Published on: 12:32 am, March 16, 2016 (Matters India)

Story By: Adolf Washington 

Bengaluru: Fr. Terence Joseph Fransz, widely known as a ‘witty’ ‘cheerful’ and ‘prayerful’ priest died March 15. He was 87. He served the Archdiocese of Bangalore for more than six decades.

Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore will lead the funeral Mass at 11 am on March 16 at the century-old Sacred Heart Church and the burial at the priests’ cemetery in the church campus.

Fr. Terry, as he is fondly known, cultivated friends even beyond Christian circles. He was a longstanding member of the Rotary Club and inter-religious and ecumenical groups. He was associated with the Catholic Nurses Guild of India as chaplain, Young Christian Students Movement and Young Christian Workers Movement. He was an inspirational guide to members of the Vincent De Paul Society.

Fr Terry offering Mass

He served the archdiocese as the bishop’s secretary, chancellor, spiritual director and confessor of hundreds of priests, seminarians and even bishops.

Born June 5, 1928, at Coromandel, Kolar Gold Fields to Julian Callistus Fransz and Agnes Beatrice Fransz, he did his initial studies in a local school. Later he went to St. Patrick’s School, Adyar and St. Bede’s School, Chennai. He joined the Papal Seminary, Kandy in Sri Lanka after completing his initial formation at St. Mary’s Minor Seminary, Bangalore. He was ordained a priest at Papal Seminary, Kandy, by Bishop Glennie of Trincomelee on May 13, 1955.

His priest companions say Fr Terry would never compromise on his personal time for adoration, quiet walks and strict adherence to keeping appointments. He also had a unique way of endearing people to God. Whoever he met, regardless of their religious faith he would close conversation with a short need-based prayer and slip out a medal or holy picture or a self-designed book-mark for them that he always carried.

People cherish the spontaneous quote or a joke he would share on the spur of the moment.

His acquaintances say he could gel well with anyone from a toddler to someone even older than him.