"CMI and the Socio-Economic and Religious transfon-nation of Kerala in the 19'" and 20"' Centuries" concentrates attention essentially on the socio-religious fulcrum on which the congregation of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate was founded. In the course of'the last eventeen decades of its existence it witnessed a saga of varying fortunes. The CMI is a pioneer
indigenous Catholic Congregation of St. Thomas Christians which emerged from the vortex of internal feuds coupled with foreign
machinations.
Título original
CMI And Socio-Economic And Religious Transformation In Kerala In The 19th And 20th Centuries by A.A Mathukutty
"CMI and the Socio-Economic and Religious transfon-nation of Kerala in the 19'" and 20"' Centuries" concentrates attention essentially on the socio-religious fulcrum on which the congregation of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate was founded. In the course of'the last eventeen decades of its existence it witnessed a saga of varying fortunes. The CMI is a pioneer
indigenous Catholic Congregation of St. Thomas Christians which emerged from the vortex of internal feuds coupled with foreign
machinations.
"CMI and the Socio-Economic and Religious transfon-nation of Kerala in the 19'" and 20"' Centuries" concentrates attention essentially on the socio-religious fulcrum on which the congregation of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate was founded. In the course of'the last eventeen decades of its existence it witnessed a saga of varying fortunes. The CMI is a pioneer
indigenous Catholic Congregation of St. Thomas Christians which emerged from the vortex of internal feuds coupled with foreign
machinations.
KERALA In the 19th and 20th CENTURIES :\ 'fIII1SIS SIJBMITTED FOR TI-IE AWARD OF THE I)E<;REE 01; 1)OCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HISTORY 'TO THE MAHATMA GANDHl UNIVERSITY, KOTTAYAM BY MATHUKUTTY, A.A VIAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY KOITAYAM 1)ECEMBER. 2002. 1 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam I hereby declare that the d~sctoral thesis entitled '; CMI AND SOCIO- ECONOMIC AND RELIGIOUS TRANSFORMATION IN KERALA IN THE 19"' AND 20"' CENTURIES" submitted to the Mahatlna Gandhi University , Kottayam , for the award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophv is all orignal research work which is carried out under the supen.isio:; ax! gtildance of Ilr. Josepli Sebastian Thekkedom, Reader, Department of History , St. Berchman's College, Changanacherry and that i t has not beer1 submitted for the award of any degree, diploma, fellowship or any other simllar titles. Kottayarn 28-1 2-2002 L Mathukutty, A.A 2 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Dr.Joseph Sebastian Thekkedom Reader Del ~art~nent of liistory St. 13erchman's College Chang;~nachcrrg. 1-111s 15, to certify that the thesis entitled "CMI AND SOCl O - EC:ONORIIC AND RELIGIOUS TRANSFORMA'MON lh' KERALA IN THE 19"' and 20t1' CENTURIES" submitted for the award of the Degree of Philosophg by hlathukufly !\.A, is a recol-d of bonafide reseal-ch work cairied out under my supervision anti guidance and itrepresents an original work of the carldldate + P Dr.Joseph Sebastian I'l~ekkedorn 3 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Contents Preface Introduction Chapters 1. Socio-Econom~c and religious Background of Kerala 23-79 on the formation of CMI 2. Early History of %Thomas Christians 80-106 3. Advent and Adventures of Discalced Carmelites ir, Kerala 107-141 4. Rise and Progress of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate 142-185 5. Carmelites of Mary Immaculate through the Ages 186-229 Conclusion 230-241 Selected Bibliography 242-26 1 List of Appendices 262-281 4 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Preface 'l'he doctoral treatise entitled "CMI and the Socio-Economic and Religious transfon-nation of Kerala in the 19'" and 20"' Centuries" concentrates its attention es:;entially on the socio-religious fulcruin on which the congregation of Carinelites of Mary Immaculate was founded. In the course of'the last seventeen decades of its existence it witnessed a saga of varying fortunes. The CMI is a pioneer indigenous Catholic Congregation of St. Thomas Christians which emerged fi-omthe vortex of- internal feuds coupled with the foreign machinations. "Born and brought up in the rich ecclesial experience of the Apostolic Church of St. Thomas Christians, the CMI identity is providentially developed i n the fruitful blending of Eastern heritage, Carmelite traditions with Indian inspiration" Amidst the whirlpool of trials and tribulations the founding fathers nurtured the infant ~nission inore than their lives. The plethora of ordeals and oppressions rather emboldened them t o undertake more challenges tbr the welfare ofcoinmunity. The legacy of their progress 5 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam and prosperity is rather embedded on the theory of challenge and response put forward by 'Poyonbee, the great historian. At present the CMI has biossolned into a premier congregation among the indigenous missions that come under the Papal See. Through their multi-dimensional and multifaceted services in the realin of spiritualit\. education, society, econonlic and culture it almost assunled an unparalleled status in the history of missions. '1-he present study is largely based on the multitude of ecclesiastical and seculal. data suppleinented by a variety of corroborative evidence including the internet sources. I made a sincere attempt to collect almost all the available data pertaining to the field ot' 111) topic of research from the libraries and archival centers in India and abroad. The collected sources were systematically and scientifically analyzed and designed into five chapters besides the introduction and the conclusion. More emphasis was given to the early history of CMI than to the later activities. 6 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam I t is providential that I could get the enlightened guidance of Rev. Dr. .loseph Sebastian Thekkedath who himself is an authority on churc.h history. He always remained a perpetual source of inspiration in the course 0.f my doctoral research. His comments and corrections further enhanced the standard of iny doctoral dissertation. 1 record my immense sense of gratitude to Fr Joseph Sebastian Thekkadath. I \?;auld like to thank most sincerely to all my teachers and friends t i ~r their sincere guidance and help. 1 record my profound indebtedness to my religious authorities for their trust and confidence in allowing ine to do niy work. 1 owe nothing but my filial devotion and loyalty to my religious community. Above all I am absolutely beholden to the God Almighty for all the blessings which I could get in the completion of this doctoral thesis. Mathukutty, A.A. 7 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Introduction Kerala, situated on the soutliwest coast of Peninsular India, is one of'tlie oldest centers of Christianity in the world. A long coastline in the west and mountains on the east forming clear natural boundaries has enabled lcerala to enjoy a measure of isolatio~l t o develop i t : j uwn way of the life and culture unaffected by major upheavals in the other pasts of the country, at the same time it was not a factor excluding Kerala from being past of the general mainstream of' Indian culture. Mountain ranges and tropical rainforest produce 60-80 humidity in the winter and 80- 100 in the summer. Silin~ner temperature in Kerala would be between 270 to 35 o C and winter temperature 22 o to 27 o C. The land supports natural vegetation and is good for cultivation, stock- raising and Plantation. Kerala is one long stretch of a village dotted with small citie.3, with not inany heavy industries and pollutions, with inany rivers and lakes, is a destinahon for tourists world over. Religion has played a key role in the unique make-up of Kerala culture. Tradition, traces the origin of Christianity in Kerala 8 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam to the missionary enterprises of St. Thomas, an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Christianity developed in I<erala as an indigenous I-eligion. not as an alien religion imposed upon a people by superio~- physical force. People from all sections of society embraced the new religion attracted by the simple teachings of .lesus ('h~.ist 3s expounded by Apostle Thornas and those who followed the apostolic footsteps. Under the fostering care of the local princes and with the friendship and tolerance of the Hindu brethren, it developed as an essentially India religion in all respects except in 1natte:rs of faith and forms of worship. This church preserved the faith handed down from the days of Apostle Thomas without being defiled by the heresies that plagued the ch~~~- cI i es elsewhere. 'The Christian Church in Kerala developed also as an independent church without hierarchical or juridical sub.jection to any foreign church although it was receiving froin time to time bishops frorn Persia who were tak.ing care of spiritual matters only. This independence in governance and si~nplicity of faith lasted until the church came into contact with the Portuguese lnissionar~es who arrived in Kerala after the epoch-making 9 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam discovery of'a sea route from Europe to India by Vasco da Ga~na in A.1). 1498. Christians today constitute about one-fifth ( 1 9.32%) of the population of Icerala. According to the 1991 census 57.38% of the population of [(erala is Hindus, 23.33% Muslirns and 19.32% Christians. Despite division into different denominations, during the long span of its continuous history, the religion made a distinctive contribution to the life and culture of the people of this land. The congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.1) had its beginning in the first half of the 13'" century. ~271. ~- two zealous priests, Fr Thornas Palackal and Fr Thomas I'orukara of the Vicariate Apostolic of Verapoly in Kerala, sought to livc i n retirement and prayer, their Ckdinary, the Vicar Apostolic, Bishop Maurilius Stabilini advised them to start a religious house so that they might do good to the people of the world too This was in 1829. On 11 May 183 1, a small house was started at Mannananl in the then Travancore State, under the leadership of 1Curiako:;e elias Chavara, devouted disciple of Fr Palackal. On 8 December 1855, the religious congregation was 10 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam canonically erected. Since then the name of Mary l~nmaculate has been invariably attached to the title. 'The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) pl ayed a decisive role in the process of the socio-economic and religious transformation in Kerala, during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Untbrtunately for the State and unfbrtunately even for all India there is not much credit to be the state in the matter of untouchability.' Having seen the extreme rigidity of caste rules and their harsh enforcement in Kerala, Swaini Vivekananda called it as a veritable lunatic asylum of ~ n d i a . ~ The socio-economic and religious scenario of Kerala represented a dismal picture by reducing the toiling and moiling nlillions into mere hewers of wood and drawers of hater. They were treated as untouchables and even unlookables. They became the victims of several social disabilities and continued to live as polluting cormnunities. Their name is connected with everything revolting, shunned as if infested with plague, the lhigher classes viewed their presence with . Mahadeva l)r>ai, Epic uf T,zn~u~ri.ore, pp.3-4. '. Swami Vivekananda, The C'onr/~lc~re Wc>r,rkv ~f Swant i Vivekanonda,vol.lll,p.294 11 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam a inixture of alarm and indignation and even towns and markets were considered as defiled by their approach." The state of bondage existed at its worst forin in the princely state of 'rravancore' fro111 where the Carinelite of Mary Iininaculate got its bib. I'he local customs and practices found its repercussions in the socio-religious life of the Syrian Christians. The Syrian Catholic church of Kerala was also in desperate need of reformation. and rejuvenation and- the coinmunity as a whole required development. WI-~ile claiming a pre- eininent status on par with the A'uinbootii.fi, the Syrian Christians also assumed the stature of Nunzbootiris ancl the fellow Christians who occupied a lower status i n the social ladder were reduced to the same status of outcastes and untouchables among the- Hindus in Kerala. Against the spirit of universal brotherhood within the Church, in Kerala there existed the caste distinctions and disabilities, which ' W a r d and ('ontlcr. tirngt.ophical and Slalisricrrl Memoir r f l hc Sl~i.vey of Tvai~ancnve and ~ ' O C I ~ I , ~ . 1, . 140 ' . ~u r a t e Barhose. it Lleccription of t he Coast of East Afi-ica and h.lalabar.p.129 12 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam prevailed within the traditional society of Kerala. There prevailed clear distinctions among the forward, backward and low caste Christians almost in line with the caste - non caste distinctions of the Hindu society. At such a context the CMI missionaries were rather determined to stamp out such discrilninations on the basis of caste creed, color and region and work for the uplift of the downtrodden.' At the formation of the CMI both the Christian church and society in Keraia were in the midst of sectarian disputes and caste dissensions. The Latins versus the Syrians, the Padroado versus the propaganda, the Pclrtuguese versus the Dutch, the Jesuits versus the Carmelites pampered and prospered the factual feuds among the sects. The basic tenets of Christianity received Little attention. Overlooking the teachings of Jesus Christ they devoted their resources and energy to fight each other. They were mostly motivated by the desire to strengthen their personal interests. 5 . C'arinelites of Mary Immaculate. 1996. P.3. 13 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Being the tirst indigenous religious congregation in India, fro111 its very inception. the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) aimed at the integral development of the local community irrespective of caste and creed. In the course of the 19"' century the CMI initiated a progressive people's movement in Kerala. Going into the midst of the people, especially the poor and marginalized and imbibing their aspirations and dreams, they tried their best to give voice to the voiceless, power to the powerless and strength to the weak. The CMI's initiated a great socio- cultural and religious revolution affecting and upsetting the social st r,.c ULLLIC + ...- of Kerala. They started a Sanskrit school at Mannanam in 1846 to teach the classical language to the ordinary people. A number of Malayalam and English medium schools were started to give education for all classes of people. At that time of untouchabilitj and caste isolation they admitted students of all sections of society, including Dalits ' and even allowed them to live with them. It paved the way for a social revolution when untouchability was at its summit. They fought for the self rule and independence of St. Thomas Christians, even painfully expelling 14 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam their own brethren in faith from the Tholnas Christian colninunity under the undue pressure From foreign powers like the Portuguese. The) were the heralds of human solidarity and made their clarion call tor unity of all people. Thus theirs was a conscious liberative movement that practically awakened the dormant as well as the latent potentialities of a resourceful community. The Purpose of the Stlldy Fhe main purpose of the study is to trace the history of the Soclo. Lconolnic and Religious transformation in Kerala In the 19"' and the 20'" cenlaries due to missionary activities of the Carlnelltes of Mary Immaculate. The specific objectives of the 5t~td) ale 1 To make an in-depth analysis of the triple roots of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, the first indigenous religious congregation in India. It also tries to evaluate how this indigenous coininunity with a local vision and mission founded in India grew in time to be largest congregation in Asia. 15 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 'I - . '1.0 analyse the stratification of the erstwhile society and its impact among the Christians in Kerala with particular reference to the religious and econornic factors. ? l o hring out the pre-eminent status of the Syrian Christians with special reference to their changing fi~l-tunes in the course of centuries. 4. l o describe the advent and adventures of the Carinelite missionaries who played a decisive role in the annals of ~h r i s t i a n i t ~ in general and the CMI in particular. 5 . I o examine the goal perceptions, values and attitudes of the CMI's and the modes of action visualized and initiated by the founding fathers in respect to the social p a l s of the congregation. 6. Further, it makes an attempt to examine the humanitarian and philanthropic values of their social work like running of orphanages, homes for the poor, the aged, the destitute and the fallen, schools and colleges, hospitals and so on. 16 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam The Importance of the Investigation I hi s study is irelevant and important in the present Indian context \\her? the constitutional ideal of India as a secular state is being undermined by corn~nunal forces, religious fanatic groups and even t?\ political parlies with a strong co~n~nunal or religious base. The arguments for a "Hindu India" is becoming more vocal and communal hatred Illore open and violent. Other religions like Christianity and Islam are branded "alien" or "non-Indian" ~ ~ n d e r the strong plea that they i ~ave not made any significant contribution to life in India. In this context, it is hoped, that an objective historical stud! 01' this kind about ~:he congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, an indigenous religious congregation of the Syrian Catholic Church of Kerala and the role of' the congregation to transform the Indian scene, at least in Kerala, is important relevant and timely. Lt will be seen that their contributions brought about substantial change in the social, economic, intellectual and ci~ltut.al life of' I<crala. 17 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Moreover, any serious study of the Kerala of the 19'" and 2 0 " centuries, to be objective and truthful. must take into considel-atio11 the inf1ut:nce of the CMI congregation in moulding anti sliaping life in I<erala. The thesis aims to show that the Syrian Church. especially the: CMI congregation, is a ma.jor force of i~itluc.lice. o ~ i I<ernla societ)~. Scope of tlie study 111 an age of religious fundamentalisin and regional chauvinism. conimunal, hatred and selfish aggrandizement the scope of sucli a topic is highly relevant. It attempts to rise above the socio-religious and communal barriers and intends to transcend to the entire humanity irrespective of caste and creed. It played a dec~si\:t. !-ole in the socio-religious milieu of modern Icerala. I t intends to trace the gradual evolution of a new spirituality called Carl~lelites Spirituality and 111ode of life. It is also based on tile Hindu concept of ashrams, meditation, asceticism and such noble features. No attempt has been made so far to analyze the cil-cumst:tncct; that led to the formation of the CMI at its tl.ue historical perspective. I' he available studies both by the secular and 18 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam religious scholars are rather incomplete. There is hardly any dispassionate and il-11partial atten~pt to portray historical backgroundof the three riots viz; Indian, Chaldean and Carmelites. An ob-jective and unbiased scrutiny brings forth the relevance of the historic mission of CMI to correct the social maladies and abuses which were eating the vitals of these three roots. Froin such a context it clearly nlanifests the vision and mission of the founding fathers. The noble ideas initiated by the early architects of the congregation are :sincerely followed by their successors with added dvnamism and determination. Thus the present study is a pioneer treatise to portray the history of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate at its correct context. Sr~rvev of sor~rces The study is largely based on the variety of sources both primary and secondary, collectetj from the archival repositories and other centers of research. The primary sources comprise both ecclesiastical and sec~ilar documents. The secular sources include Go\,ernment Orders, Government l'iles, cover Files, Proceeding, consultations, census Re:ports, Administration Reports, Reports of 19 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the various cornlnittei:~, Manuals, Gazetteers and Directories. The select doculnents culled out of the governlnent records are further supplel~~ented by the ecclesiastical data. Though a multitude of scl~~rces hoth p~~bli:;lied and ~~npublished including tnanuscripts have been consulted in time with the latest system of methodology. ' I I I has foll~n\.ed the systan? cfsclcct bibliography. N~l agani ar ~~s (chronicles) letters, Constitutions and Oirectories, The book of Traditions, Repotls, Diaries, Periodicals and Magazines published and preserved by the church denominations foriiled a ma.jor part of the ecclesiastical sources of study. 