Indian Church mourns death of trailblazing priest editor

Mar 28, 2025

NEW DELHI: Capuchin Friar Fr Xavier Vadakkekara, who braved partial blindness to inject new life into India’s leading Church weekly, Indian Currents, and mentor many young journalists, died on March 16.

He was 72. He passed away at Holy Family Hospital New Delhi, where he was admitted for the treatment of acute respiratory insufficiency.

Fr Xavier, as he was popularly known, was “a trailblazing Capuchin priest, journalist, and media leader who left an indelible mark on the Catholic media landscape in India,” says confrere Fr Suresh Mathew, another former Indian Currents editor.

“He was a driving force behind the Catholic Church’s efforts to engage with the world through the media. His visionary leadership, intellectual curiosity, and passion for social justice inspired a generation of Catholic journalists, writers, and thinkers,” Fr Mathew said in his condolence message.

A.J. Philip, a veteran journalist associated with Fr Xavier for years, says the Catholic priest injected new life into Indian Currents, founded by the late Fr John Vallamattom as a Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India publication.

Fr Xavier became its editor when his congregation took over the weekly in the early 1990s when it was on the verge of closure.

Fr Mathew’s message said the weekly, under his editorial guidance, “became beacons of progressive Catholic thought, tackling tough issues, and providing a platform for marginalised voices.”

He had done the same to Assisi, a Malayalam monthly magazine he edited earlier based at Kerala’s Bharananganam town.

Fr Xavier’s “commitment to excellence, accuracy, and fairness earned him the respect and admiration of his peers and readers alike,” Fr Mathew added.

Fr Xavier was also the director of Media House in Delhi, playing “a pivotal role in shaping the Catholic Church’s publishing strategy in India. He was a master strategist, able to navigate the complexities of the media landscape with ease,” Fr Mathew said.

“He never shied away from confronting the government or exposing fundamentalist elements in the country through his work at Indian Currents weekly.”

Fr Xavier also addressed issues within the Church. “I recall a particularly striking cover page of Indian Currents that highlighted the denial of a funeral for a Catholic in a Kerala diocese, while also commending a bishop from North East India for his peace-building efforts among warring groups. His commitment to truth and justice was unwavering, and his legacy continues to inspire.”

Philip noted that Fr Xavier had nine siblings, of whom only two chose to become householders. The rest dedicated their lives to priesthood or religious service. “Few families,” he remarked, “have contributed as much human capital to the Church as his.” --Matters India