்று இறைபாதம் அடைந்தார்.
அன்னார், மல்லாகத்தைச் சேர்ந்த காலஞ்சென்றவர்களான மரியான் சூசை, இசடோர் செபமாலை பாக்கியம் தம்பதிகளின் அன்பு மகனும்,
தேவதாசன் அவர்களின் அன்புச் சகோதரரும்,
காலஞ்சென்ற மேரி புஸ்பராணி அவர்களின் அருமை மைத்துனரும்,
Darwin, Albert, Gilbert, Stella, Mervyn ஆகியோரின் பாசமிகு சித்தப்பாவும்,
வதனா, சுஜாதா, ஆர்த்தி, மோகன், மாதுரி ஆகியோரின் அன்பு அங்கிளும்,
Luxshaniya, Nicholas, Varsha, Andrea, Andrew, Ashana, Aathish, Mathews, Aakash, Ajan, Dylan, Ashan, Leah, Aishwarya ஆகியோரின் அன்பு Fr.அப்பப்பாவும், Fr.அம்மப்பாவும் ஆவார்.
அன்னாரின் இறுதி நிகழ்வுகள் பற்றிய விபரம் பின்னர் அறியத்தரப்படும்.
இவ் அறிவித்தலை உற்றார், உறவினர், நண்பர்கள் அனைவரும் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளுமாறு கேட்டுக்கொள்கின்றோம்.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Rev. Fr. Edwin Savundra at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, New York on Friday, January 13, 2023 at the age of 76.
Rev. Fr. Saundra is the beloved brother of Soosai Thevathasan
Brother-in-law of Mary Pushparani (Late). Dearest uncle of Darwin, Albert, Gilbert, Stella, Mervyn and their families.
Predeceased by his parents Marian Soosai and Isador Sebamalai Pakkiyam.
Father Edwin was given the gift of priesthood on October 19, 1972 at Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Jaffna. He was assigned to pastoral ministries at Kilinochchi, Jaffna and Mannar for the first 25 years of his priestly life. He served as the Assistant Administrator of the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu.
He was sent to Rome for his post-graduate studies in Philosophy and secured a PhD at the Gregorian University in Rome. He returned to the Diocese to be a Professor of Philosophy and the Head of the Department of Philosophy at Saint Francis Xavier’s Seminary, Jaffna.
He served there until the political turmoil in the country forced him to seek shelter in foreign countries. He chose Papua New Guinea, a poor and a mission country, and served as the Professor of Philosophy at the Good Shepherd College, Fatima, Banz in the Western Highland Province.
Then he taught at the University of Saint Thomas, Saint Paul, MN and Mankato State University. He had taken classes in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania and at the National Seminary in Ampitiya, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Later, he served at the Church of the Immaculate Conception of Marysburg, Madison Lake, MN, the Church of the Nativity, Cleveland, MN and Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Rush City, MN as a beloved parish priest for many years.
He also authored many books in Philosophy. Some of the titles are “The Structures to Behold”, “The Philosophy of Form and the Human Person” and “A War Diary from Jaffna”.Fr. Edwin has been involved in initiating many humanitarian development works in the Dioceses of Jaffna and Mannar including; Youth Farm at Kunchchukulam, Fr. Bastian Educational Assistance Scheme, Fr. Abraham’s Educational Assistance Scheme, The English Language Campus and an English Library at Viswamadhu.
The pastoral activities characterized by many social and humanitarian services are real signs of God’s special blessings in the Church for which he served for fifty plus years.
Prayer vigil for Fr. Edwin will be held in Mallaham and Viswamadu, Sri Lanka, his native country.
Viewing and a Memorial Service is to be held in Toronto, ON, Canada where he has family, friends, former students and fellow priests live. Funeral mass will be held at the Church of the Immaculate Conception of Marysburg, Madison Lake, MN followed by burial at Marysburg Cemetery.
Visitation details with place, date, and time to be provided later. Funeral details will be announced later.
தகவல்: குடும்பத்தினர்
www.tamilthakaval.org