'fl-ie Nalagat~ic-rt~is furnish a detailed account aboutthe works of the monasteries and accounts. For instance the Nalagamams of Mannanam and Coonammavu remain a repository of valuable information abcut the early history and the subsequent growth of the congregation. The correspondence of the founding fathers, Prior Generals, pro\~incial Superior and similar letters shed immense Light on the progress of the congregation through the ages. 20 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam A number of diarie,; including Kanianthara and Parappuram Diary have been consulted. The decrees pertaining to this period of research have heen ut~lized. The complete works of Fr. Chavara and his letters remain a valuable source of information. Si~nilarly the p~~blications of Carmelite missionaries prov~ded vast variety of information regarding the different stages of their service. .l'l~c primary sources are supplemented by the published works both in Malayaian~ and Eiiglish. A11no:;t a!l the available printed books and journals published in the course of the last two centuries have been consulted. Design of the Study The thesis is designed in such a nlanner to portray the historical significance of CMI. It ernbodies five chapters besides the introduction and conclusion. The introduction attenlpts to highlight the scope and importance of the study at its correct historical perspective. Since the first three chapters are brought iiiit to depict the triple roots of CMI i.e, the indigenous, Chaldean 21 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam and Carmelite, the introduction investigates its historical relevance. I t traces the importance of the investigation especially in present context. I t points oul tlie important sources that have been aiialyzcd. The design of study furnishes the major landmarks of each chapter. f h e first chapter makes an in-depth scrutiny of the socio- rel i ~i ous and economic conditions of Kerala during the nineteenth century. More importance is given to the socio-religious and econoniic background of Travancore since the CMI Congregation witnessed its birth and major activities .within the realm of Travancore. It intends to prepare the base of the study and also to highlight the mission of CMI. It traces the factors that led t o the stratification oftlie society. I t examines the legacy of all the major communities in the context of nineteenth century. It brings forth the privileges as well a:; the disabilities of the communities. From the traditional indigenous background it proceeds to the ~~~anumi ssi on initiated by the European missionaries. It goes deep into the impact of caste disabilities even among the members of the church. It attempts a delailed analysis of tlie historical background 22 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam \vliich paved the way for the rise of the congregation of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. 'l'he second chapter brings out the advent and expansion of (~'hristianity in Kera1,a. It traces the origin Christianity in Icerala t'rcm St Tho~nas one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. In the course of centuries the St. Thomas Christians underwent far- reacliin~ changes. Even in the ~ni dst of trails and tribulations they succeeded to retain the faith. It examines the nature of contracts ~~I i i cl i the St. Thoma:; Christians had with the Pope and Patriarch. 'The Portuguesi: tried to latinise the Syrian Christians 'who c.ssenrially re~nained Christian in religion, Syro-oriental in worship and Indian in culture. In the course of the latinisation, the Syrian Christians underwent a saga of challenges. Among the ~naj or o~.deals the :;);nod oiDiamper in 1599 and the oath of coonel7 cross of 1653 constituted the major land marks in the course of their stl-uggle for identity. The St. Thomas Christians continued to face 01-deals one after another and suffered a lot 1.0 preserve and prosper their original faith. 23 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam The third chapter describes the advent and adventures of the order of discalced Carmelites in Kerala. T1ie Carnlelite m~ssionaries were very much associated with changing fortunes of the Syr ~an Christians i n Malabar. They came down to the society of Kerala when the Syrian Christians were almost threatened with the total annihilation. It was something provitlential that the tinlely arrival of the Carmelites safeguarded the Syrlans froin the process of latinisation. Further they became an immense source of strength i n the course of the struggle against the Padroadn. It opened a new phase of'conflict viz the Padroado -Propaganda controversy where the Carmelites championed the cause of Propaganda. The Syrian Chi-istians were also identified theinselves with the Propaganda. It led to a series of systt:matic and prolonged struggle against the Portuguese missionaries. The Carmelite Missionaries empowered the Syrian Christians to restore their usurped churches. They identified themselves with the cause of the Syrians and Struggled hard to restore the privileges of the Syrian Christians. Their endurance and perseverance ellipowered the Syrians to undergo hardship for the preservation oftheir faith. The founding fathers of 24 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam CMI gathered courage and inspiration from the ordeals and sacrifices of tile Discalced Carmelites. The formation and initial phase of the congregation of CMI forms the basis of the fourth chapter. In the annals of the socio- religious history of modern Kerala the estahlishlnent of this first ind~senous I-eligious congregation occupie:; a permanent place since i t marked the beginning of a great revolution in the socio- religious and economic fronts of nlodern Kerala. The founders of the congregation led by Fr.Thoams Porukara, Tholnas Palckal and [--I-. I<LII-~akosl.: Elias Chavara started the community life, a life totally embedded in devotion and charity and following the three vo~t;s of poverty obedience and chastity, at Mannanam on 18Ih Sune 1x40. follow in^ the death of Fr. Thomas Porukara and Fr.Thomas Palackal, Fr.Kuriakose Chavara took up the full ~.esponsibilit), of the congregation. On 8"' December 1855, the eleven fat11el.s took their vows and the congregation got the canonical status and became the servants of Mary Ilnmaculate of Mount Car~nel following the spirit of the Carmelite ~nissionaries. I n 1861 i t becanie the Third Order of the Discalced Carmelites. 25 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam The first phase of the c:ongregation can rather be identified with the saintly life of Fr. Ku~riakose Chavara. In (.he midst of Padroda- propaganda dispute and other deno~nirlational struggle he succeeded to inould the congregation in an excellent model. It marked the beginning of a new era in the history of socio-religious and t.coiionlic life of the people especially tllrough the establishment of educational institutions, industrial centres and social services agencies. The fifth chapter harps upon the progress of the Carmelites of' Mary Im~naculate through the ages. The prior generals who succeeded F:.. ICuriakose Elias Chavara continued to promote the great socio-religious and econotnic revolution initiated by the foul~ding f'athers. They could secure rapid strides in the realtn of education, religion, economy and culture. The sixth chapter depicts the tnultifaceted activities of the Congregation. The post Fr. Chavara period witnessed ti-ernendous progress in the fields of liturgy, education, social service, industry, agriculture etc. 26 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam tducation of the masses was conceived by the founding tithers as the most effective means of socio-cultural transformation of the society. Fr. Chavara himself initiated a great socio-cultural anti relig~oiis revolution affecting and upsetting the social structure of Kerala. The Sanskrit school which he established at Mannanam in I S4 1 challenged then prevailing Brahmin monopoly over Sanskrit education. Thereafter hundreds of educational and industrial institutions were established in different parts of the world. Soci:il ,work as ~~nderstood today covers a wide range of activities such as non-formal education, charity works, counsel i n~ centers etc.., while social action is intended mainly for the liberatioli of the pool.. 'The effect of such social work at the macro- level luay be manifested in and through the changes in individual . . 6. . cases at the micro level. The root cause of the social problenls is wide spread and e~nl ~edded in the social structure, hence de~nandi n~ a communitarian and universal approach to these problems. The CMI h;ls played its role in inspiring gui di n~. s i ~ p l ~ o r t i ~ i ~ atid participating when necessary, in the movement for 27 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam humanization and liberalization. Its social action programme includes: work for a just society, move~nent for the liberation of tlie oppressed, co-operation with other action groups whenever possible. ar ~d educating the people about their rights and supporting them to claim these rights. It studies the co~itr~bution:; of CMI' s in the field of printing and literature. The various pub1 ications including dailies, weeklies, monthlies annuals, special numbers, serial publications and well-informed authoritative books published by the CMI are worth mentioning. I t rial-rates thc impact of the policies followed by the CMI congregation for the t:conoinic deveioplnent of the people in the agricultural. industrial and service sections. 'I'he concluding chapter constitutes a critical analysis of the socio-economic and religious transformation of the society due to the influence of the CMI congregation during the 19"' and 20"' centuries. I t contains the logical arrangement of the conclusions of tlie study as a whole. 28 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Chapter I1 Early History of St. Thomas Christians The adve:nt and growth of the St. Thomas Christians in Kerala is a \palid living historical tradition. The tradition traces the origin of'lChristianity in Kerala to the visit of St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. It has been handed down fi-om ancient time and is accepted by almost all the Syrian Christ;~aris of Kerala that St. Thomas landed at the port of Crangannore on the west coast near Cochin in 52 A.D. He preached Christianity first to the Jewish settlers in and around Cochin and the:n worked among the Hindus. The Apostle is believed to have founded seven and a half churches for the use of the Christiari converts and ordained presbyters. The seven churches are those of (i ) Malankara (Crangannore) (ii) Palayur (Chavakad) (iii:) Parur (iv) Gokamangalam (v) Niranam (vi' ) Chayyal arid (vii) Korakkonikkollam(Qui1on) and the half church was at ~hi ruvankode. ' Amidst the multitude of controversies regarding the historicity of St:. Thomas tradition Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru observed thus: "Christianity came to ' he,-',Iu ~' /~ur~rl i runi .' Vol .II .Compiled by t he Kerala History Associatioin, (Mal.)p. I Oh5 29 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam lndia as early as the first century after Christ long before Europe turned to it and established a firm foothold in South India"? 7 he St. Thoinas tradition is not a inere legend but is founded on fiicts.' Churches and relics associated with the Apostle seen in South lndia are ample testimony to conclude that t he Apost'le did come to Kerala to make the earliest beg~nnrng to1 the propagation of Christianity. The contacts that existed between the bast and the West and the trade routes followed by early merchants on land and by sea is a clear proof that St fhoinas followed the trade route to visit peninsular India. I t is believed that St. Thomas having first planted Christ~anity in Arabia and in the island of Socotra, Sailed e:jst\\asd and landed at Malankara near Crangancore in the west coast of the southern peninsula. It is further believed that ti-om Malabar %.Thomas proceeded to Mylapore on the C'orornandal Coast, where he set up his abode in a rock-cave on the Cllinnalnalai near the present Chennai city, froin where he used to move out for evangelization. During this period the 1 ia\ral~arlal Nehru. A I ~ .A~rlr~h~ogruphy, p. 273. 4 Sreedlrara Menon, A Survq ~JKerul a Hi,stury, p.99 30 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam apostle is believed to have visited China. However he returned to Cl~ennai ant1 continued his work there. His activities brought hi111 into contlicf with local priests. One of these priests caused the death of the Apostle by thrusting a lance into the body of tile Apostle. The Apostle succu~nbed to his injuries three days later. The body was taken to Mylapore, where the Apostle had alreadq built a small chapel, and was buried there4 ~i l ~l ong tile converts the fanlily of Paltalomatto~n occt~pies a predominar~t position which liad heen hailed as the base ot ('haval-a famri).' One of the earliest written works ;11~ot11 t l ~ c ' ti1issiona1-! ,ctivities of' St. Thomas in India is an apoc.r> / ~l i al ivork kno\ \ n as the acts of (.luclas) Thoma support I ~ C * ttad~tlon of St rhomas as the founder of the Indian I he church founded by St. Thomas began to gather ~nornentum. I t traces a continuo~ls history of the St. Thoinas C'hr-istians in Kerala ~i ' i t h certain ups and downs. The materials 4 . C V Cheriyan. A Hisro17. (J[ C'hristia,~ilj. in Kerulu, p.41. 5 . Valerian Plathottarn, BI Kiiriakose Elius Chavura, p 16. (,. l ' he Acts is a very ancient work written in I " or 2"%entury in Syriac by an Edessan. Tl ~e book was soon translated into Greek from the original. Fr. Bernard. A Briefsketch r,( fir:, H, . rro::. %.TI. T??~:'o:::;:r f %ri.~linns. 31 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam fol- rile construction of' the history of this church during the cart\ i.e~l~icries ot'the Christian era are rather limited: History i i <ilc.nr nhonl the inl'ant chnrch in India ~ ~ n t i l it records the ii:iir:' or one 1':lntaeniis l ~l c is hel i e~ed to have been sent to l i l i 1 1 ; i i r r I . b I)clmitsins 01' Alexandria. at the recluest of i.c.l-taili Inciial-I C'hrisria~is. l i e found in India a Gospel of St. \ I I \\rit\erl in !\r;~maic \i:hich he took back with him to . I i . His visil to the Malankara church brings into c \ iilencs contacts between the Malankara church and the Alexandria church. The fivst undispcted piece cf evidence on record as to the existence of a church in Kerala is found in the writings of 8 C'~.~smos. The Knanaya Syrian Christians were led by Knai Phomman, the Syrian merchant from the middle East who arrived at th.e Malabar coast in 345 AD. he church founded b:\. the Apostle was reinvigorated by groups of Christians who 7 C'.P Mathew and M.M. Thomas, npci r.. p.1 X Cosmob was a merchant from Alexandria who had sailed in the Indian seas. Hence \vab called 11idic:oplestus or the sailor to India. I h M Minpania, The EUI-1). Spread ~?fChri.sliunif); in Inu'ia, p.49 32 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 10 came from Babylon. In 345 AD, he brought to Crangannore, a group of four hundred Christians from Bagdad, Ninevah and I I Jerusalem. The St. Thomas Christians and. the local Rajah Cheraman I-'erwmal received them. Peruinal bestowed upon them st \ era1 soc:ial p r i ~ ileges and lands for settlement. Most of these pi-ivileges were not of much intrinsic value, but in a caste r~dden society they served to secure an assured status to the ~hristians." The colonization was the first known instance of' a foreign cornmunitq' being introduced into Malabar. It led to the introd~~ction of Syrian Christian community into Malabar.. Thereafter the Malabar Christians were called Syrian Chrlstlans. Before the corning of Knanaya Christians to Kodungallor, the Christians in Malankara were known not as S\ rian C'hrivtians but as Mar Tholna ~azranikal.'"homas of Cana and his colonists who lived on the southern side of the river i n Crangannore did not freely mix with local Christians who lived on the northern side. The separatist tendency was handed down from generation to generation and even today -- ~p I 0 A M. Mun,daclan, Hi.\rurrs uf Chr;.rt;an;!)~ 117 l17d;a. Vol I , p.89. I 1 G. l Meckenzie. Chr~.st~uni(v in Travancore, p.4. 1 3 I' C'herian. The Moluluhrrr .~yria17.s and rhe Chlrrch M;ss;onory Sociely. p.4 1 . ! Jm-nI, -r.. CI~.~!!.ikadu, The S),riun Colon1~urkn7 ~~f Mul ahor : Thekkunt Baga Sarnudqva ( iih~-rrhru/n, p.71 33 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the\ are called Southists while the descendents of the local Christians a r e called ~ o r t h i s t s . ' ~ The Knanaya Syrian Christians gained importance in trade and commerce after the decline of the Roman hmpire. They were engaged in the art of shipping and excelled themselves in the commercial transactions. They held the monopoly of the most lucrative commodities lilke pepper and piece goods. They exported pepper to f'oreign countries." The ruler of 'lihekkamkur invited the: members of the Knanaya community to Kottayam. I6 Further they established their commercial settlements which \\-ere popular1 y known as angadis, thevuvus and colnpolams. 17 Asain about 825 A.D. another immigration under Marwan Sabir-so . a Persian merchant landed in Quilon with a large P~I T! \<hic11 rncluded two bishops - Mar Sapro and Mar ~rodh.' "he:~ were warmly received by King Cheraman Perumal. Siabirso built a new church in Quilon and to this church grants were made on two sets of copper plates. During 1-1 C. V ('lieri!:an. op.cil.. p 3 . I i I ' . J Thomas. h4aluyuiu Sahityavunl Chrisrianikalum, p.3. I < > E M . I'hilip, rllalankur-u Sobhrryude Rahasyapedakan, p.2 17 (' \.. (Iiieriyar~, opc~r . p 83. 18 C I' Matlirw and M M Thomas, ol~.cii., pp.20-2 I . 34 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the period of the grant, permission for conversion to Christianity was given only to those who had real faith in the teachings of Jesus ~hr i st . " Among other monuments of the church's Persi:an connection may be mentioned a Persian cross with an inscription in Pahalavi language to be found in the Valiya Palli at Kottayaln and similar crosses discovered at Kadarnattonl and ~uttuchira.' " It was in communioli with or as part of the Chaldean church that the Malabar church emerges into the light of history. From the very early period the Malabar church established contacts with the church of Persia proper first alnd then with that of Mesopotamia. It secured its bishops successively from these churches from which it ~.eceived its East Syriac Liturgy also. '' Though it was not dominatiohi of any type, the Episcopal supervision was provided by bishops from Persia, while local administration of the church was carried out by local priests. Bishop Brown clarifies that whiie the Malabar church was truly Indian, it depended on the East Syrian churches for its theology, its 14 Lqheri yan, opc~l . . p.l I S . 20 >1,f(,r 17,on?a Sjjriu17 < 'hurch Dlrecroq~, p. 13 3 1 I'lacid 1. Ipodipara. /'he l ~~d; v~duo/ i f y of (he illcrlahur. Church, n.2. 35 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam liturgy and its bishops." Though there was Nestorian episcopacy. the orthodox faith was retained. Shut off by the mountains on one side and the sea on the other, the Christians of.Malabal. lived a life of isolation.23 1 , , l l - j n ~ ,,llat I)c. l -i od tlli. I - LI ~CI - S 01' Ouilon lnaintained i . cl l l t ac. ~, \ \ i l l 1 the r-1.11i.r.s of China. tinblai Khan. \ j ~ho \ \ as ,c,,x,,l~ihle tbr s c ~ ~ d i ~ l g to ( 2~1i I on in 1392 t h e V e n e t i a n , r ; i , c. l i c. ~ \ l j rco [ ' o~o. \He sl,ral<s 01' Nestorian Christians i n 3,lalah:il- and m e n t i o n s the tradition that St . Thomas died i n l ~ i d i n . ... Christians who have the administration of the church posses forests and trees that bear. the Indian nuts and ti-0171 {.hem they draw the ~ n e a l i s of Livelihood. As tax they pay ~nonthly to one of the royal brothers (an old English silver coin worth four pence) for each tree.. . 24 2; . Milile Rae holds the view that the members of the church of Malahar are called Syrians not because they have a Syrian liturgy. They are not of the Syrian nation hut of the Syrian rite. The name in this connection is not an ethnological or geographical desiynatioll but is purely ecclesiastical. George Milne Rae, Christian college Magazine of September 1890, p.184 cited in T.K. Velu Pillai, Travancore State Manual, Vol. I, p.86 I . Aramaic was the lanyuage or Jesus Christ and his Apostles. Syriac is the dialect of the Aramaic and becanle the language of the mother church of Persia and it was tlir xacred la~lguage the daughter church in Kerala. S.G. F'othen , The Syrian Christians 01 Ko. <~l u. p.3(.~. Hence the terms Syrian Christians and Sj.rian Church came into use. 24 (; T. Al<~ckcke~l:ie. tirrio,?. qf C'hr~stfanity in T,uvot~core. p. 144. 36 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam The advent of Pdarco polo testifies the simultaneous missionary activities of the 'Pilgrim Society for Christ' 110th in China and in Malabal-. I-ke visited Mylapore and recorded in his book as "t l ~e body of Blessed St. Thomas lies in the province of blalabar at a certain little town having no great ~x)pulation. Both Christians and Saracens, were, ho\ \ e\ cr greatl! frequent in the pilgrimage. For the Sai-awns., also do hold the saint in great reverence and sa) that he was one of their own Saracens and a great prophet. The ('hristians who go on pilgrimage to the place '+vhere the saint was killed and a portion thereof to an) olie who is sick of a quartanor a tertian fever and by t l ~c pmr er of God and St. Thomas the sickman is ~ncominentallq cured.. . 