Father Yesu Karunanidhi: Bringing Light to a World in Need of Mercy

May 12, 2025

The world we live in today is witnessing a troubling rise in sinful behaviour. Acts that were once considered shameful are now being treated with casual indifference by many. Satan is attacking countless souls, including clergy, leading them astray. The involvement of priests in scandals, particularly those involving sexual abuse, underscores the alarming depth of these attacks. In these dark and perilous times, when wrongdoing is often overlooked or dismissed, Rev. Prof. Dr. Yesu Karunanidhi stands as a faithful shepherd, guiding the Lord’s flock from darkness into light.

A Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Fr. Yesu is one of the 800 Missionaries of Mercy appointed by late Pope Francis during the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016.

Role of Missionaries of Mercy

Missionaries of Mercy are priests entrusted with two primary responsibilities:

- To preach about God’s mercy

- To hear confessions and absolve certain grave sins whose forgiveness could earlier only be granted by the Holy See.

The five grave sins that Missionaries of Mercy are authorised to absolve are:

1. Sacrilege — the desecration of the Eucharistic species.
2. Physical assault of the Holy Father — Any physical harm directed at the Pope.
3. Sin of accomplice — For example, when a priest commits a sexual sin (violating the Sixth Commandment) with a woman and then absolves her in confession, thereby abusing both the Sixth Commandment and his authority to forgive sins.
4. Violation of the confessional seal — A priest revealing, directly or indirectly, information learnt during confession to others.
5. Recording a confession and using it for any illicit purpose.

Speaking during an interview with Catholic Connect, Fr. Yesu shared that there are 17 Missionaries of Mercy priests across India. He added that as Missionaries of Mercy, their work is primarily focused on supporting priests in their battles against sin, although they are open to serving laypeople as well.

Recalling a cherished memory of one of his personal encounters with the late Pope Francis, Fr. Yesu shared that during a Missionaries of Mercy meeting in Rome, after delivering his address, the Holy Father approached the group and said, "God's face is mercy. As Missionaries of Mercy, you must reflect that face to others." "These words of the late Holy Father deeply touched me," he said.

Mercy in Action

During the interview, Fr. Yesu shared two beautiful experiences he encountered while serving as a Missionary of Mercy. One of them took place in 2016, when he was preaching on God’s infinite mercy at Anna Nagar Parish in the Archdiocese of Madurai.

“There was a couple who had been married for 40 years but hadn’t spoken to each other for 36 of those years due to a longstanding misunderstanding,” he recounted. “After attending my session and hearing my talk on mercy, they finally reconciled.”

Another unforgettable moment occurred during Easter 2023, during a 72-hour confession initiative by Fr. Backiya Regis, parish priest of Chromepet in the Diocese of Chingleput in Tamil Nadu. A woman who had long-standing personal issues with her father was deeply touched after listening to Fr. Yesu’s preaching on the topic of mercy. Inspired by his words, she gathered the courage to go to him for confession.

“Her confession lasted almost seven hours,” Fr. Yesu shared. “Through the grace of the Almighty, which she received through the Sacrament, she reconciled with her father and found healing.”

Challenges Facing the Mercy of God in Today's World

Fr. Yesu states that the two major challenges facing the mercy of God in today's world are the loss of the sense of sacredness and sin, and the rise of polarisation and hate. He explains that a relativistic mindset—where actions are justified as long as they seem acceptable to others—weakens one’s conscience. To deal with this problem, he urges priests to help people rediscover the sacred and understand sin. He also says that growing hatred and division in society can only be healed through empathy, compassion, and the mercy of God.

Helping the Youth Break Free

Fr. Yesu explains that many young people exploring their youth are falling into sexual sin. Such moral failings often lead them into a cycle of guilt, fear, and, in some cases, suicidal thoughts.

“To help such individuals, I see it as my duty to guide them in letting go of their guilt, Fr. Yesu said. “I remind them that no sin is greater than God’s mercy.”

Father Yesu also highlighted that individuals who have suffered abuse may sometimes perpetuate the cycle of harm by becoming abusers themselves. He focuses on helping such individuals rebuild their self-esteem, which may have been deeply wounded by their past experiences.

Father Yesu offers one-on-one mentoring sessions, both in person and online, for individuals facing any kind of personal struggles with sin.

He can be contacted at: https://yesukarunanidhi.in/contact/

By Catholic Connect Reporter