Hailing from Tamil Nadu, Fr. Anthony’s first contact with the Blessed Sacrament was as a priest on sabbatical in the States for further studies. He lived with the SSS at New York while attending to these studies – and that is where he heard the call. On his return he applied for admission and was sent to the novitiate in England. After his first profession, he was assigned to the recently inaugurated community at Colaba, where he offered the fruits of his rich and varied studies and pastoral background. Soon he was known everywhere because of his hearty laugh with which he enlivened every conversation.

Not long after, in the late 70s Fr. Anthony returned to Tamil Nadu to open a Student House there. Gathering a number of youngsters desirous of being religious he guided them as they completed their college studies. He was strict in his selection and only the best were sent to the novitiate at Colaba. Beginning this work at Anna Nagar, he found it necessary to move to a bigger plot at Velappan Chavady where the Student House was built. Later, the scholastics doing their Seminary studies at Poonamallee would also be housed here.

On holidays one summer in the vicinity of Kanyakumari, he heard of a parish at Thundathuvilai which was without a pastor because of difficulties with the parishioners - and offered to serve there. The people soon took to him and once the negotiations had been completed, he accepted to be the first SSS Parish Priest there – with the big dream of putting up a decent parochial house. As younger priests were getting ready and were eager to share in the ministry, after a while Fr. Anthony felt it was time for him to retire and he chose to live in a Home for Retired Priests in the Kotar diocese, not far from this parish. Though retired he still followed a strict regime of daily study and writing. A ‘Life of Fr. Eymard’ and ‘The Teaching of St. Paul’ – both in Tamil were the outcome of his efforts.

Fr. Anthony has left behind a legacy of students, almost all chosen and trained by him. Being of the old school, he might not approve of all that is being done today by ‘his boys’ yet he would have every reason to be proud of every one of them. Fr. Anthony left for his heavenly reward on 2nd March, 1997.