25 fhe Society activel> attained its zenith when Pope John XXII by a Bull .&id perr~et~rsm veimemoriam dated August 9, 1329 constituted Quilon as an Episcopal It was the first diocese in the lndies and at the time the only one in the country 37 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam with the Do~i ~i ni can Friar Jordan Catalain of Serverac (France) as its ish hop." The rare honour was conferred upon Quilon to be tlre first ever Catholic diocese of India, a decade after the death of' liavi 'Jarma K~tlasekhara ( 1 299-1 3 13). 111 his letter dated Augi~st 2 1. 1320 appointing Jorden Catalain Pope John stated thus: "John servant of the servants of God to our venerable Fria~. Jordan C'cithala Bishop of Coulan, greeting: considering that you.. .. Learned in the science of theology have personally known of the state the situation of the people (of India) in the course of our preaching to thern tlre Divine word and that you htive now the souls of many faithful to our Lord Jesus, for whom the zeal for the H'oly Faith is a proof of sanctity (cui sacrue religic.~nis zelus vitae tnu~zdatio est) we have in consequence. caused, to be given to you episcopal consecr;~tion by the hand of our venerable Brother Bertrand Bishop of Tuscalum. Wherefore, by these present apostolic letters, we order your Fraternity that 38 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam you repair to l our church with the grace of our henedi~tion."' ~ Anothel- Franciscan, Friarodoric of Pordenone visited ).;c.~.ala about i1.U. I334 on his way to China. He halted at the port of' (r)uilol~ for a \.\-hile. After his return to Europe some ~ea1. s latel- he dictated an account of his inlpressions of C'hris~ians in Mlalabal- and the Corolnandel coast. He says that there were Cl~ris~tians at Quilon. He points out also that it was ten days journ.ey fro111 Malabar to another part of India where St. rholnas the Apostle was buried and that "his church is tilled witl? idols and beside it are sonle fifteen houses of Nestorians that is to say Christians, but vile and pestilent"2" lie~-c:tics. In 1348 John de Maringoli, a Franciscan on his return journey fi-0111 China arrived at Quilon. He was sent to India, China and other Eastern countries by Pope Benedict XI1 (1334- 1312). He spent several months in the country. In Quilon alone he remained for sixteen months. At th,at time, there were 39 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam two distinct Cl~ristian communities in India one following the Syso-Chaldean rite and the other adhering to the Latin comlnunit>,. He has left behind him an account of his stay in (Juilon as tblll~\vs: O n Palm Sunday 1348 we arrived at a very noble city of India called Quilon, where the whole world's pepper is 1.1-oduced. The Christians of St. Thoin~as are the inasters ot' tlie public lbeighing office (qui habent statevam /~oritle~-rs rotiu.c nzundi) from which I derived as a prerequ~site of my office as Pope's Legate every month a hundrec i;old~far.iunzs and a thousand when 1 left. There is a church of St. George there of the Latin communion, at \vhich I dwelt and I adorned it with fine paintings and taught there the Holy Law. And after I had been there some time I went beyond the glory of Alexander the great when he set up this column. For erected a stone as my lantiiriark and memorial and anointed it with oil. In sooth i:t was a marble pillar with a stone cross on it, intended ro last till the world's end. And it had Pope' s arms and my own engraved on it with inscriptions both 40 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam in Indian, and Latin characters. I consecrated and blessed it in the pr'esence of an infinite nlultitude of people and I was carrietd on the shoulders of the chi ef s in a litter or I'alanq~tin like Solotnon's. So after a year and four montlis I took leave of the brethren (valejaciens f ) . He preached the word of Ciod and conducted di \ . ~ne services. He also baptized a pagan after instt-ucting hi111 fix three months. It nlust be admitted that cordial relations prevailed at that time between the Latinite:j and Chaldeo-Syrians. The terms cited above are suffjcient enough to substantiate it . . .."' Another papal Legate to India whom mention can be tnatie ot' I S Friar Albert de Sartiano 0. F. M sent by Pope Eugene IV ( 143 I - 144'7) to the Asiatic countries. He was the bearer of a letter sent by the Pope to the Villarvetttain ruler of Kerala. Addressing the Chaldeo-Syrian ruler as "Beloved son of Christ, Thomas, the illustrious Emperor of the Indians", the letter, recom~nended the Papal Legate top? the ruler and said: " There has often reached us a constant rumour that your serenity and 41 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam all who are subjects of your kingdom are true ~hr i s t i ans . "~' In 1433 Pope Eugene IV sent several missionaries to the Eastern countries and Frair Albert de Sartiano was one among them." Fr. Hosten states that such types of settlements were found from Karachi t o Cape Coinorin and from Cape Conlorin to . ~ 1 , Mylapore. When the Portuguese under Alfonso de Albuquerque landed in Qu~l on in 1503 they found that there were 25,000 Christians of ~~vhom a good number were Latin Catholics. The historian who accompanied Vasco da Gama during his second expedition also visited Quilon and referred to the existence of numerous churches.'' The accounts furnished by the European travelers shed immense lighi. o'n the conditions of the church in Malabar from the 12"' to the 1 :jth centuries. Among the travelers were John of Monte Carvirio., who remained in India for thirteen months; Marco Polo, the celebrated Venetian traveler, who stayed in India on his way back to Rome from China and Oderic, an ~ 3 I I'aniikaran. Thc Syrian ( ' h~r r r h in Malnhur, p.34. 3 2 . A J . Ro~ari o (ed. ) Kollutr? ('lrrisrunikul. pp.1 10-1 I 1 - . . h~, , u/ u l.urrn (',rrholic u.s.%o<.iolron Sorri~e171r., 1955 p.8 42 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Italian I;ranciscan, who on his journey to Quilon and Mylaproe found several hmilies of Nestorians here. John De Marignolli, wlio s~aj . ed at Quilon for sixteen nlonths speaks of Indian ( ' I I I - I S L I ~ I I ~ as n-lasters of South India. 1 i l l the arrival of the Portuguese, the Christian church in Kcrala I-emained an independent body. It was Christian in 1.ellgion. Sy1.o-orien~al in worship and Indian in culture. Until the 16'' century, there were neither doctrinal nor ritual division anlong the Si.. Thomas Christians. They had the same faith and same communiion and had also the same rite which was East . . Syi an. " Thus they were well placed in the social hierarchy \\.hen the Portuguese set their foot on the coast of Kerala. George Woodcock, attested to it as follows: 111 general, the Syrian Christians were unnlolested by the non-Christians of Kerala. At a later period Tipu Sultan destroved some Christian churches in. Malabar and made a few forcible conversions to Islam, but he was an alien f'so~n fvlysore, unaccustomed to Malayali tradition of tolerance. The only known persecution by Hindus was 3. X; I VI C~ hudapllzlia. Fairh U I I ~ C'o~irm~inron o/rhe lnd~un Chtirch ufSt. Thomas ('11, ,,Yll<,,,.~. 1 3 10. 43 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the 1lia:;sacre in 1809 of many Syrian Christians, including some priests, during a Nair rising against the 'ast India. Company, but this was less because of the religion of the \/ictiins than because they were suspected ot tavoring the British. There is certainly no record of an), per:secution, on the part of the rulers of the Brahmins during the period before the arrival of the Portuguese. "" L)ul-ilig the coul-se of these centuries, the St. Thomas Christians became an affluent community. They enjoyed the same social stztus on par with the caste Hindus and observed their caste r ~ ~ l e s as their own. They were indifferent t c the spread of gospel and their spiritual life was on the wane. They nia111taint.d ecclesiastical relations with the Persian church, \4,eicoming bisl~ops and ecclesiastic from the region. But the churc!~ never came under the domination of the Nestorian , - church. ' The Syrian church developed itself as an indigenous church except in matters of faith and forms of worship. The Christian society of' Kerala presented the picture of a ~~~~ -- ~~-~~~ 7 h (ieorge Woodcoc:k, Ko-<i/'r- A Por~ru~l of'lhe Malubm Coasr. pp. 1 16- 1 17. 3 7 Alr\!~~ider- h4ar Tho~rw, 7h1, ,if~,r Thuv~u Chl~rch, Herirag:e and Mi,ssiun, p.5. 44 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam their religion uriconsciously emulated the fanaticism of the Moslems. and when persuasion and eloquence failed, they used intimidation and force to convert the Syrians to their faith.4' It \ras t he first organized move of one set of Christians against their o\xn ki t h and ltin in this part of the world." One hundred and tift) t\\o priests and six hundred and sixty two laymen and .4schdeacon attended the synod, which colnnlenced on 20 June 1590. I \r o hundred and sixty seven decrees were passed at the s ) - n ~ d . ~ ' They were calculated to establish the Roman doctrine and Pope's s,upreinacy in clear terms. The celibacy of the clergy \\as made a rule. The Udayamperoor sunnahadose took decisions calculated to wean the Christians away from the centuries old Hindu i nf~uence. "~ The Synod of Diainper, to a u.i.at extent brought LO co~npletion the Catholicization of the < church in ~a l a ba r . " The Portuguese efforts to create a pocket of influence by winning over the local Christians to allegiance towards the l i o~nan Church also left behind a trail of communal J I C.M. .4 11sul- :'hitrch Hivroi:~: ~fTral ,m?core p.22. 42 .l vl ,,-~~o/ of h,?rulu Stlrdie.,. Trivandrum. 1975. Vol. 11, p.27. 4; (-. M ,Afur. t ~/ i . r i l . . pp.48-50. 44 M (; S Naxiyanan. C' i t / r~i ro/ . Sl ~t ~~bi o. si . s i n Kerolo, p.7. 45 k .I .lolin (ed. ). Ch,-t.\~i u~~ Heritage <J/ Keralu, p. 18. 45 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam feuds and bi t t erne~s. ~" The synod touched the very foundation of the reirg~ous and social life of the St. Thomas ~hr i s t i ans . ~' I l i e allegiance lasted only for fifty five years. The unwilling S\I-ians \indicated tlicir ancient faith by requesting the I'atriarch ot't!gypt at Cairo, the Nestorian Patriarch of Babylon and the Jacob~t e Patriarch at Antioch for a bishop to be sent to Ilalabal- 11, the meanwhile, they nominated one alnong ti~emsel\ es n,a~ned 7 holnas of the Pakalomattom family, to act r . as the11 bisliop t i l l one would arrive. 1 he response came immediately from the Patriarch of Babylon who sent Bishop Icnat ~us - Siinon Hidayathulla popularly known as Ahatalla to h4alahar-. tlu't the Portuguese, out of hostility to the Syrian C'III-istians, de:ported him to Goa where he was tried by the I ~ ~ i ~ u ~ s ~ t ~ o n and then burnt or shipped off to Europe. The success of the Synod was short lived. rhe Ahattala event brought the discontent which had heen brew~ng to an open revolt even against the Government on whose strength the church depended for its existence." A 4% h h kuru%,illa, .4 HI . \ I ~ I ~ I , of il?e Mar Thumos CI~urc,h uf?d 11,s DOCII.III~S, p.1 I 46 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam large number of about 25,000 Syrian Christians marched to Cochin 11ndt:r the leadership of Anjilinnoottil Thomman 1'1 C'athanal.. But the fort was closed against them and cannon \\ere rnc>i~i~ted on the walls for use in c;3se of emergency. I-lc~lct. the) ass#-inbled around coonet7 cr.o.s,s, at Mattancherry, Cuchi n and touching the long rope that was tied to it, took an oat11 11131 the) severed their connection with the Roman church aiicl that they wlsuld recognize their Archdeacon Thomas as the si~],renic head of the church. As the news of the coonen cross oath spread, all the Syrians except a few hundreds joined t he re\ olt. '1~Ii.e event marked a turning point in the history of Kerala church as i t led to the emergence of two distinct secrions among Christians, the Romo-Syrians who remained lo\al ro the Pope known as pazhayakutttr (old section) and other section who got liberation from the Roman yoke called as pzrri~enkutr~~ i(new section)."' The general council of the /~~rr/~enkurru rnet at Alangad, elected a four member committee to assist the ~rchdeacons" attempt to bring the revolting 47 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Syrians again into the Roman fold met with partial success. The capture of Cochin by the Dutch on 7 January 1663 con~pletely chan;ged the si t uat i o~i . ' ~ The new masters ordered all i<oman ecclesiastics out of their territory and the Syrian clercv <. and their tollowing were left unmolested on condition that they would pay no allegiance to the F'ortuguese king." -1.lie tbrtunes of the church were much affected by the changing of pol ~t ~c s of the country." In the course of trials and tribulations the Syrians mustered further strength to restore their lost status. The rist* of the Dutch in India enabled the St. Thomas Christians to revive their contacts with the Eastern churches." I t ellabled the St. Thomas Christians to seek the good offices of tastern non-Roman churches and this time ihe Jacobites came to their aid.'" The bishop, the Jacobite Patriarch sent was Mar Gregorios. Birjhop of ~erusal en~. " One of his first acts was to ~ 52 h4.C). li,>sh!. l'ilr DI,/c/T POI ~CI . 117 KCI.U/U 1729-1 7 j R. p 19. 5.; I . K. Anantakrishna lyer. A17l hropol o~- of r/?e .Sy!.ion Chvisliu~~s. p.33. 4 A M Mundad,ui. ul ~ci r . . pX4. . . M.O. liosh!. til?.i.ir.. p. 7 13 i(, S ~ C O ~ I I C S belonfed to the goup of churches historically called Monophysite and 111~11. patt.ial-cI1 was know11 a5 the Jacobite Patriarch o f Antioch. 48 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam consecrate Archdeacon 'Thomas as Mar Thonia I. It marked the beginning of the long connection between the two churches. Episcopal continuity was restored with Mar Tho~na 1 as the first Indian Metropolitan. His successors were known by the name Mar Thon~a up to Mar Thotna V and thereafter four of the Metropolitar~s were known by the title Dionysius. So ~n e of these consecrations were conducted by visiting bishops from the West Asia as before and some by the loci11 ~ e t r o ~ o l i t a n s . ~ ~ During the eighteen centuries of its existence in Kerala Christianity developed a s an indigenous religion. It became possible under the patronage extended by the local rulers and with the friendship and tolerance extended by the natives. Althougll the Portuguese could destroy the liturgy of the Syrians and create a division ainong them, they could not completely destroy the community. Under the Dutch and the British East India Companies the Syrian Christians sincerely tried to strengthen their status. With their suppol-t, the Syrian Church revived its religious, educational and social activities." Claudius Buchanan who 58. Alexa~ider Mar Tliorna. O / J 1 1 . p.9 59 1' C'her~ati. ,,/i cil.. p. 160 49 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam visited the Malabar Church at the instance of Lord Wellesley prepared his report in the famous document known as Christian Re.s~~urcIie.s in A.Y~LI. CoI. John Monroe, the British resident of TI-alancore and Cochin states fi-0111 18 10 to 1820, took a furthei- initiati\c. He was a devoted Christian with evangelical con\,ictions."" Col. John Monroe who took keen interest in the social and religious renovation of the St. Thomas Community, wl-ole to the Church Missionary Society of England to send missionaries to revive the Old Church. The Anglican Church Missionary Soci.ety sponsored the 'Mission of Help' to the Orthodox Church established in 18 16."' The first missionary to arri1.e was Norton. Benjamin Baily, Joseph Fenn and Henry Baker, the first triumvirate of English missionaries to the Syrian C'hurch, of South India, followed him."' They were to regenerate the St. Thomas church. They were not to make Syrians Anglicans or assume authority over them, but to bring nen ideas which would work from within and help the Syrian 00 I 1. . Kra!. .4 Ni.slory ufri i c Si,rian ('hut-ch in India, p.69. 01 O~ t t i c t ~ ~ i 1 3 . Forrester, np ' , ! I . { l . l Ol 6 2 1 it.01-sc M~l i i r Rae. <J/,/,C,l , p 285. 50 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam church to retirrn itself'."' Being conscious of the needs of his church. Punnathara Mar Dionysius, the Metran, wel co~ned the Cl i ~~r ch Miss~,onary Society missionaries to work in the St. I liomas church At tirst the native Metrans welcorned the co- operation of ):he missionaries but later on a hostile spirit was inanif'ested towards them. The rapid spread of protestant helie& among the Syi an Christians led t o the Synod of Mavelikara which decided to stop all connection with the Anglican inissionaries."' Besidels the Rorno-Syrian church arid Jacobite Syrian ch~lrch. there were sonle minor churches tracing their origin to the Apostle Thomas. The Chaldean or Nestrorian church, which is 'still following Syrian liturgy has considerable his~orical im~portance. It maintained connection with the church of' Balbylon even during the middle ages. The Chaldean Church also lcnown as The Church of the East has developed in and around Trichur. At present the Church is under the episcopal supervision of Mar Aprem and Paulose Mar Paulose. . 03 ('.R l111h. o/~.crl.. p. 164. 04 Ii url an Kani!/aniparamb~l. Sli1.iu171 Suhhu, pp. 194-198 51 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam .I he Thozhiyoor Suriyani Sabha is an independent Syrian I , , . Chruch. The origin of the church goes back to the 18"' centur>. when a foreign Jacobite bishop by name Mar Ciregor~us consecrated a priest, belonging to Katturnangattu t j n~i l y. as Bishop \+,it11 the title Mar Kurilos, without consulting the reigning Metran, Mar Thonla ~ 1 . " " l'his led to dispute between Mas .I:'homa VI and Mar Kurilos;. Mar Thoma VI appealed to the Rajas of Travancore and Cochin. Fearing persecution, JVar KUI-ilos escaped to a place called Thozhiyoor or- Anjur in British ~al abar . "' He gathered some followers there and tht* church founded by him became an independent one. f h e church had played a significant role in critical stages in the h~story of the Syrian church by consecrating bishops for it 1-here 1s a strong relation between the Mar Thoina Syrian Church and Thozhiyoor church since 1893. When Thomas Mar Athanasius died in 1893, his successor was consecrated by Mar Athanasiu~s and Mar Kurilose V of the Thozhiyoor church. - ~. h5 (3 (hediatli. Kcrol url ~~l e ( '17rr,s/hwu SuDhukul, pp. 134-1 35. oh k 1 lo!. I'lri. ?, hr Th,~l,l,i ('l7urch : A Budv ofits Grou~l h and ('onrriruion, p. 19 7 \. I iruh \'alphese. (;/,iii,,ii..~ of /he H,.YIoJ~; qfthr ('hri.stiu17 (%urches in i nd~u. 1 1 - 1 . 52 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Ever since bisltlops of' two churches help each other for inter church consecration oi'bishops. Thc Roman Catholic Church estat-dished its roots in Mulabar with the advent of' the Pol-tuguese in the 16"' century. The St. 1 hornas Christians maintained contacts wit11 the eastern churches oiTI'ersia through centuries. But they maintained their special identity and status. Though the Portuguese tried their hest to tbrce them to accept papal supremacy, a large number of them resisted. 'They struggled hard to keep their identity against the Portuguese domination. It was only with the expulsion of' t:he Portuguese, the St. Thomas Christians were able to renew their contacts with the eastern churches. The St. .l'llomas Christians had the full support of the Dutch. When the H~.itish became a dominant political power in India, they tried to reform tht: church of the St. Thoinas Christians. Though all the nla.jor political developlnents affected their lives, society and religious practices, they remained Indian, retaining their special characteristic features. The St. Thomas Christians had a rightful place in the society and shared common interests and took pride with the rest of the people of Kerala that they were 53 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam all 'Malayalees' speaking the sanle Malayalam language and wearing the same: dress. They were staunch in their adherence to their faith and proitd of the apostolic origin of their church. I-he majoriry of the Syrian Christians in Kerala belong to the [tornan ('atliolic Church. 54 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Chapter 111 ADVENT AND ADVENTURES OF THE ORDER OF I)ISCAI,CED CARMELITES IN KERALA 0 1 all the Christian Congregations who labored among the Syro-Malabal-lans, the Carmelite missionaries occupied a predominant place. The Carmelite Order of monks was founded in the midst of ~nonast i ci s~n in 1206 A.D. at the Mounl. Carmel in Palestine. They rook the Prophet Eli-jali of the Old Testament as their model and lived in the secluded caves near the Spring of ~. l i j ah. ' St. Albert, the Patriarch of Jerusallem called them as the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mar! .' Al;mned at the Muslim campaign they fled to Europe in 1144. Subsequently Pope Innocent IV and Pope Eugene 1V modified the Ku1t:s of the Order and helped them to expand the limits of t l i e ~ ~ congl-egation. Itall became one of the fertile grounds of the Carmelites atid they showed great fidelity to the Holy See and submitted to the clirections of ~ o me . ' I he father:; of the Order of Discalced Carmelites from Italy were also entrusted with the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Diocese of Vel.apolq at C'ochin in Kerala. In the beginning they were very . ('(o-,ric,/iii L I l i - c , ~ ioi?. of brdiu. Camielite Family of India. p.9. . l>etes 5l:tllet~!. 