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Former Arkansas pastor Father Vallapaneni dies at 58

Father Mariadass Vallapaneni, a former associate pastor and pastor in Arkansas originally from the Diocese of Nellore, India, died Dec. 23. He was 58.

He arrived in Arkansas in 2015, serving as associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church and Blessed John Newman University Parish in Jonesboro. In 2016 he was named associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway. By early 2017 he was transferred to Pocahontas, serving as pastor of St. Paul the Apostle Church in Pocahontas, St. Joseph the Worker Church in Corning and St. John the Baptist Church in Engelberg. After two years, he was named pastor of St. Mary Church in Paragould and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Walnut Ridge. He moved again in 2020, this time to be the associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in North Little Rock. On Sept. 18, 2020, he was relieved of his duties in the diocese to move back to India for health reasons.

A memorial Mass was held at St. John Church in Engelberg Jan 16.  The Engelberg church also took up a collection at the Mass to help support the priest’s family in India.

CORRECTIONThe original publication of this article stated his name was Father Vallapaneni Mariadass. This online version has been corrected.

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