Missionary, Humanitarian, and Human Rights Worker Father Richard W. Timm, CSC, Dies

Father Richard W. Timm, CSC

Photo courtesy via Dhaka Tribune

Bangladesh minister Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury

(left)givingAbu Sayeed Chowdhury Award

 for human rights to Father Richard W. Timm, CSC

Photo courtesy: the dailystar.net/

Father Richard William Timm, CSC (1923 - 2020), an American missionary priest, educator, humanitarian, and human rights worker in Bangladesh died of old-age complications in South Bend, Indiana, USA, on September 11. He was 97 years old. He worked in Bangladesh for 65 years. 

First, he came to Bangladesh in 1952 as a professor at St. Gregory's College (the precursor of Notre Dame College) and did further study and research on nematodes. He discovered a few unknown types of nematodes, one of which was named 'Timmia parva' (small Timmian worm) after him. 

Later he was the principal of Notre Dame College, served 1970-cyclone affected people in Monpura Island in the Bay of Bengal through a voluntary organization called 'HELP.' He also served the 1971 liberation war-affected people as the Planning Officer of the Christian Organization for Relief and Rehabilitation (CORR), which later was renamed Caritas Bangladesh. 

He founded and became Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace in Bangladesh. Through this Commission, he worked relentlessly for the human rights of ordinary people in Bangladesh. 

Father Timm was also the author of several books. Among the books are -- a textbook on college biology (this book's name is not known to us now),  The Plant-Parasitic Nematodes of Thailand and The Philippines (SEATO: 1965), The Church and Development in Bangladesh (Dhaka: Caritas Bangladesh, 1994), On Building A Just Society (Dhaka: Caritas Bangladesh, 1994), Forty Years in Bangladesh: Memoirs of Father Timm (Dhaka: Caritas Bangladesh, 1995), History of Holy Cross Priests in Bangladesh Since Independence: 1971 - 2000 (Dhaka: Provincial, Holy Cross Fathers, 2000), and 150 Years of Holy Cross in East Bengal Mission (Dhaka: Congregation of Holy Cross, 2003). 

After being the only nematologist in Bangladesh, he, in the 1950s and 1960s, wrote over 70 scientific papers. 

He was the recipient of a number of honours and awards. Among these are The Abu Sayeed Chowdhury Award for human rights in Bangladesh, the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice (For the Church and the Pope) award from Pope Paul VI (1978) for his service to the 1971 war-affected people of Bangladesh, the Ramon Magsaysay Award (1987), a medal from the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace of the Vatican in recognition of his contribution to education, charity, justice, and peace in Bangladesh (2009), and honorary citizenship of Bangladesh from the government.

To know more on Father Richard W. Timm, CSC, please read the following:

• Friend of Bangladesh Father Richard William Timm passes away at 97 (Sept. 12, 2020)
• Father Richard William Timm, Magsaysay awardee and missionary to Bangladesh, dies at 97 (Sept. 12, 2020)
• Richard William Timm, CSC [his profile]
• From the Archives: Freedom fight by two missionaries [Father Eugene E. Homrich, CSC, and Father Richard W. Timm, CSC]
• A Discussion with Father Richard William Timm, Congregation of  Holy Cross (March 25, 2015)
• Obituary: Rev. Richard W. Timm, CSC (Sept. 11, 2020)
• Richard William Timm
• Reverend Richard W. Timm, CSC