771e .S/.'rii7g.s ?lf ( ' ~i r l l i e/ , p. I . I'etes 'I'llo~na\ Koll~-bi~ck. ./ournc!j io Curirh: The Slot?. $the C~rni i e/ i re Order, pp.42-43 55 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam much associated with ihe Syrian Christians of Malabar. The Carmelite missionaries started their active involvement at the period of c~) ot i ci r7 c,i.o~.c oatl.1, one of the crucial periods of the history of the Syrian ('hristians. FI-. Joseph of St.Mary ltnown as Sebastiani and 1-lyacinth of Sl.Vincent, both the ~nembers of the Order of Discalced Carmelites \\ere appointed, as Papal commissioners by Pope .4lexandel- V11 -to bring out a conciliation between the two section^,^ and to hr-ing back the defectors to the true path and relieve from the control of 'l'lio~na:; die Ca~npo, the Arch deacon, who assumed himself the Archbishop. Joseph Sebastiani who came down to Malabar on 10 March 1658 greatly succeeded to bring back the dissidents who left after the i.ootiun cross before his departure to Rome. Based on his report the Konir: !Pontiff' Pope Alexander V1.1 in 1659 erected a Vicariate Apostc~lic of Malabar on 3"' December 1659 and Joseph Sebastiani was consecrated as the titular Bishop and appointed as the Administrator ,4postolic of the Archbishopric of Crangannore. The Syrian Christian:~ received him with much respect. But it marked the beginning of a new hierarchy of episcopal administration directly from propaganda. It was against the padroado privilege granted to the POI-tuguese King. 56 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Ibollouing tlhe political vicissitudes the Dutch expelled all the Catholic\ f l om Malabar. Joseph Sebastiani before his departure to Rome ordained l'arambil Chandy, the Syrian parish priest of Kuravilangad. the carliest Carmelite congregatiol-i in Malabar as Vicar Apostolic of' Malabar. Alexander de Calnpo alias Parambil Chandy beca~ne the leadel- of the reunited section of the Syrian Catholics. Before lea\ ing hhalabar. Sebastiani obtained an assurance from General K!ikloffth~at the Ilutch ~ ~ o u l d favour Bishop Chandy and not the ~r c h d e a c o n . ~ Though the Dutch had promised Sebastiani, as he was leaving Kerala, that they would favor Bishop Chandy and not his rival, they had changed their mind at about the time of the arrival of 6 Mar Ciregol.~os. lnspite of the order of expulsion issued by the Dutch against the missionaries, the Carmelites did not leave ~ a l a b a r , but went to the Zamorin' s terri,tory. Several of them retired secretly to the interior and lived among hills and dales ministering to the St.Thomas Christians, who were numerous in those regions, engaged in the -- ~- ~ '. Josepli I~liehkedath. Hi!;rory ql ('hrrstiunit). in India. Val. II. pp. 152-59 ' Ferl-01,. fi e .l~~.vrirfi m A.lulahui-. Volll. p.63. 57 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam cultivation ol' pepper and spices, rice and coconut, and several other products. Phey attentied to the needs of the missionaries and helped them to st;+!, i n their midst. Il i e hostilit!~ of the Dutch towards the Carmelite ~nissionaries gradually abated. Fr.Mathews of %Joseph, a close associate of Sebastiani cultivated close friendship with Van Rheede, the Dutch Commandel. and helped him in the compilation of Hortus ,I/laluhu~.lcr~,\. He succeeded in building build the first Carmelite Church at Chathiat12 near Ernakulam. Thereafter he established the second Cal-~nelitr: Church at Verapoly and built a residence for missionaries that became the mother house of the Carmelites missionaries i n Malabar. In 1675 a seminary was erected in the same place. \ihich later develoved into the great seminary of Puthenpally and the present Pontifical Seminary of ~ l w a ~ e . ~ The disputes among the local factions especially the followers of Archdeacon amt i Parampil Chandy continued unabated. On receipt of the information, regarding the unsettled state of affairs in Malabar, '. M I . 1 Tlrutnir~ C'lf~-i.iii<fii\ irnd rile Diocese of Verrrpoli.. p. 172 B I I , 178 58 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the Propaganda authclrized the Carmelites to elect a suitable native as co-adjutor and future successor to Bishop Chandy who was getting old. O n 3''' h4arch 1677 they elected Fr.Raphae1 de Figueredo Salgado. horli 01' Por t ~~g~l es e parents, at Cochin and received ordination at (al i cut from Bishop Thomas de Castro, Vicar apostolic of ~a n a r a . " 1-he conjecratiorl of Salgado against the wishes of Bishop Chand\ earned ).hi: displeasure of the Syrians. Bishop Salgado excomlnun~cared Father George, the Vicar General of Bishop Chand! . I-ollo\+ing the establishment of the Dutch supremacy in Cochin. the Pol-tuguese missionaries found it impossible to continue their 12roselytisation work. The archbishop of Cranganore and the B~s h o p 01 ('ochin were neither able to exercise their jurisdiction within the allotted areas nor personally arrive at the said territories by the reasons of prohibition made by the Dutch. The appointment of Fr.Peter Paul, an eminent Carmelite missionary and Provincial of the Carnielites in hfalabar as the titular Archbishop of Ancyra (1696) and Vicar Apostolic of Bombay, marked the beginning of a favorable change i n the prospects of the Carmelite mission on the Malabar ~ ~~ ~ - ~- ' I . I 5 1li:resia. H~c,ro,.i./?;u C' ~l r~~~e/ i fu~i u. Fu.sc;enlus. Vol. IV. pp.202-203 59 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam coast. Through his personal influence he obtained from the Senate at A~nst er da~n a decree dated 1 ''I April 1698 which permitted one bishop and twelve priests of'the (:arnielite order who were Ltalians, Germans or Belgia~is t o wor k in thc territo1.y except in the town of Cochin. The ban upon the fexuits cont~nued without any change. Availing the favorable situation the Carmelites tried to establish their spiritual hegemony throughout the coast. Soon the Carmelites of Verapoly, burning with zeal to govern the Archdiocese of Cranganore and the Diocese of Cochin and to expel the Jesuit nlissionaries from Maiabar, of the College and seminary of Ambalakad, hatched a plot; they. complained to the Society of Propaganda that the Archbishop of Cranganore and th~e Bishop of Cochin were absent from their dioceses and that caused great detriment to the interests of Christianity in the resion. In consequence of this arrangement the Society of Propaqanda, .. which was keen to extend its jurisdiction, obtained a brief from Pope Innocentius XII, on 30"' February 1700 instituting the Carnielite Vicar Apostolic of Verapoly anti appointing Fr.Angelo Francise of St.Teresa. as titular Bishop of Mettellopolis and Vicar Apostolic of hlialabar, until the Archbishop of Cranganore and Bishop o f C'ochin wou1,d personally repair to their dioceses. But it .had no 60 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam effect on the Bishopric of Cochin, although on the Archbishopric of Cranganore i t lasted till the year 1703 when the Portuguese Govern~nellt consecr.ated its new Archbishop T>on~ Joao Robeiro I 0 . - S.J.. I he \'icar Apostolic and his Carmelites tried to hinder the possession of t he Archbishopric of Cranganore by Don1 Joao Robeiro, S.J. and to tI11s etfect the) endeavored to foment the jealousy of the I1~1tch at ( ' oc h~~i against the Portuguese. They managed the support fi-om both the Ki j a of C'ochin and neighboring chieftains, made insurrections in tile churches, and gave hopes to the Schismatics to obtain leave from the Pope to consecrate their own Bishop. The allegations made against the Jesuit Archbishop Doln Joao Robeiro were numerous speciallv by the Car~neiite Fr.innocencio of St.Onoti-io 111 spite of all the persecutions of the Car~nelites with the support ot' the Dutch, the .4rchbisliop Dom Joao Robeiro continued to govern the Archbishopric of Crangannore from Ambazhakat until his death in 17 16." l h e Carmelites obtained a new Brief for their Bishop of Mettellopole on 13'" March 1709 sanctioning him to govern the - ~ ~ "' I ~ ~ ~ l c ~ ~ c a I I ~ I ~ I ~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ ~ I , ~ ~ ~ ~ . Vol l2X. F. 1959. , I lhid . I - I')h(l 61 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam cl~urches in the terri.tory in which the Archbishop of Crangannore and the R1s11op of Cochin had no jurisdiction. It runs thus : "the Arclib~shop of ('rali~gannore and the Bishop of Cochin were absent since 23 long period of time fkonl their respective churches, the same Inneceiltius, our predecessol., willing as he was to give protection to the spiritual nec~es;sities 01' the people of those parts and trusting or eat l ~ 111 (lie Lord o n your faith, prudence, charity, doctrine 22 undesstand~ng, vigilance and zeal in the Christ~an religion and in the Catholic l a ~t h constituted and deputed your Vicar Apostolic of the Malabar Hills upon certain conditions that expressed as more fully contained in the apostolic letter of the same lnnocentius which was dispatched in the form of' Brief under date, the 28''' February 1700, with all necessary and opportune powers until the aforesaid Archbishop ancl Bishop could personally return to their respective churches. but it is made known to us that the aforementioned ', . . Archbishop of Cranganore and Bishop of Cocbin were neither able to exercise their jurisdiction within the said Hills of Malabar nor personally arrived in the said territories'' ~ ~ ~ - 12. Ihid I f l' )3I-l' )33. Tranblal~on fiom Latin of a Papal BriefofI'ope Clement 11. 62 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 'The fbregoing Brief was accompanied by a letter of the same date fi-on) thc C'ongregation of the Propaganda to the Archbishop of Crangannose inthrnling that Jurisdiction was provisionally granted to the Vicar Apostolic of Verapoly only to govern those churches in \vhich the said A~.chbishop and the Bishop of Cochin could not freely exercise thcil- jusis~diction on account of impediments from the infidels and scl ~i s~nat i c or trom the secuiar Government and that the said pl-ivilege \ ~oul d only last while such impediments existed and no longer. Another letter to the Vicar apostolic enjoined on him that every diligence sl-iould be used by him in order to make all churches and Christians obey their own Bishops of Cochin and Crangannore. l~ollowing the letter trom Propaganda, the Vicar Apostolic of Verapol). wrote to the Archbishop of Cragannore on the Christmas day of' I 7 1 1 : " 7'he ilioly peace of the only son of God who is born this day in the world fisr our life, I do hereby evangelize your vigilant pastor of so good will towards your flock and pray to our Lord to console you on this occasion of his holy feast with abundance of His grace for the profit. of his flock. It is now two or three days since I received a lettel. from the new Vicar Apostolic of Bornbay (who through disaster:; in traveling still remains in Persia) enclosing two 63 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam from the sacred Congregation of Propaganda de Fide, one to yourself and the other to me of which the former belonging to you shall be presented by my envoy, Kev.Fr.Arsenio together with an authentic copy oi'the translation of an Apostolic Brief that come enclosed in the said letter oi' the sacred society by which his Holiness renewing the first Briel'of' his predecessor newly constitutes nie to the same office of the Vicar Apostolic with circuinstances and clauses which you will see in the said authentic copy. I hope that by colnplying with what is ordered to one f o~. the sake of the salvation of these poor Christians in co-operation with your authority as Proprietor we shall uno Covde Unol~et-e et rrMo Nominie soon reduce these wretched Catholics, who are rebellious as they are to you, their only prelate have passed to the obedience of an intruder the said Syrian Archbishop Doin Gabriel and also bring with more iacility others that remain unwilling and so neglectful other obligations to give you due obedience as good subjects and son:j of the Holy Mother Church. We shall then endeavor the reduction of the ancient heretical schismatic and the Jacobites in order to form these depraved Christians of St.Thomas in one tlock under a sole pastor. 64 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam As this is tl-ie intention both of his Holiness and the sacred society. '1s also the only wish of yourself and of u:j all, I hope you will have no ditIicult>. in co-operating as Principal and Proprietor of this flock and to i~idicate to me how I shall conduct myself in the execution of the Order of hi 5 Holiness so on either \vish to be inore great, nur des11.e a n y thing else than to serve God our Lord and you and atfi~r-d !ou all satisfact~on by endeavoring towards the salvation of these poor souls unt i l I die in this holy exerclse for the attainment of which 1 solicit the aid ot your ~neritorious prayers and the favor of your holy blessings"." .4fter \vl-iting the above letter this Vicar Apostolic repaired to the city of ('ochin. visited the Dutch Governor, and distributed presents alnongs,t :some ot' his officers and afterwards proceeded to visit the neighhor~ng churches wherein he exercised the Episcopal functions. But he could not long enjoy his Apostolic Vicarage as he died the next year, 1712. In January 1714 another Vicar Apostolic named doin F.John Baptista Multedi was sent tiom Rome by the Pope Cleinent I 1 "', for Verapoly with the title of the Bishop of Lymira (in Asiatic Furkey). The Brief of that Bishop of Lymira grantd him jurisdiction under the following clauses. ' "We do constitute and 65 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam depute you Vicar Apostolic in the aforesaid province of the Hills of Malabar with resl:)ect to the churches and places respectively of the dioceses of'C'sangannore and Cochin in which ordinaries are actually impeded fi-om freely exercising their jurisdictiol-IS, and those where it may i n ii~tul-e happe:n to be impeded and no longer". I'he Archbishop 01'C:ranganore and the Bishop of Cochin often represented that the impedinients in question were either false or exaggerated or rather procured by the Vicar Apostolic and his propagandist> but kom Rome they always sent palliative answers. In 1722, when the Portuguese missionary Dom Antonio Pirnental calne to Crangannore as Archbishop, the Governor of Cochin sent a force with an officer and a party of soldiers to Aycotta in order to apprehend the Archbishop and sent hiin to Batavia as a prisonel-. But, howevel.. he escaped froin that grip. Doin Antonio Pimental reporied the entire developments to Rome and blamed the Carmelites for the trouble. In a lett~er from the Congregation of Propaganda to the Archbishop of Crangannore, Do ~ n Antonio Pimental, they recorded their deep regret: "We are very sorry under good reason t o hear the dispute exc~t ed between you and the Bishop of Lymira (the Vicar 66 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Apostolic of' the Hills of Malabar) with respect to the exercise of spiritual iurisdiction which circumstance we have learned by the late letters !i.om thc said Vicar Apostolic. We were long ago persuaded that t1ic1-e coulti not r eni ai ~~ any roo111 for hesitation or doubt if both of you had behaved yoursel\,es ingeniously and with equity, mutually assisting each other in the cultivation of the great vineyard of our I,ord. I lo\ve\er. in order to dissipate and totally remove all doubts, and to manifest lnore plainly the intention of this sacred congregation this affair we herewlth transmit to you a particular instruction for your guidance and hope you will endeavor to behave yourself accordingly in the exercise ot' your ordinary jurisdiction in like manner. Thus we sincerely hope that through mutual exertions, vigilance and consent of you both all discords niay be peacefully adjusted and an only sheepfold t0rnied under a sole pastor. God preserve you inany 'Phe Congregation of Propaganda wrote another letter in Italian on 23"' ~ebrua;;,, 1728 to the Bishop of Cochin, Dom Francisco de Vasconcelles assuring him that jurisdiction was granted to Vicar Apostolic merely to govern those churches in which the Bishop could not exercise hi:j jurisdiction from impediments put by the secular 67 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam government, because the title of the impediment from the schismatic was a falsehood too palpable. and totally unsustainable with respect to this Bishopric in which there never was any schisinatic churches not even indicated an) propensity to it.' ' [ - he c1ii11-ches transferred to Verapoly since the year 17 1 1 by the motives of the I'apal Brief are the following;(i)Vaypin (ii)Mattanclierrj. (iii)Cruz dos Milagres (iv)Benjdarty (v)Palurty (vi)Castelle ( I 1i)Senhora de Sande and (viii)Santa ~ r u z . ' " Afterwards the chur che~ ot 4njengo. Mampally, Changar~acherry and Attingal were annexed to the Diocese of Verapoly. The Santa Cruz church at Alleppey \ &as also transferred to Verapoly against the will of its par~sh~onerb. f he Syrian Churches of Muttom, Tattampally, Alleppey and Porcal also remained under ~er apol y. " But it is doubtful ~411ether the first three belonged to the Bishopric of Cochin or to the Archbishopric of Crangannore since the last was in Travancore. The Cartnelite Fr.Prospero endeavoured to build a new church at Alleppey to which he has attached the Christians of that place. Archbislrop D.Joao Aloysio de Vasoncellos S.J. succeeded Archbishop I3.Antonio Piinental S.J.of Cranganore in 1735. 68 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Fr.D.Salvador dot Reis S.J. was the next important Archbishop whose period witnessed slight changes in the attitude of the Carmelites when he forwarded his letters patent of appointment by the Holy See to Bishop Florence of'L'erapoly. Bishop Florence sent a bold reply that Archbishop Salvador was quite at liberty to gather all the Christians I R that liked his Juriscliction. Salvador tried to restore the lost churches from 1756 to 1777 without any effect. Phe arrival of Thomas Paretnmakal as the Vicar Apostolic of Crangannore marked the beginning of a rapid change in their condition. The representatives of the different churches assembled at Angamali and they discussed their grievances against the Vicar Apostolic of Verapoly. They signed terms not to obey that authority and requested the Raja of 7'ravancore and Cochin to allow them to do so. Both of the said Ra.jas in compliance with the request of the 19 Christians issued (decrees. The decline of the Dutch power in Cochin from 1975 onwards weakened the position of the Carmelities. From the year I 787 upto 1 799 all the Syrian churches remained under the obedience' o-f the Archbishop of ~r an~annor e. " But the 18. CMAgur . oji.'.ir.lp.2:55. !?. l'oiirical Consultationr. Vol. 128.F.1962. 20. lbid I . I Y6. 3 69 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam CIarmelites continue to receive the patronage of the British Residents like Col.Macaulay and Col. John ~ u n r o . " At such a context the dispute centered around a church at Changanacherrl car1 be taken as a case study. It was originally constructed by the Portuguese during the 16"' century and continued as a Latin church ]under the Bishoprick of Cochin till 1789. In 1789 following a quail-el between the Portuguese priests and local Christians, they sought the patronage of the Syrian Bishop of Verapoly. With the support of the Dutch East India Company the Bishop ofVerapo1.y tried for the permanent usurpation of that church. But in 1807 a group of the Christians of Changanacherry dejected with the Bishops of Verapoly , desired to return to the spiritual jurisdiction of the Bishop of Cochin. The Bishop of Verapoly easily prevailed upon them and suppressed that move, with the support of Col. Macaulay. In 1810. following the departure of Col. Macaulay the Christians of Changanacherry again tried to return t o their ancient spiritual See. Col.J,ohn Munro, the successor of Col. Macaulay was - -- 2 1 . K.J.John . (ed. ) . ( ] / I ( ' i f . . pp.224-23 I 70 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Inore biased and prejudicial than Col. Macaulay. Of course he rendered immense service to the Syrian Christians and on the other side he se\$erel) tortured the Latin Christians. He oppressed the Latin Christians and lielpeclthe Syrian priests to usurp the Latin churches. IHe t:n\.oul.cd the Syrians intending to convert them to Protestantism. The Lati11 Christizms of Changanacherry resented the reforms of Col.John Munro. They resolved to resist the adventures of Carmelite missionaries. It finally led to an open confrontation between the Syrians and Latins. :Soon the British battalions occupied the church and kept i t under loclc and key. The untimely departure of Col. John Munro in 18 18 weakened the stand of the Syrians. Soon the Madras Go\,e~-ninent came forward and tried to effect an impartial and just 17 settlement ot' the disputes:- During the slixteenth century, the King of Travancore granted a piece of land free fkom taxes to the Portuguese niissionaries in order to build a church for the perforinance of the ecclesiastical functions of the Christians of Changanacherry. The church was built by the Bishops of Cochin and they exercised the ecclesiastical functions for ,, -- . BSobhi ~nan. ' Soiiic /orgorren A.cirurro~?s qf'rhe Lurin C'hri.stron.s r~JKerula". Journal ot Kel-ala Stud~cs. Vol VI. pp.189-208. 