Benedictine priest from India serving diocesan parishes

Benedictine Father Sudhansu Kumar, a priest from Bangalore, India, recently began assisting Father Greg Paffel, pastor of the parishes of St. Paul and Our Lady of the Angels in Sauk Centre and St. Alexius in West Union.

Father Sudhansu Kumar
Father Sudhansu Kumar

“It is very exciting for me to work with parishes,” said Father Sudhansu, who is serving as parochial vicar. “I was a teacher and a formator before, so this is the first time I will be celebrating Mass [in parishes] on a regular basis and I love it! It is a very prayerful and spiritual experience for me. And I hope to instill spiritual love and unity in the parishes and to bring peace, joy and harmony to the families.”

Father Sudhansu (pronounced “so-dhan-su”) is a member of the Asirvanam Benedictine Monastery in Bangalore. By profession he was a high school teacher, and taught English grammar, social science, moral science, Hindi and “general knowledge,” he said. In Sauk Centre he will also work with students at Holy Family School.

“I love gardening and growing vegetables,” Father Sudhansu said. “But the climate here is very different. In Bangalore the climate is evergreen. I will try to have a garden here.”

Reading to increase his own knowledge is another favorite activity. “The books I enjoy are about the lives of great saints and the great political leaders of the world.”

Last year he learned from his superior, Abbot Jerome Naduvathaniyil, that he would serve in Minnesota until mid-May 2019. Abbot Naduvathaniyil, the conventual prior, served in Eden Valley and Watkins and was elected prior of his community in August 2015.

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Author: The Visitor

The Visitor is the official newpaper for the Diocese of Saint Cloud.

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