71 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam three centuries withoirt the least obstacle or molestation. But in 1789 the native Christians disputed with the Portuguese priest and through the interference of the Dutch East India Colnpany, they were brought under the Bishop of' Verapoly. The Christians, who favoured the patronaye of the B,ishop of Verapoly wrote; "from time ilnlnelnorial they were subordinate on their spiritual affairs to the diocese of Cochin. and they were obliged to separate from that Bishoprick owing to the unsuppol-ted vexation and cruelties experienced by us and our forefathers. at the time of the Bishop Dom Fre Joze de Soledade and that separation was affected through the interference and support of the then Ilutch (Governor in Council at Cochin to whom we the undersigned, had recourse and having represented our grievances an the Dutch Colnpanly after enquiry having found it to be true, in the year I 789. ordered that we should recognize our spiritual superior the Bishop of Varapoly, and consequently they helped us towards the erection of the church of Changanacherry, with five hundred rupees and granted a free: donation of an extensive piece of ground, for the future maintenance of a Vicar to that church and adopted every other requisite arrangement for its support and remaining firm under the Bishop of ~ a r a ~ o l ~ " . ~ ' Z i Political Consulations, Vol 133. F.6: I 72 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam In 1807 majority of the two groups patched up their difference and expressed their desire to return under the ancient spiritual see of C'ociiiti. I' he principal Christians and heads of families of Changanacherry petitioned before the Bishop of Cochin: "that your Petitioners all belong to the Bishoprick of Cochin from whose prelates they received the Christian faith, and under whose spiritual guidance they always lived till within a few years, when on account of certain disol-ders, they delivered the~nselves the direction of the Italian missionaries of Verapoly;~but the motive of separation having ceased and those fi~thersll'adreslhaving given them strong causes of disgust, whence have resulted great and scandalous dissensions in their church. Your petitioners ran t o the collector and civil Magistrate of Cochin to obtain permission to return to the former jurisdiction of the above Bishoprick, which was accordingly granted by that gentlemen in writing".'"homas Flower, the Assistant Collector of Cochin wrote to the Bishop of Cochin on 30 December 1807: "the Christian inhat-)itants of Changanacherry have represented their dissatisfaction vvith the inissionaries of Verapoly, and in consequence requested that t'hey may again be placed under your Pastoral control. 14 l or e~gn I ' ol ~t ~cal Consultat~ons Proceedings 21 March 1808. Ff. 197-8 73 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam You are hereby reapp'ointed to that charge agreeable to their desire of which 1 have given due notice to the Vicar in charge of the college at Verapol) ' '. 1 he restoratlor1 lasted only for a short period because still some of the Christians opposed the return to the ancient See. The Political Resident and the Bishop of Varappuzha powerfully supported their claims. According to them in 1807 Thoinas de Noronha, the Ecclesiastical Governor of Cochin formed "an union of strict fi-iendship with Mr. Netto, the Police a~niuah of Changanacherry, inveigled away a part of the community attached in peace to the church of Changanacherry, and by a misrepresentation made to the then assistant col1e~:tor of Cochin, Mr. Flower obtained possession of the said church and by compulsive means received its keys from he then Vicar of that church Padre Thome Lopez and the undersigned having made representation on that subject to Mr. Drummond, then collector of Cochin, through the channel and interference of Col. Macaulay, the then Resident of Travancore, the church in question was placed in it:j former footing, under Verapoly and its keys restored back by the Governor Fra Thomas de Noronha to the said Vicar Padre 74 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Thome ~ o ~ e z " . ' " On 22 January 1808 from Quilon Fra Thomas de Nosonha wrote to Lord Minto, the Governor General of India, the follo\rers ot' C'ol. Macaulay along with some inhabitants of C 1 a a c - I - call-le to his residence and cried "victory", "victory". Out of deep ti-ustration he continued: "Thus my Lord, am I situated - IHowe\,es a share has not been well concealed: it would be a different kind of\var much more hazardous. No. I shall always obey those who are authorized to command. Whatever may be the motive of their commands".' tle i~nmediately relinquished the claim upon the church of Changanacherry. T-hus the Latin Christians of Changanacherry were again brougllt under the See of Verapoly through the interference of Col. Macaulay. But the Latm Christians continued their discord and disaffection with the Carmelite missionaries of Verapoly. They were waiting for an opportunity to overthrow the spiritual supervision of Verapoly. In 18 10 (301. Macaulay was followed by Col. John Munro. From the very beginning he became a staunch supporter of the -. "' Politrcal Consultarlans.. Vo l 133. Ff 631-2. '' . Fol-el~n Political .C(:nsultation PI-oceedings., 21 March 1808, F 200. 75 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Syrians. He openly proclaimed support to the ~ ~ r i a n s . " ~ ~ According to him "'l'he liberal protection and support of the British Government is an essential requisite for the restoration and prosperity of the Syrian Church and co~nrnunity. "' He utilized all possible means for the same. He stated: "I have frequently taken occasion to bring them to the notice of' Her Highness the Ranee of Travancore, and her intelligent liberal and ingenuous mind has always appeared to feel a deep interest in their history, ~ni s f o~~une s and character. She is aware of the attention exciled to their situation in Europe, and her anxiety to manifest the sincerity of her attachment to the British nation, has formed I believt. an additional motive, for the kindness and generosity which she has informally displayed towards the Syrians. She has appointed a considerable number of thein to public offices and lately presented a sum of 20000 rupees to the college of Kottayam as an endowment for its support. T'he Syrians are most grateful for her kindness and cherish in no ordinary degree the sentiments of affection and respect toward her person that are entertained by e.very class of her subjeck3' By doing all these favours he expected that : "in the course of a few years the conversion IX. Political Consultat~ons. . Val. 128. F. 200 "' . Ibid.. 1: 1831 i o Ibid.. I' 1830 76 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam to the protestant religion of the greatest portion of the Roman Catholics on their coi3st would take place."i' The sectarian measures of Col. Munro affected the peace and prosperity of C'liangalnacherry area. They prepaced for a religious war. On 21 February 1819, after the departure of Col. Munro they themselves narrated it in detail before the Madras Government. The representatives of the Latin Christians wrote: "That the humble petitioners with greatest submission and respect beg leave i;o state for the information of Your Excellency their unsupportable grievances, under a fill hope that your Excellency's Board will afford them redress after the perusal of the contents thereon. Since the arrival of the late Resident Col. Munro in Travancore many novelty has taken place unfavorable to her inhabitants and left thein at last in the utmost degree of their despair, but amongst thern .the present grievance of your petitioners is more intolerable and r~ernarkable. It is a few years ago that there arrived some reverend nlissionaries of the Bible Society in Travancore and after their arrival endeavoring to remove the Roman Catholics from 77 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam their Holy Churcl~, and finding no ineans to inake the progress agreeably to their project through the means of' the Resident. They were admitted in the situation of the Civil Judges in the Courts of justice with a monthly allowance of 350 rupees dismissing from thence the poor Roman Catholics that were ellnployed in the same situation. Since thxt time the Roman Catholics are pressed to leave their religion and join the flocks of the aforesaid Reverend missionaries. In the late November the late Resident having repaired to Kottayarn conjointly with Reverend Mr. Fenn, there were called some of the principal inhabitants of the Changanacherry church, and proposed to thern )to change their religion, and embrace a different one and they havin,g rejected the proposal of the Resident, that gentle man gave them inany good and sweet words promising to give them very good situation and promotions of great dignity in Travancore, but they understanding that it was all merely a contrivance to change them from their Religion, they absolutely denied and gave their best thanks saying that nothing in the world they would prefer for their religion and ratlieir will lose their lives, than leave it which answer put the Resident in greatest fury against your petitioners, but at last they were granted to return for their abodes a few days after they were 78 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam called again at the cut cherry of Quilon and delivered in the Uzoor Court: there the judges presented to them a petition already drawn in their names to tirm in it their signatures and observing in the contents of the petition t hat tlhey ulel-e requesting to be admitted in the society of Schismatic \\.it11 injurious expressions against your petitioners Religion, they totally refused to give their signature: for which reason they were put for several days in strict confinement and released for some days, and ;after which they are sent for again for the same purpose and have been kept in confinement until. now. The very same violence's have been intlicted to the priests and Principals of Kottaya~n presently imprisoned at Quilon, who have been also deprived of their church. It is three centuries ago that your petitioners predecessors have got from the then Rajah of Travancore a piece of ground free from the taxes, accord~ng to the certificate granted to them for this purpose which I S remamirig to this day in order to build there a church for the performance of their ecclesiastical functions. The said church was established under the prelates the Roman Catholics with out the least 79 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam obstacles, or molestation from the part of the Rajah's or their ministers. It concerns to your petitioners to say that there was issued now a proclamation by Hier Highness the Ranne to take four churches of the roman and to be delivered to the Schismatic inconsequence where of a few Schismatic priests with some sepoys accompanied with Reverend Mr.l'enn came to the lesser porch of the aforesaid church and demanded to Reverend Vicar the key to of it. Instantly there were crowded a great nurnber of mobs men and women, and for refusing the aforesaid Kever~end Vicar the key to the church, he was taken immediately on the guard of the sepoys with three more ecclesiastics his companies together with some principal inhabitants of that place and violently throwing out the people the Reverend Fenn sending for a blacksmith broke opened the doors and took possession of the church. Now please Your Excellency observe the behavior of the Rev. Mr. Fenn on this point and it is even against the natural law, because in every part of the world, the religion is free for every one and in a 80 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam state like l'ravancore, there are lnany sectaries beside the Catholics ar ~d everv one are going on according to their tenets without the s~nallest ~nolestation fro111 any person. Ii'the Reverend Fenn consrders hi ~nsel f that by this means he can subdue your pet~tioners under his yoke, certainly he is in a great mistake because the congregation of your petitioners are containing in number Inore than 4000 individuals, and they will by no lileans condescend t o until the last breath of their lives. The Reverend Fenn cannot disguise this matter saying that it is the will of Her Highness the Ranee: for it is plainly known by every one that this happened by instructions given by their protector the late Resident. 'Iherefore your petitioners ardently crave in, kneel at Your Excellency's feet to afford them a favourable dispatch issuing an order to set your peti;joiers at your former liberty and to be restored to them their robbed churches, whose images were trodden and cast away. For which act of justice Your Honourable Board cannot fail of 81 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam meriting the reward from the hands of the Almighty God and your humble petitioner:; shall in duty bound"." Just after this pet~tion the opposite group also prepared a similal. petit~on and submitted before the Magistrate of Zillah Court in Calicut: " we the undersigned with the utmost deference and respect beg l e a ~ e to I-epresent that on the 9'" instant at about 9 o'clock a numerous crowd of people consisting of above three hundred men, some belonging to the churches under the jurisdiction of the diocese of cochin and some of the refractory ones, belonging to the church of Chansanacherry under the lurisdiction of Varepoly accompanied by priests and also a inam of Calicut by the name of Philip de Neves of a sudden entered the Church of Changanacherry and of the priests among the assailar~ts contrary to the wish and permission of the Vicar of the church, read in public a paper under the seal and signature of the elected Bishop of Cochin, Dom Fra Thomas de Noronha containing as far as we recollect now, that the Magistrate of Calicut, has in consequence of a representation made by a part of the congregation of t~he church in changanacherry in defiance of the existing dispute and opposition offered by the other part of its --, ' -. Political C'ot~sultat~ons., Vol.133. Ft 618-6;!2. 82 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam community, to acquiesce to any subordination and change of jurisdiction permitted by aforesaid elected Bishop Fra Thomas de Noronha to take free possession of that church and its appurtenances and to exercise his 'free administration on the arfairs of that church and those who shoulld offer any fi~rther opposition to that order, and for its transfer f r o~n the diocese of Verapoly, to that of Cochin, should be punished by the said Magistrate. That a little while after the aforesaid paper had been read, the said elected Bishop himself accompanied by two of the stout and robust coffers armed with their dubs and some cnore priests and men from different place of the vicinity of Quilon made their appearance in the church and the Bishop having taken a seat :in the Parochial House of the Church, being told by his people that the Vicar of the Changanacherry church, had objected to deliver over the keys thereof, and of the rooms appertaining to it, got into a rage and demanded of the Vicar t o deliver over the keys. The ~ i c & said in reply that he considered himself and the clhurch under the orders and direction of the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of Verapoly and that he could not comply without first seeing an order to that effect from his Ecclesiastical superior or at least from the local authority to acquiesce 83 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam to a change of jurisdiction and consequently deliver over to him, the keys of the church, he was entrusted with Bishop on hearing this much more enraged in a high tone, in the presence of the crowd, which has aroused in his persons. spoke, to the Vicar, some expressions \vhich decoru~n and decency prohibit us, from mentioning, in this menlorial; but the Bishop's only question was whether the keys, w80uld be delivered or not and the Vicar after some hesitation positivel!i answered that he could not do so, being not authorized from his immediate ecclesiastical superior or by the civil and judicial au1:horities. After which the Bishop immediately pronounced an e~:communication and suspension to their full extent, against the Vicar e:xcluding him from his sacerdotal functions or even in an); of the churches under the globe, sent for a blacksmith and attenipted to break open the doors of the Rooms, and the Vicar with a view to obviate any further insolence which he might have experienced sho.uld be have remained there longer and as the bishop seemed to have been almost deranged and so much enraged, he took his hat to go away., when he was unexpectedly attacked by the Bishop who ran after the Vicar held by him his hand and forced the key away. and threatened that he should lose his person, and be disgraced 84 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam should be delay to deliver the keys, which he had about him, and called out to those: vvho were present to assist him, in what he was going to do. we cannot indeed conceive what was the bishop's intentior1 towards the Vicar, but we can only say that should any resistance have been offered by the vicar, he would have experienced the iiiost grossest insolence as the Bishop was well armed with men of strength tor an affray or cudgeling. The Vicar im~nediately with lear delivered to the Bishop one of the keys that he had then in his first. and the otlier:~ which he had in his pocket and begged the Bishop would offer no violence, towards him and quitted the church as soon as possible. Thus the Bishop is now in possession of the church and it appurtenances and he has already appointed a Vicar t o it and he administers his jurisdiction and exercise his authority over it, and he has ordered also the private things belonging to the Vicar which were in one of the rooms to be thrown out in the street. The Bishop on his w:ay from the church to his place of residence, paid a visit to the police officer of this place and report says that he desired him to report to the public civil authorities at Calicut the circuinstances of his having taken charge of the Changanacherry 85 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam church, by the free will and unanimous consent of its Vicar and the whole of its community." Both petitions widely differ i n the presentation of their grievances. But an impartial examination of the petitions in the light of the developments occurred before and after it will furnish the necessary information. As per the parting desire of Col. Munro, in 18 19 the Ranee issued a proclalnation annexing four ancient churches of Latin Christians including Changanacherry in favour of the Syrians. In accordance with the edict of the Ranee Rev. Mr. Fenn had occupied the church. The Latin Christians who faced several bitter experience under the arbitrary rule of Col. Macaulay and Col. Munro were not prepared to bear the tyranny no more. They resolved to defend their faith and Fr Thomas Noronha heroic:ally led them. Quite natura1l:y this dispute soon resulted in open clash between the two parties in !March 18 19. By this time Col. Munro was replaced y Major Sutherland Macdowall. In the words of the priests belonging to the S,yrians; "unfortunately the sudden departure of Col. Munro to England deprived them of some good effect t hat they 86 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam expected it"." The Roman Catholics forcibly occupied the church and it ended in open hsostility. The immediate cause for the hostility was the edict ot' the Ranee annexing four Latin churches including the church of' (~'lianganacherry in favour of the Syrians, Major Macdo\vall. the Resident of' Travancore on March 12, 18 19 wrote to the Madras Government "an outrage co~nmitted by Roman Catholics in forcibly seizing a church which had lately been repossessed by the Syrian Christians under an edict as I understood of Her Highness the Ranee. It appears that Captain Gordon disapproved of the edict which had originated before he took charge of the Residency and that on seeing the evils arising from the measure he had recommended its , ~ suspension."" In this words of Captain Gordon: "the justice of Her Highness's edict for the restoration of the four Syrian churches principally hs~ngs on the length of time necessary to constitute prescriptive right an'd the time which was elapsed since their forcible seizure. exceeding 100 years, may be some be considered as setting the question at rest 1 cannot however be competent to offer an opinion on this sub-ject, but the polic,y of this measure is sufficiently :, . . I b~d. . I., 624 . Ibid.. f 610 87 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam evident".:" About the niilitary occupation of the church he said: "this cl ~urch was occupied by the Syrians in pursuance of the edict in Januar), or 1:ehruary. It M;as again forcibly seized by the Roruan Catholics \vho rcfused to yield to the Dewan until supported by a detachment of'three cornpan! 's of native infantry. It was then quietly taken possession of the doors locked and guards placed to prevent all approach. . l' lit. decisive step \vhich I ventured was in my judgnlent absolutely necessary and has had a 111ost beneficial effect in restoring order and dispersing a crowd whose financial spirit ni ght have > > 37 produced dangerous consequences . O n 70. March 18 19 the Madras Government directed the Resident in T1,atancore that "the Governor in Council entirely approvest t ~e proceeding of the Acting Resident in having advised the Government of Travancore to suspend the execution of its edict for resorting to the Syrian Christians and the Churches which are stated to have formerly belonged to them in that country but are now in the possession of Rornan Catholic establishmer~ts and I am directed to desire that Captain Gordon may be instructed to signify her Highness 88 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the Ranee the request of Governor in Council that the edict may continue to be so s u~~e nde d. " ' ~ 1-he matters were amicably settled through the medium of Madras C~io\,el-nment. The Roman Catholics grid the Syrian Catholics began to lead peaceful life ignoring there past hostility engineered by the British ofticers. It marked the beginning of a new era in the history of Chri~tian~ity. At such a background Thomas Porukara, Malpan 'I'hoinas Paliackal and Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara came forward and founded the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) the pioneer indigenous Christian (religious) congregation in India having the headquarters ;at Mannanam, a place situated at the heart of the Verapoly diocese. It is a native monastic order, which emerged out of the prolonged tus:jle: of the padroado - propaganda factional feuds. It attempted to combine both the Syrians and Latin's in spite of their liturgical variations., ~~ -- i s Ibid.. I 621 89 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Chapter IV f i l SE AND P'RO(;HESS OF THE CARMELITES OF MAKY IMMACULATE I-11e Lbi-rnation of ('armelites of Mar); Immaculate (CMI) on the I-);isis ot't111: doctrines and dogmas of the Papacy and its control ~no\ t i \ . h\ . the indigenous prelates marked the beginning of a new epoch i11 the prolonged struggle of S>ro- ~al abar i ans to safeguard their faith anti belief?. l'he Syrian Christians who traced a hoary pabt hecame the \ i ct i n~s of both internal and external !?~anipulatiol-is and machinations at different periods of its history. I h e Syi an Christians being "Great or Noble: or Adopted Sons, the l'oll(~\\.ers of the i\razcireiie" after\\-ards underwent the spiritual s\\rl> o l the prelates both from the East and the West. The h/letl.opolitans, Catliolicos and the Patriarchs who came from tbreisn land's at times failed to realize the antiquity o f the Syrians i n its right sense. l+owever, the lack of prcl'per liaison between the tireign pre.lates and the local clergy at times led to confusion and confi.ontat~on. The inability of the foreign prelates to appreciatc 90 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the ;>otentialities of the local clergy and laity further compounded [he cont'tlslon and made the confrontation beyond co~npromise. I lie lbrmatio~i ol CM1 took place at a time when the Syro- Malaha~.i' I~urch was at the vortex of internal feud coupled with the ~nachinations of the toreign forces. The Syrians who had \I itnessed and underwent a saga of trials and tribulations in the COLII-se ol'tlie last several centuries were called upon to face a very scl.ious challi:n!;e, which rather threatened to jeopardize its very existence. The Syrians used to gather vigor and vitality from each 01 the cha1leng;es. The greatest legacy of its growth was the ~~uccessf'ul confrontaticr, of such challenges. It made thein to keep e\\.ake and bi: vigilant against the dangers. 'They realized that the lxolonged strife and struggles could be ended only through the establishment of an indigenous congregation, which would be embedded i n spirituality and social uplift. i-\ sinall group of local ~x.lests led by Fr. Thonlas Porukara fulfilled the long felt historical ~nced. 91 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam I r . I' l~omas l'orukar-a,' the Secretary to the Vicar Apostolic 01' VcrapoI\ ' laid the li~undation stone of the congregation at Mannana~n on r 1 Ma! IS3 1 and named it after St. Joseph with the acceptance of one and al l . ' Hence Porukara was the thunder of the congregation. I he dedication cerelllony was attended by enlinen! dignitaries l i ke Bishop Maurelius St.abili~ii, Fr. Thomas l'alakkal.' I-;. t i ur~al \ ose Elias ~havar a, ' Brother Jacob - .~ . ~ ~~ -~ - t , I,x.~I.~, I8,,rttl\.il,i I) . l h l l w , 111 I)C~CI,IIIO i T i 7i 10 ( 11 I ' ~~I ~~~: I I : I 1:111111) 111 i ,,I I ~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ L I I , ~ I ~ ~ (?ilrl\l?. llc tn,,, , td,li~~cti ~ ~ ~ l l ~ l l l h ~ ~ r 2:. Is:!.:. 1 . 1 ~ l~lo111;l~ l ' ~l r l l ~~~l ~l \l:l~\ I : , I , I I ~I I ? l i i .I I ,II,I: -, , ~ , # t , ; t ~ ~ c,i:~hli~ig /hi111 11, lc:1111 iiitili I;III~II:I~~: ;III(I ir:lditii)~li. , , , , 8 \,I , ( , :,;L. ,tc,. t ) 2 : . 11. ,, ,~I>I>W~IIICLI I,, 111, I~~u~IL, l>.~n~~li. C'II,~II~~>:II~LII:III~ I~III: ;I , I I I I Ih,iiil;i.. i ~ ~ i i ~ l ~ ~ r , ~ g ~ . O I ~ L . L ~ / ~ / L , 1,) yo\( i n lliiil <I~,ioiit,li. IIlih ' : I :; 1 - i l l \ l l Li , .: i ! I,, l!~!l\.lllri_' Ill', ( lliilrll .illiI \l<il,;l\lcr! ,ll \1:11111:111.1111 lil , ' , .>I I . : i . l,,,, ~. c,,,, ,\I \ \ , I \ I LL, .I1 ( l,~~,!l~,<,l,l,l,ll,l. I ,~ lll<>!ll~,5 \\:,\ ) , . j L , ' : Il l t>!h,!,,~,t , ( l l l c \<,:,ti ,>I 1 1 7 ~ . 1 :11i11 ( 1h~~; cb l \ l crc llc l ~ ~ l r ~ ~ ~ l ~ ~ c c ~ l Ill? , , , I I 1 1 ' ,JI~\~II~,: ~I~ICIL~\I #! I \IIL.!ICL, ;x,t~l I V; ~\ L, I ( pr c ~~i ~~~l ~~l Ihili! 1 s ) \\orl, ! L 1 , I : N , , ~ ! . , ~ I L > ~ I llic li! ., , I , , I ~ ~ c ~ I < ? o \ I C. I ~~I ~U\ L ~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ ~ c ~ ~ ~ I ~ o ~ I . ' ,' '..l,l 11,. # > I , " 111.1 1 : !~,l:ll,iili I,,! llil ~1.1IIII1I. <) I ;, i$./l~l,l,i\ COI 11i 1i l l l 1i I ! . I IL. \ll;lrc<l \1:111~1~ ' , t ' t ~ l x , l'o!ol~,t~,t CI<;ICI> -,cI<I. '.!I \ $ L ' li!~. i t , \I?(, \t\>rl~l. i t i, 1 1 I ! I 1 1 1 r : 1 . lhilll l <~gcl l l cl ~l ~>~~l ~~. ~~l ~l t C<i ( 1 1 ~ 13i5l1<>~> I<> rLY)l,c>, l'<,r , , ,I, . )I,:, ,t~iil ~nsr~,>i>,i,)~, I l \ c l<i\l~o[i rcplic,<l: "I t ' ! t n ~ ,IIIC? :IW :~11iong ll~c I&\ l c i ~ r ~ ~ c t l . y 8 I I i l l I I . r i I I ! l ~i i II:I\ I)~\?II ;I III~II 111 Il,cir . . , , , , ; t Ll li~:\ ~,I:~!IIIL,' I , , c i \ c ,l!.q>~, I S) ,~~Ing~~nu\ t:<,~!>rc~:~li<>~l. ~ ~ VCOW~ I I ~ I ~ 10 IIW I 5 I I!!< l{t.l~y?. ,., 1 1 , )p,t\l<>r;~l ,II>L>~I~~I:IIL~ :I, IIIC Ih:t,,cc <~ricnl;tlitxi \ iclc \j~l~e~lcii\. !,,LI~I:II\,,\L, i ,;' .,!<t,,l,i ul i , / ' , ~ ~ j t i ~ , # , , ! I J . . ? ~ . I f . II,,~I>I:I\ l'c>~~~hl~:~r;, I I I l I \ I I \I:II.c/~ lS2S. ~! PI I I C< l t ~r 111. j -e k>~' l i l . < II;C,'II;~. 1 f j ? ! 8 ~~l , , i , 11 ,,!.i~, / j / . I i , # , ) . < ~ g ~ t . \ 0 1 . I.. , , 92 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam I<a~iianthai-a and several others." I t is interesting to note that the C'MI \{as tilt. first i ndi geno~~s religious congregation in the history of the ( ;rriiol~c ('hurcli i n India I I \ <iler~an, the h~ographer of Fr. Cliavara stated that "Fr. Cha\ ara \ \ as t l ~ fbunder and Fr. Palaltltal and Fr. Porukara w-ere - the io-toilncleri of the congregation."' This has been severely criticized h! the Curia members who substantiated with the help of documei~ts ).hat Fr. C'havara was only a young priest at that time and \ \ as very ~iiuch associated with the formation of the coi~grepatlon "iowever, his association with the other priests in the co~istructional activities cannot be delimited." The nucleus of the (C' Ml) is at Mannanam, a beautiful and panoramic hillock at ail .1111tt1dt. ot 1 :i O feet trom the sea level. The scenery all around hlannanain i:, enchanting. 1-ooking to the west, one can see the 93 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam vnsl padd? fields and coconut groves extending up to the hack\\aters ot'l'enibanad. The setting sun at the Arabian see is a maznilicent scene in the evening. The western side of the hillock i, \ + : t s l ~ ~ ~ l I>! the w;ltess extending fsom the backwaters of iiembanad on the eastern side of Kuttanad. On the south of Manl-ianam lies the Icottayam Medical College and on the north the Mahatma C.rartdhi University Campus. The M.C road passes somc 4 1,ms east of Mannanam and it is 12 kms north west of Kottayani. the district head quarters. t r oni tht: beginning the hillock of Mannanam was called 1 1 , Be . o . the abode above, t he hea\renl>i Jerusalem, by the founding t'rlthers. With the dawn of the 19"' century, the history of St. Iliomas Christians ot'Malabas took a new shape and a gigantic stride. I n addit~on to its first position as the birth place of the first indigenous seminary of the Malabar Church, ( 1 833), Mannananl also shares many othel- distinctions like the abode of the first Catholic Sanskrit school and first Catholic printing press, both founded in ( 1840), first Catholic English School in Icerala ( 1 874), 94 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the h'n;,.r,17( L)eepika, the first Malayala~n daily(1887), and K u ~ . , l i e l u k ~ i . ~ ~ ~ / l l ( r ~ n , first Catholic monthly in [(erala founded 1903. ' ' ,?,ithough the founding fathers were nourished by different ideologies. they had only one religious identity . While Fr. I'alakkal ti)llo\ved the Dominican ideal, Fr. Porukkara drew freely from the C'armelite stream. They decided to keep away co~npletely from their relations with the family and to keep their accounts in common. I ' Alier the death of Fr. Thomas Porukkara in 1846, the responsibilities of maintaining the congregation fell on the shoulders of Fr. Chavara. Besides being the superior of the monastery. he beca~ne the rector of the seminary. There after he ~-i.ntle~.ed ~nirac:ulous service in the fornlati,on of the first native cc~ngregation at its classical style. The c~angregation is founded on the hasis of the Carmelite ideal 01' contemplative prayer, silence and solitude, ~nortification of exterior anti interior senses, penance and meditation of the Holy 95 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam I Bible. I t is a f i l l 1 Christian life in which one gives up one' s desire to marry. one's right to own property arid one's inherent d e c ~s ~o n to 111al\e decisions. Vatrcan Council I1 describes religious l i l t 'IS ' 1 U ~ I I to the world at large within the church, a sign and point of attraction to the Christians in fulfilling the duties of their C'hristian t cation.'^ It is grounded on the triple vows of chastity, po\ert! nnd obedience. It is the triple expression of the single ..ye5' ro t i ~c one relationship of total consecration." I I ~ L . \ t o \ \ ol'chdbt~t) is the dedi cat ro~~ of onesell'to God with I I I a t I . I-eopold the spirrtual advisor of Fr. i l ~~t \ : n- : i \[l-i.i~t:d (;.II \:irginal chastity thzit i t i: :I complete i l l \ , ) I \ ~~11ii.1-11 and prc ~iccupatiun ~ ~ i t l i God and his aftairs and an 1 1 , c, \ . i t l L i ' , I : I t > \ i. 1'or tlic. I > i \ ine Being. I-le ilisisted on the love of ~ I I I L. 5 11~1;1)i-)our as a sure sign of one's love of' God. He laid I >cress on cliiir~ty than on chastity. Sufficien~ solitude of I I C: I I . I 14 i.\sci~liill fat- owing the counsel ofchastity. By taking this L ~ ~ . I I O U I I C C c. ~ns ~i ous I \ and fixel:$ rnal.~.iagc and all its 96 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam i ~l i ~\ si ~i gs and I . I I C ~ S U I . C \ ;i~id t al ~c upon LIS lie ohli~aLion to keep ..I- . I ~ r i I i i I i t . I'he senses should also be t i ~ o l l l I I I I . ~ ~ I ; ~ J 111c I ~ ~ I C I . I I ; I I P O\ VC~ S relateti l o pcrcel?tior~s. I I I I I I I C I I J ~ I . \ ;)lid iiiiagination. C:c!~~ii~iienting on (he ~ I ~ I ~ XN- I ; ~ I KC <)I' modest\, 1-r. I-copold instiucted " walk with nlotic.sl\. iiol touchins tach other, even riot to touch others clothes I >cc; i ~~~i ' \ OII lia\re tiic I I I I C of touch and therefore try not to violate ( 1 , ~ . I I I . I I I C c~l' ilias~it! i n any \va?".'%e concluded thus .'in all your actions I - r ~~i e~nber t ha ~ God sees your modesty in walk, nloderate ill Iauyi~tcr. iind talk. and in lteeping the position of liead, while gi\ii:y ilie c1i1.1rch ant! even when others !oolc at you . let it be the I o o h of'1)iviiie lo\;? that 1iell:)s them make an act of Divine love".'" Poverty means total detachment from all things created; and i t proclai~ns that God is man's only real t rea~ure. ~' It is the renunciation. of possessions and that implies removal of all abundance of worldly goods in individual and group life.2' The 97 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam vow (11' poverty torbade them from possessing even the slnallest thing as their own. It was an experience of the true joy of possessing Ciod !,nore fitll\. evert in the midst of deprivation and a time to identify with Jesus when the superior denies them the 2 7 simplest of things:- Obedience denotes full sursender of one's will as a sacrifice ot' o~ieselfto God and thereby to the will of the superiors who hold the place ot' Ciod~.~' Greater i mpost a~~ce was given to obedience than reciting prayers or reading spiritual books or doing all that was appealing to one's own will and pleasure. "Pursue acts of obedience with utmost diligence and help others as much as you can if you care to be obedient and reli,gious."2J Blind and uncluestioned obedience was the norin for the early Carmelites. . Kuriakose in the chronicles of Coonaninavu recorded that the Catholic faith had enlightened Kerala from very early times. But these were neither monasteries nor convents in which nien and women could practice the evangelical virtues. Men had 98 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the privilege of becoming priests or getting married as they wished but the only way of life open to wornen was to marry and no other. 'l'ho:;e who did not wish to marry had to drag on a painful existence at home in order to re~nain virgins. Matters continuing as such in the year 1831, the very Rev. Fr. ~al akkal , by the grace of God and through the gracious help of Rt. Rev. Bernadine, the Archbishop and the Vicar Apostolic of Malabar, the house at Mannanam was raised to the status of a monastery in 1855 and was given a constitution to be observed. Later he founded two more monasteries, one at Coonarnmavu and the other at Elthuruth. T h e Bishop having decided to open a convent for women, acquired a plot of land on the eastern side of the church in Varapuzha in 1860 and spending an enormous amount of money laid a foundation and which constructing a high wall to protect all around. At that time once again a Syrian Bishop came to the place in defiance of t he orders of the Holy See and took over the charge of Inany of the Syrian churches. As a result of the general confusion that ensued the above mentioned attempt to open a convent was sadly disrupted and it remained unacco~nplished for a 99 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam long time '' But w~t hi n sixteen years of his priorship Fr. Chavara himself could establish seven other foundationis in Koonanmavu. Plasanal, L/azhal<ulam, Elthuruthu, Pulinkunnu, A~nbazhakkat and Muthol> Fr. C'hava.ra gives a clear account about daily routine life in his Mannanam Nalagamam. The whole day was spent in prayer and study. They :recited three decades of the mysteries of rosary, praver to St. Joseph, the rosary of the Seven Dolours and the prayers to the lady of the ~ c a ~ u l a r . ~ %i s i n ~ at 5 a.m. they recited morning prayers in cornmon, after which the fathers recited the canonical c.ffice. Then the novices went to the chapel and recited the loyful mysteries of the rosary, followed by a set of prayers comprising of prayers in honor of the five !sacred wounds, the Rosary of the !seven Dolours, as well as prayers to St. Joseph for holy purity and a holy death. Then the fathers said holy mass, at the end of which all joined for the litany of all saints. They engaged in studies till noon, when they recited in comnlon the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary, prayers to St. Joseph and 100 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam special prayers to obtain the love of God, a desire to endure persecutions and grace to do rneritorious acts. Then the father and sen~inarians betook thelnselves to their respective refectories for dinnet-. At sunset at the sound of the Angelus bell they again asse~l~bled, later the name of the following day was announced one recited the prayer: "Create a clean heart to me. 0 God, and renew a right spirit within my bowels to which others responded, cast ine not away from thy face and take not thy holy spirit from me"." After spiritual reading and meditation, they recited the glorious mysteries of the Rosary, the litany of the Blessed Virgin, prayers to our lady of the Scapular and the Glories of St. Joseph, after which lthe fathers and seminarians returned for meditation and studies t i l l 10 p.m. During the season of lent, however, after supper they wlxe zealous in the performanc:e of spiritual exercise till midnight2" Fr. Chavara requested Bishop Bernadine to grant them a constitution and approval fbr the congregation and also to affiliate 101 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam tiIern to t he (~'arll,lelite order.'" After three years of rigorous test H , ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , canonil;ally declared this lay institute into a religious conzregation..~il' With the blessings and orders of'Bishop Bernadine Fr, C'ha"3l.a elt:vated the corninunity to a carlonically approved religious congregation in 1855 and it was given the name the Sel.\;ants of the Immaculate Mother of Mount ~arl nel . " They were given the rules of Discalced Carmelites with certain modifications required by the local conditions." f.r.Chavara paid attention to the reform of the liturgy. He wished that the liturgy be celebrated with decorurn and soleinnity SO that devoi.ion cnu!d be transmitted to the participants. Fr.Chavar-'s. main liturgical reforms were with the perlllission of ('Illll.ct1 authol.ities. As regards the divine office, Chavarals lnain contribution was to re-order and abridge it, and to ,nake a new office for Christmas, Corpus Christi, Easter, the feast of BI.Vergin Mar!. and St.Thornas etc. He prepared an office for the dead- a 102 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam , . long one and a !;hart one."' At the time of Chavara there was no special lit~lrgical ceremony on Iioly Saturday in the Malabar ('hurch. .'Our (Ihurches lay closed like the Jewish Churches on that day'. write:; C]lavara in the letter to the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation of Propaganda ~ i d e . ' ~ To ameliorate the faith of the bl-etl~ren Chavara, according to the direction of the Vicar Api~stolic. translated the entire liturgy of the Holy Saturday of the Roman Ritual into Syriac. It requireid twenty four years for the congregation to receive t he status of a canonically established religious congregation. On I November 1859. Bishop Ludovic directed them to submit an application requesting the ecclesiastical approval for the .. . congregation:'"! that time they did not get the approval from Kolne. "' Fr. Chavara prepared a liturgical calendar based on the Syrian rite and prepared texts, dealing with the rituals of High Mass celebrations and ~acrarnent al s. ' ~ He codified the breviary.38 103 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam ']'here was 110 unifonnity in celebrating the Eucharist and the recitation of thc: divine office. He started the forty-hours adoration at ~oonammavu. ' " It was a manifestation of his great devotion to the t-.ucharist. The Holy See had specifically mentioned the particulars of the adoration and they were translated by Fr. Cha\.ara into pldalayalain. The first such adoration was perti,rmed in the monastery at Coonammavu. Bishop Bernadine gave the title "the Servants of the Immaculate Mother of Mount Carmel" when the congregation was canonically instituted.'" Since it was founded on the first anniversary 01' the proclamation of the dogma of faith of the Immaculate Conception of Mother Mary the name 'Immaculate' was added to the Mother of Mount arme el.^' At tiines the word Mount Carme:l was left out and was called the servants of Immaculate Mother or Amalotbhava Dasa Sangham (the Servants of llnrnaculate Conception). In 1861, the. name of the 104 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam congregation was changed into Third Order of the Discalced Carmelites (T.O.C.D.). l'he vear 1861 once again became a year of nliracle and ordeal in the history of the Carmelites. The Chaldean Patriarch ordained Thomas Roccos in 1861 as the Metropolitan of the Syro- Malaharians and on his arrival in Malabar with the support of Kudakkachira Antony, a local priest, he tried to usurp the churches. which remained under the spiritual sway of the Carmelites and wrest the control of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction. But the timely intervention of tliz Papacy through Fr.Chavara and the Carmelites t.hwarted the attempts of Thomas Roccos. Pope Pius IX in his encyclical papal letter42 Verurn hand made it clear "Mar Thomas Roccos going there and falsely asserting that he was sent by Our order by the Patriarch usurped ecclesiastical .jurisdiction".'" The combined efforts of Roccos and Antony attracted the Syriain Christians in large numbers to their fold. When it becarne a major challenge to the erstwhile Christians 105 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Roccos was excorninunicated and forced to retreat in 1862. I'r.Chavara played a vital role in bringing back the Syrians who went aftel. 1i.occos. He moved around churches after churches and 44 spoke. BLII 'Thondanat Antony got ordination as Mar Abdiso from the Nesotorian Patriarch. After his return to Malabar he became a potential enelny to the erstwhile Syro-Malabarians. The Syrian (:llristians in large numbers assembled around him. He claimed spiritual, and ecclesiastical powers. At such a juncture the Arch Bishop of' Verapoly Fr.Bernadine sought the assistance of Fr. Chavara t o protect his fellow Inen from yet another schism. Fr. C!iavara was appointed as the Vicar General of Syrian denomination in order to protect them from perils.4' He regarded it 3s a decision of God and decided to save KeralaChurch froln such a critical stage. He conducted a series of speeches about his mission. The followers of Roccos failed to give any convincing replies to the rnost pertinent charges leveled by Fr.Chavara against their pretensions and preachings. 106 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam .4s pel- the direction of Bishop Bernadine, Fr.Kuriakose C'havara. the Prior General of the Syrian Carmelites published a circular among his fellowmen that Mar Roccos had come without the approval of Pope and "warning them of the risk of falling into Rocchos~an schism and endangering their s a l ~ a t i o n " . ~ ~ i s h o ~ Kocco5 and his followers tried their level best to influence Fr.Kuriakose aind to win his friendship. But Fr. Icuriakose who was not prepared to make any coinpromise followed an adamant stand.". But those who were particular about a Syrian Bishop recognised Tlnornas Roccos as their ruler and spiritual guide. As a result, out of the one hundred and fifty four Syrian parishes in Kerala at that period, eighty-six parishes extended their support to Roccos. Only thirty nine percent of the believers stuck to their old religious faiths and customs. Fr. Chavara sent an official letter to this Holiness Pope Pius IX requesting the correct infonnation regarding the claim of - - I ii , , I , , . , , \ , , i , , , ~ i , , i i ~ 7 < , t i i i 1 , l ; < , r \ ol. I . p. I ' ) I . !b, 1 ' I,,,, I\<>. / ; / <, \ 5<, <1 I~<,I/I~~J t i , , , . l < , / < , , > , 5 ~ , /,./,',5 ( ' / , <, , . <, , . cI. pp.8 1-82 107 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam ~occos.'")n 7 October 1861 he received a reply from the Perfect ot. Propaganda stating that the Pope had not legally sent ~ o c c o s . ~ ~ On 30 October IS61 Fs. Chavara received the confirnlatory letter with the signature and seal of His Holiness himself. The Bishop of Verapoly e:tcommun~cated Roccos for injecting the spirit of schism among the ~~r i a ns . " ' The people who went after Roccos voluntarily returned to their original fold. l'he advent of schismatic Bishops from Bagdad and their usurpation of the churches and laity were once again arrested through the active assistance of Fr. Chavara. E~ l t Fr. Kuriakose Chavara the Vi,car General did not get the reward for the same. It was not even appreciated. When the proposal came for a local Bishop. Bishop Bernadine who was a friend Fr. Kuriakose was not i n favour of his appointment as the native Bishop of the Syrians. In the General Assembly of the cardinals met at Rome in 1865 Cardinal ~ o k k i m Peechi, who later became Pope Leo XI11 asked Bishop Leonard about the possibility of appointing an native 108 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Bishop for the Kerala church, the Bishop objected the proposal. Fr. Leopold, a Cannelite monk argued for a separate Bishop for the Syrians uncler a Carmelite missionar.y and under the jurisdiction of the Vicar Apostolic of ~ e r a ~ o l ~ . ~ ' At times of distress he remained a source of inspiration to Fr.Chavara. Both of them decided to render immense service for the spiritual and material melfare of the Syrian Christians through prayers and services. They introduced forty hours adoration to reap the fruits of spiritual knowledgei2. New techniques were initiated in the methods of conducting retreats. The old method of reading from a spiritual book was replaced by preached retreat and meditation. Fr. Chavara and other priests who attended the retreat found it very Fr.Chavara wrote a book called Retreatjbr Priests for the use of diocesan priests. Sermon was based on the topics such as salvation, preparation for death, sacraments and obligation of the priests. He taught the Syrian Carmelites to live in the true spirit of sannyasa 109 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam crrounded on u1nir.y and virtues. The true spirit is the spirit of love 3 for Jesus and F,egula, the observance of the greatest virtue obedience. showing charity towards all, happy in being poor, keeping silence and solitude. doing spiritual exercises with great zeal and keeping a joyfill spirit in all circumstances. He exhorted them to advance in virtues, to forgive offences and to pray for the Catllolic ('hurch and entreated them to observe the rules and regulations diligently. " ~ r . Chavara liked the instructions of Fr. Leopold very much and he tried to practice the same in his life. For instance ;as the use of silver was against religious poverty, he decided to sell .the silver cross that was kept in Mannanain and to spend that amount to buy the necessary articles for other monasteries. '' He was such a saintly rnan who dedicated himself to the cause of his fellow men. He earned the love and appreciation of his superiors. l'he Carinelites of Mary Iinmaculate marked the beginning of' a new era iri the socio-educational activities of modern Kerala. 110 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Fr. ICuriakose Elias Chavara had been working in the Christian Bl~cikti Movement and the uplift~nent of the poor and inarginals of the society. Even before the birth of social reformers, who are acclai~ned as such. by the historians, Fr Chavara began his work vigorously In the fertile soil of'Kerala to eradicate untouchability and ~ h u s enabling, Harijans to become part and parcel of the inain stream of'the society. The missionaries of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate perceived education as the only ineans to reform the church and the societv. The congregation concentrated its attention on the educational activities. Fr. Chavara regarded religion and general education as two sides of the same coin. During those days education remained the ~nonopoly of the caste Hindus. The non- caste Hindus were never permitted to come anywhere near to the teiilple ~~at asai as and kalaris . that remained the centres of education. Further the non- Brahmins were prohibited from ~nentioning a single term from the Sanskrit language. Just like the Latin language Sanskrit language remained the monopoly of the Brahmins. 111 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam In such a situation Fr. Chavara founded a Sanskrit School in 1 846 at Mannanam adjacent to the monastery5". He requested each ot'tlic pal-is11 to send two students every year to the newly started school at the expense of the respective parishes. The school started fiinctioning in 1846. Bishop Bernardino Baccinelli also extended his blessings and assistance for the propagation of the Gospel through the medium of education. Fr. Chavara became instrumental in establishing a series of schools attached to the parishes. In an age of caste pollution and restrictions Fr. Chavara invited the children who hailed from all the communities irrespective of their caste and colour 57. ('havara ,wanted to provide proper education to illiterate Hariian C:hri:;tiims and other low caste people to uplift them in the society. Education was an activity close to his heart.58 Fr. Chavara regarded education as a means of uplifting the poor and his 112 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam comlnunlty. At first he formed separate schools for the Pulavas and other depre:;sed classes in order to protect thein from the puotest ol ot11r:rs. Chavara was able to find suitable land, building and sincere teachers tbr the school. Land war; secured in Arpoorkara ,~Tl~uruthi~nalikunnu '" and other near Mannanam monastery. C'lassrooms were formed using bamboo screens with the help of Hari.jans in both places. Chavara himself visited each and every house and compelled children to go to school. More over to attract the children to school he made arrangement to give them noon meals uchu kanji clothing, book, pencil etc.. . I o nlaintain the school of the Harijans and Christians he received al ~ns and contributions for economic needs. With that contribut~on he bouglit some land for 1.7 acres, with the yield of t h~s land Chavara thought of giving salary to the teachers and to meet expenses of noon meals.") 1n addition to this he started collecting p~di yavi (a small amount of rice) from houses by which noon meals were prepared. This school was a great success. 113 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Chavara's attention was turned to the teaching of Sanskrit to Nari.jans. He wanted the study of sacred language by the Harijans sitting along with the students of upper caste."' At that time only suvurnas were allowed to learn Sanskrit. A Variar, efficient in Ma1a:yalam and Sanskrit, from Trissur was brought to this scliool as the main teacher. "' ~l i i s is the first Sanskrit scliool in Christian history."' In deed it was a great challenge and a highhanded revc~lutionary step. This school building can still seen at Mannanan. Chavara wanted to start schools adjacent to every church as the temples and. mosques had their schools at that time. When he became the Vicar General of the Syrians, he took a very bold step, issued a mandate, calling upon all parish churches under his jurisdiction to raise a school attached to each of them, and threatened to close down all those parishes that failed to obey. 64~11 the beginning; these schools mainly concentrated their efforts for 114 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the education of Christians. But later, with out any discrimination the .suvuunu.s arld avarna.s were given admission in this school. Even though there were protests against this the ultimate result was a great success. The social renovation of Chavara for improving the :social as well as spiritual condition of the depressed classes was a cornplete success. The effort of Chavara was the first phase of the literary cainpaign ainong the people of Kerala. As schools were auxiliary to the churches, the schools were known as pall~koodangal.65 Thus he had to develop them, bring them slowly into the inainstreain of the society and help them to equal theinselve:; to be eligible for the government ar,d for the state service. Later om similar educational institutions were started at Edathuva, Pulincunnoo and Kainakary. As per the CMI constitution: "The aim of all education is the formation of the human person for the fulfillinent of his individual and social responsibilities. Christian education further aims at his 115 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam growth into manhood according to the mature measure of Christ. C'onscious of these aims of human and Christian education we shall give an excellent and all-round f'orniatiol-I t.o the students in our educational institutions. We shall concentrate more on quality than on quantity and fostel- good interpersonal relations. Our exemplary life should ;al~vays remain the most important factor in our educational apostolate. We shall make special efforts to co- ordinate our educational activities with the aims and goals ot' the nation so that our students may grow up as respon!;ible citizens fully involved in the task of nation- huildingC'". Phe spirit of CMC is the further manifestation of the spirit ot' CMI. Fr. L,eopold imparted the rules and regulations of St. Teresa of' .Avila to CMC. The inajor charism of CMC is sanctification 'of all through prayer and Christian forination and he 116 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam education of women and ~hi l dr en. "~ The Christian formation atte~npts to impart the Christian values to all. l'lie aim of l.he congregal.ion is twofold. ITirst, the sanctifica~ion of the members by means conteniplation and penance and second, to ~vork for salvation of all through prayer and education of girls"! It is a har~nonious association of contemplation and action in which there is no place for allocating the whole time to reading and recollection alone". The CMC constitution of' 1976 has clearly defined the aims and objectives as to be completely to our fellowmen is our subliine goal, the greatest b!lss and the real scope of our life." 'The condition of the women folk in Kerala during the nineteenth century was far from good. They became easy prey to brute suppression and oppression7i. There were so many inhuman abuses perpetuated on them. At that time women folk of the low caste were not permitted to cover up the upper part of the body. 117 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Education was strictly forbidden to them. Chavara wanted the raise to stat~ls of women in general. EIiminat'lon of untouchability was the need of the hour. , / ~~c , I . I I u. s and untouchables like Pulayas, Parayas, Chandalas and the lower caste people were not allowed to come near the Brahmins or ot:her upper classes, to walk in the public streets, to entet- the places of worship and dress Schools were stl-ange to them. The): mere considered only as the s cu~n of the society. The nineteenth century Kerala church did not approve the equality of women even in religious matters7". Women were not permitted to artend the retreats meant for the spiritual growth of the faithful. They were not allowed to witness the cultural programmes staged in the premises of the Church. They were not expected to be present tor ecclesiastical celebrations and social gatherings such as sl-adham, adiyanthirarn, marriages e t ~ . ~ ~ L 118 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam It was such a pathetic situation which inspired the church authorities to visualize and shape religious congregations for women wliich became the centres of learning,, benevolence and - asceticisn;. '?rhey tried to bear witness to Christ through service to the neighboul- especially through the Christian, inoral and creneral education of children and young women. '"hey a concentrated their attention in services such as caring for the orphans, the a.bandoned, the handicapped, the aged, the sick, the poor and the needy through various socio-economic schemes. They worked for the salvation of souls by prayer and by teaching young girls. Apart from the secular subjects such as languages, mathematics, science, music and handicrafts, the girls were taught catechism and meditation too.77 It was a training ground of character forn,lattion and making them housewives and mothers. Blessed C:havara and Fr Leopold Beccaro, the Italian Carinelite missionary, founded the Congregation of the Mother of - < I ns\ ? . in (l i e Sl7a~ioiv of rhe ,bfo.st High, p.14. ' ( ' t,thol i i Direcroi:v of indru, pp.1 108- 1 I 10. 7 ; ('hlC' Yala~amam.,Vol.Il,p.30. 119 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Car~nel. the pioneer indigenous religious congregation of women in Kerala. in 1806 at ~ o o n a mi n a v u . ~ ~ The relationship that existed hetween the two rather became a deciding factor in shaping the CMC' .-" I t \\.as Sounded on the spirit of "Bhakti- ~ a r ma - ~ o g a ' . ~ " The most subli~ne goal ot'the congregation is that its members dedicated themselves to the Almighty and lived for the happiness of their tellow beings. The main apostolate of the congregation is education aiming at the spiritual, moral, social, intellectual and econo~nic advancement of the people particularly of woinen and children.';' With great interest, and responsibility, they led the people to brotherhood and unity so as to discover and nurturethe spiritual wealth of India, transcending caste, creed and language. I'hz Congregation of Mother of Carinel was started with the capital of 18 rupees. He put up an enclosure for the convent at Coonammavu. This convent was mostly made of bamboo mats and coconut fittings. He built a colnmon prayer hall, dining hall 120 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam and three single rooms for the inmates all walled in from the outside. 'l'he tirst members of this congregation were Elisha, a widou, her daughter Anna. Thresia of Karthedeth parish and Elisha of Putlienangady, Vaikom. They came to live in the new convent on February 13"', 1866. But Chavara was not happy with the temporary shed. He toured the Southern districts of Kerala and raised Ks 8,0001- within eight months to put up a permanent house for them as well as a school and boarding house for girls. The building was completed in March 1867. Fr. Chavara had clear objectives in starting this society. 1 ) to form a group of women living sc:rupulously the religious way of life who were dedicated to the love and service ot'Ciod and 2 ) to gel. these woinen to work among the woinen folk as a catalyst and a liberative force. Hence one of the main thrusts in their way of li~fe was to educate women, irrespective of caste and creed. including Harijans and thus secured for them better and reasonable living conditions and work. 121 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 'The CMC co~~gregation, following the foot steps of its founder and drawi~ng inspiration from their brothers (CMI) started schools in various places of Kerala. The first formal school for sirls was started at the convent premises in Coonam~navu on 16"' October 1872." ?These schools absorbed students not only of liigher castes but also lower castes and outcastes. Hundreds of girls from l-zhava, Pulaya and Adhivasi coin~nunities joined these schools. They became conscious of their personal worth and respect. They began to grow up intellectually. The women of all castes who were convent-educated began to occupy a high positions in every realm of Kerala society C'olnmenting on the importance of social apostolate the constitution of CMI inade it clear that God is in reality experienced'by men in the concreteness of their daily lives, their needs and aspirations, and their actual fellowship as brothers and sisters. childrmen of the same father. Like Christ they too are sent into this real !world to preach the good news to the poor, proclaim 122 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam release to the captives and liberty to the oppre~sed. ~' Hence, action for justice and participation in the transformation of the world is a cc-~nstitutive dimension of the preaching of the gospel. The specific contl.ibution of a religious community is to transform human relationships, personal and structural , at all levels of thk human society through the gospel values. Conscious of the unjust social and econornic conditions, they should realize the obligation to ~vos k towards a radical refornlation of society. In trying to eradicate the social inequalities they should endeavor to help others to help .themselves. The cry of the poor should find an echo in their lives and should prevent them from making any kind of co~npromise \\it11 an! t'orrv of social injustice (ET 18). They should take bold steps to critically evaluate their life -style, and the impact of their social and humanitarian works, and their bearing on the message of the kingdc,m of God we preach. Since human life, nature and culture are intimately linked , and the human person can attain full maturity only by cultivating the values of nature, the good news of 123 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Christ called l i )~. a continual renewal of the life and cultures of human PUSOO". The religious commitment should inspire them to respond to the presence of Christ in different cultures through actiie i n~oI \ , ement in various socio-cultural groups and activities i n order to be effective inessengers of the hope of his kingdom ulicl-e\ er they are (GS 58) . U hen t he members of the Congregation are called upon to undertake, for the sake of apostolate and the welfare of the people, both in the nlissions and around their houses, socio-cultural, ecu~lomic and such other activities, they should bear in mind their basic objective in them. namely , making the presence of the kingdom of Ciod in those areas concretely felt. 84 In the ]field of social services the CMI's emphasized the need to begin houses and training centres for social out castes and exhorted to tak.e proper measure for making poor families self sufficient and self supporting'.85 The services for the uplift of the poor and weak are classified into: .-.~ ~- ',!,' , , , onl ! i , , i I , >, , L, / I </ I ) ! , , <.,o,:,. 109-. ,1.2.:-24, I I l b i . / l i i ~ i ~ ~ ~ ~ / ~ i i ~ ~ i : , i , i rl ri ! . Y ~ i r i ~ : ~ ~ ~ i i i , i n i . 19.17 . p.:!.; 124 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 1 . C'are for the destitute 2. Refuse homes 3. tlomes for the aged. caterly exclusively to the elderly 1. I>av care centres 5 . Institutions which extend residential and non- residential care to the disadvantaged groups like mentally retarded and disabled 0. Other services. 'The Hoilse of Charity' was started in Kainakary by Fr Chavara in 1869 as an ins~itution to receive sick, poor and destitute people. Thus he took a revolutionary step in the social field of Kerala. The people of Kerala had not heard about such an insritution. This was intended to take care of orphans and poor without any ca:jtf: discrimination. It was the first of its kind in India. At Kainak.ary he started the organization named 'The Helpers of the Dying who Desire a Peaceful Death.' These were the symbolic expressions of his love for the homeless and unfed. Chavara always advised his colleagues and fellow men not to let the beggars go away from their door empty handed, not redicule 125 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam or inconvenience the poor. Proper wages for laborer and servants s h o ~~l d not be delayed. These were his clear cut instructions and practices. For rhe ~.enewal oi'the 'hurch Chavara felt the need for having a printing press at Mannanam. In 1844, Chavara began the preparations for a printing press. The primary objective was the printing of prayer books and spiritual works. Two basic needs were liturgical and other prayer books and spiritual books. The liturgical books were in Syriac. The available prayer books were in Syriac and 'Tamil. No books were available in Malayalam In those days there were only two printing presses in Icelala- 1 he C. 1U.S press and the Government Press at Thlruvananthapuram. In 181 1 the C.M.S press was started at Kottayarn with the help of British Resident, Colonel Munro. Benjamin ~aldie," the author of a Malayala~n dictionary was the founder of this press. In 1834 Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, the 126 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Maharaja of .rravancore established the Government press at ~Tliiruvanantl~zpura~n. Chavara and the fathers at Mannanaln had a hard time in establishing.the press at Mannanam. Chavara wanted to see the CMS press at Kottayain. Twice he went to Kottayam, to see the working of the press. But they did not give him perlnission. Therefore he went to the Government press at Tliiruvananthapural~~ and the local carpenters on wood made coining back to Mannanan with the model of the press made of plantain the same thing. That was the first private press in Kerala, which rvas established in 1846. The first Malayalam prayer book Jnanapiyusharn was published from Mannanam. It was a book of 1"x 1.5" size with 332 pages. More books were printed in the following years. Balanikshepam was printed in 1860, Jnanaprajagaram in 1862, the monthly devotions os St. Joseph in 1867, the prayers for the Mass in 1868, the book of Moral Theology in 1862 on wards. Syriac was printed in Kerala for the first time at Mannanam. The press was the third in Travancore. 127 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam But was the tirst one to be set up under private ownership in the count ry. flic pioneering work of Chavara and his companions were continued i n the fbllowing decades. The priests and lay people under the leadership of Nidhirickal Manikkathan for starting a ne~~s paper made combined efforts. Accordingl:~ the Nazvani Deq~i ka was started from Mannana~n in 1887, six years after the death of Chaval-a. This was the first Malayalam daily. The most far reaching, enduring, illuminating, edifying and even sanctifying field of activity, initiated by Fr. Kuriakose through monasteries in general and primarily from Mannanam was that of printing. It marked the beginning of a new epoch in the history of mass media. 'l'here is the wooden printing press preserved at Mannana~n as eloquent witness to his pioneering effort to educate people through the printed word. His awakened social conscience would stop nothing short of communicating enlightenment and comprehensior~ to others. Thus through publication he tried to highlight the problems of the people . Thereafter the newspapers 128 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam became a very effective medium to ventilate the grievances of the people. The l~tel.;~r!i contributions of Fr. Chavara is not fully realized even by the people of Kerala. His abiding interest in the history. culture and literature of Kerala is clearly manifested in his poet~cal works. His poetic creation consisted mainly of following (Atl7manzttha~1am) Co~npunction of the Soul, 'Dirge' (Mur-anuveetil Padunnuthinulla Pana) and Anastasiayas Martyrodorn (,4nastasiayuade Rekthasakshitham).. Dhyana Sullupur7gal (Colloqiees). Deiva Vilimel Dhyanangal (Meditation on Divine vocation) and Nalagamangal (Chronicles). Among his writings Athmarnuthapam is considered as an epic poem whicln portrayed the life and career of Jesus and Virgin Mary. This poem has twelve chapters dealing with the birth, life, teachings. death and events following the death of Jesus Christ. In the firs1 chapter the author thanks God for the gift of his life and regrets his unworthiness. In the second chapter he expressed his sense of gratitude towards God for having saved hiin from a wide spread epidemic in his village. The life of Christ is introduced in 129 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the third chapter. The fourth chapter deals with the birth of Christ i n Bethlehem. 'The next chapter is a beautiful picture of shepherds c o mi n ~ to worship the new born child. The sixth chapter is more ilnaginativr especially the dialogue between Mary and a Shepherdess Skrat~ti by name. It is followed by the worship of the wise men fi.0111 the East, the presentation of Jesus in the tenlple and the words of Sirneon , the heart rending prophecy of Mary which are contained in the seventh chapter. The passion, the way of the cross anti the death on the cross of Jesus are very vividly pictured in the eighth chapter. In the ninth chapter there is a sorrowful picture of a wailing mother and the attempt the disciples make to console her. The growth of the Church, the conversion of Paul. the journey of Mary, the lnartyrdom of Jacob etc are the themes oi'the tenth chapter. The remembrance of Mary along the path to Golgotha and other holy places fill the eleventh chapter. In the final chapter :Mary is bidding farewell to the apostles and the author concludes the epic with an intercessory prayer to ~ a r ~ . ' ' 130 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Amidst the hectic activities Fr.Chavara could find time to write some spiritual books on Christian doctrine for the good of the Malabar people." His writings can be divided into various categories: I.e~ters, Chronicles, Liturgical books, Administrative writings and Spiritual bool<s A U I I ~ F ; ~nd Anusthasiya i Mar-tydom are the two shorter epics written b\r Fr.Chavara. Anasthasia 's Martyrdom is the stor! that happened in Rome in the 3'" century A.D. The poet narrates the various inodes of persecution in such a way as to touch the heart:j of the reader. It was written in 1862, but printed and published in 1936. 'I herefore it could not get proper recognition. Anasthasia :r Martyrdom was the pioneer attempt at the nod ern shorter epic ~nove~nent in Malayala~n literature, which was written i n Kerala twenty years before the innovation of the semi-epic style: (Khandukavya). All literary circles in unison, celebrate Malayavilas~n of A.R Raja Raja Varma as the budding of shorter epic movement in Malayalam. It was written in 1895. 131 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Anu.v/hsitr '.Y Ma~tyrdorn of Chavara was written thirty three years before Valayavilasom 0fA. R. Raja Raja Varma. ,411l~u1r11rhupuw was also written before the formal epic writing in Malayalam literature. It was printed allnost simultaneously with its composition. Still it was known only among t he Christians as devotional song, and remained unknown to the rest of'tl-ie Malayalain speaking populace of present Kerala. ' l he literary worlc of Fr. Chavara has not been properly utilized by the people of t.he present generation. But, it is expected that, at least the people of the future generation would realize the i~nportance of' his literal-y works. Fr.C'havara was not destined to lead a long life. Without any displeasure to his superiors he led a contented life as the superior general and great prior. As the Vicar General he divided the Syrian Church into four zones and a representative was appointed for each zone. These representatives enjoyed the same power and position as Vicar General. Their functions included visiting churches, settling cases, transfer of priests etc. In order to keep church and its belonging neat, special instructions were given. In 132 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the niidst of his hectic schedule of life the health began to worsen in August 186'3. On 3'" January 1871 Fr.Kuriakose Elias Chavara died after a life of great innocence.'" 133 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam ( l~apter V ( AKMELITES OF MARY IMMACULTE ' I H110IiGH THE AGES \ I I L, S ~!lc. de~ni se o l 1-1, . C' haura, Fr. Leopold Beccaro bestowed I ~ O I - V ; i r t i . r l t i or ; i )n tl-~e young congregation. Fie accompanied Bishop c ~ ~ i I !ii\ ,jctu~.ne!: lo liolne \\-it11 the intention ot' meeting the I:ali>c~- c~ent.ral ot L)iscalcccl (-a~.melites. He wanted to represent the idea ot' aftiliating the 'Third Ortier of Carmelites Discalced with the Order ot ( armelites Discalced and the division of Vicariate of \/era;?(\!!. . !-!iz Icwe ?.nd :?!'ti-ction nrhich Fr. Leopold had i n his mind I'ol- thc S\rians earned the displeasure of Bishop Leonard. After their setui.11 I!.o111 Rollis, Bishop Leonard reduced the powers of IFr. Leopold as Delegate .Apostolic. lie was not permitted to make co~nmunication with 11ie ~-cl i gi o~l j priests and sisters and to interfere in the affairs of the S) rim Casmelites. I-le spent the last days in Yerapoly vil-tually as a 11riso11c1- 134 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 1.i. I'c~i-trl,l<ara Kuriakose L<lizeus became the Superior of the Coriilreilarioi~ - - t;,lio~ving the deatl-r ol' Fr. (:Iiavasa Kusiakose. Msgr. 1-eor~ard h,lc.ll~iito a1,pointcd I yr . I!lizeus as his delegate. lie was also callcil iipcin t>ice : t sesies of'cliallenges both ti-om the internal and csternal c . A.s the hro~lier of' Fr. l'homas 1'ol.ukkara and the :;Lrccc.ssor of 1.1.. K.;uri,akose ('havara, he was held in high respect. The peace and tranquillity enjoyed after the departure of Roccos, was once again disturbed by the appearance on the scene of another schismatic Bishop, Mar Elias Mellus, who came to Malabar in 1874. He was sent by Mar Joseph Audo, the Chaldean Patriach, at the request of some Syrian priests, mostly of the Padroado jurisdiction.%e fixed his headquarters at Trichur and he was joined by Fr.Antony Thondanat, who got ordination from the Nestorian Patriarch as Mar Abdiso. In 1875 they received another Chaldean Bishop, Mar Jacob, whom he set over the schis~natic churches of the South Malabar. They tried their level best to bring the Syrian Christians under their fold and to convince them that Mellus was sent by Pope Pius IX. Fr. Mathew Gregory (Kodupadam), a mernber of the Congregation, then Vicar of 135 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam OIIur Parish Church, near 'l'richur, directly inquired of the Holy See to ascertain the truth. Pope Pius IX replied that Bishop Mellus was an intruder, illegally came down to Malabar against the express orders of the Holy See. Mellus was excommunicated and Mgr. Leonard gave a special commission to Fr. Cyriac Eliseus (Porukara) to fight against the schism of Mellus and Trichur was the centre. The Fathers of the Congregation, foremost among them, Fr. Mathew of St. Mary (Kalppil), Fr. Alexander of St. Joseph (Kattakayam), and Fr. Jacob of St. John of the C~:oss (Palakunnel) fought against the growing schism. They were supported by some of the leading families of the place and especially by Fr. Emmanuel Nidhiry. The Mellusian Party eventually lost footing, and the labours of the Fathers were again crowned with success, to the.greater glory of Mother ~ h u r c h . ~ They gathered vigour and vitality fioim the previous experiences of Fr. Chavara's fight against Roccos. The congregation once again felt the urgent need for a Bishop from their own cultural background which would be the only panacea for all the existing problems. The fathers were riot slow to understand 136 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the psychology of the Malabar Syrians. Their longing for a Bishop of their own rite to rule them, as hereto fore and at any cost, was at the root of all the sChi:sms that again and again played havoc in the Church of Malabar.' The fathers, therefore, in due course submitted a petition to the Holy See in order to safeguard their mother church from any further attack of schism, begging that the Syrians might be separated from the Verapoly jurisdiction and placed under a bishop of their own rite. The secular clergy joined hands in the enterprise with the leading Fathers of the Congregation. 'They requested some of the Vicars Apostolic of lnclia to plead their cause before the Holy See. The Propaganda Congregation sent Mgr. Leo Meurin, S.J., and Vicar Apostolic of Bonnbay, as visitor ~~o s t o l i c . " The Archbishop Vicar Apostolic of Verapoly, Mgr. Leonard OCD, felt unhappy over the course of action of seven CMI priests who took the lead in petitioning the Holy See asking for a separate Bishop to rule over them.' T:hey were forthwith expelled from the Congregation. Moreover, the admission of fresh members into the Congregation was 137 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam discouraged. One of these seven was the late Mar Aloysius Pazheparainpil who., in 1896, was eventually nominated by Pope Leo X111, one of the first three indigenous Vicars Apostolic to govern the Syrians. In 1876 Mgr. Leo Meurin S.J. of Bombay who was appointed visitor Apostolic of Malabar reached Mannanam. Fr. Emmanuel Nidhiry acted as his Secretary. Mannanain was fixed as the meeting place of the Syrian. priests and the leading laymen; there they could unveil their hearts 1:o the Visitor Apostolic. The leading Fathers of the Congregation me:t at the CMI mother house on 25 May 1876. General meetings and private mdiences were held. The Visitor Apostolic after studying well all sides of the question promised he would do everything for the Syrians. He declared that the behavior of the Fathers of the Congregation, in this respect, was not to be blamed and called the seven Fathers who were expelled, "The Seven Dolours of the Congregation," predicting at the same time that they would be turned 138 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam into "Seven Joys." Those seven were permitted to re-enter the Congregation if they wished to." Msgr. Meurin visited several churches and the monasteries of Coonammavu, Arnbazhakat and Elthuruth. For a long time he made Elthuruth near Trichur his residence, exerting all his energies to crush the schism of Mellus who had his headquarters at Trichur, and to recall the schislnatics to the bosoln of the Catholic Church. During his stay there. Mar Jacob, auxiliary to Mellos, met Mgr. Meurin and reunited with the Church. I:r. Emmanuel Nidhiry was the chief instrument in the course ol'negotiations and ~et t l ement . ~ When Mgr. Meurin's report reached the Holy See, another Commissary Apostolic, Mgr. Ignatius Persico, 0.F.M Cap., was sent to Malabar; after visiting the Seminary of Puthenpally and the Monastery of Coonammavu he had a private conference with Mgr. Meurin at Elthuruth; then a~fter interviewing several persons and visiting some places in lndia he returned to Rome. Mgr. Meuriri's visit had its immediate result. Fr. Marcelline Berardi 0. C. D., was appointed Coadjutor Bishop to Mgr. Leonard 139 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Mellano with exclusive charge of those of the Chaldean ~i t e. " ' He was consecrated in.October 1877. A few days before his consecration, Mgr. Meurin. 'expleto officio,' returned to Bonlbay after having won the grateful hearts of the Syrians. From his letters to Fr. Aloysius Pazhepara~npil and others, it is clear that in co~npliance with a request made at Mannanam by the Syrian priests and some laymen, he had reco~nlnended a. Jesuit Bishop assisted by a Syrian Bishop from Malabar, to govern the Syrians. I I l'he relations the CMI Congregation had with Msgr. Meurin, were the prelude to the innumerable benefits it has, from that date, received fro& tlhe Society of Jesus of which Mgr. Meurin was a distinguished member. Bishop Mellus, seeing his party daily grow weaker and weaker, departed for Mesopotalnia in 1882, entrusting the care of the forty churches that acknowledged him, to Antony Thondanat and to the Corepiscopus Augustine of Mesopotalnia. All the churches, except that of Trichur, gradually came over to the Catholic communion. The Nestorians of Trichur are the residue of the once turbulent schism of Mellus. ~~.~ - . ~ ~~ ~- \ < J J , , . / < t ' / l , , ! ' , , 8 , \ o,, l/1<, ( I l l i> 1 I I ; , , < , , I , , , , I , , , < f",,r,.,~~',,!<>,J ,,/ ll,,l<,/><,!.. fl.72. 140 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam In spite of ~nisrepresentations regarding the Fathers' efforts to ]lave a Syrian Bishop to rule over the Syrians, the Holy See all along had in mind the i.nterests of the Congregation. In his letter to Mgr. Meurin, dated 27'"' August 1877, Cardinal Franchi, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of Faith, after speaking of the sepxation of the Syrians froin the Latins, says: "Qua in re peculiaris sollicitudo gerituir Tertiariorum Syro-Malabarensiuln quorum ,. I2 institutum S . Con gregationi semper cordi %it et est . . . . . Mgr. Mar'zelline Berardi became the Coadjutor to Bishop Mellano and the "Dioceszn Superior" of the Congregation. According to the instruction.^ of the Holy See, he convoked a General Chapter of the Congregation in December 1877 at Coor~alnmavu and hiinself presided over its sessions. The constitutions were modified and forwarded to the Holy See for appr~bation. ' ~ When Leo XI11 was elected Pope, Fr. Cyriac Eliseus (Porukara) in the name of the Congregation sent him his homage, to which His Holiness repliedl in words of praise for the Cor~gregation, encouraging 141 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam all its activities. The letter was a pretty long one and was signed by the Holy Father himself. Fr. Cyriac Eliseus was addressed in it: "Prior General" ot'tlie Congregation. "It will be extremely pleasing to Us, Beloved Son, to follow carefully in the footsteps of Our above mentioned Predecessor in those things which concern the good of your Congregation and that of the Syrian people; We wish that you be convinced that \YE: have greatly at heart to pron~ote the peace of all and the spiritual advantages oi'your Institute, in the midst of the storms and disturbances in which you are involved, and We do desire nothing more than that your Congregation, from which much good might be expected if i: keeps to the proper course, might flourish and bcing strengthened by very good di:;ciplinary rules, and observing faithfully due obedience to legitimate authorities, might happily attain the end it has in views, namely, the increase of religious fervour and the salvation of soul^."'^ The beginnings of the monasteries of Thevara and Chethipuzha are to be traced in this connection: Fr. Jacob of St. Mary (Kanatt), Vicar of Vazhakulam Monastery, obtained permission from 142 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Mgr, Marceline to build a chapel at Thevara. The faithful of the place, both Syrians and Latins, heartily co-operated with the Father. The chapel was colnpleted and blessed in 1879. It was definitely ceded to the Congregation in 1890, on behalf of a monastery to be opened there. Mgr. Bernardine Berardi had already sanctioned the erection of a monastery near Clnanganacherry. In 1 882 the people of Changanacherry approached Mgr. Ivlarcelline through Fr. Cherian Chakkala, a secular priest, and expre:;sed their desire to have a monastery at Chethipuzha near Changanacherry which the Vicar Apostolic consented. The foundation of the monastery of the Sacred Heart, which for a long pericd was the major seminary of the Congregation, was laid on February 20, 1883. Fr. Alphonse of St, Mary, assisted by Fr. Jacob of St. John of the Cross, contributed so much towards the early progress of this house as to be its founder. A catechumenate and an Elementary Malayalam School which later became an English medium school were attached to the monastery. 143 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Unity and gladness were the hallmark of the founding fathers, which had been handed to the followers by them." The year 1886 witnessed the establishinent of the Latin Hierarchy in India by which Verapoly became an Archd~ocese with Quilon as its suffragan See. The following year, May 1887, His Holiness Pope Leo XI11 of immortal memory, compllztely separated the Syrians from the Verapoly jurisdiction, and placed them under two Vicars Apostolic of the Latin Rite, who were to associate with theinselves two pontifically privileged Vicars General from among the Syrians. The Priors of the monasteries of Mannanain and Elthruth were commissioned by the Delegate Apostolic to conununicate the news officially to all the Syrian churches of Malabar. The appoint~nent of Mgr. A. Medlycott and Mgr. C. Lavigne S. J . as Bishops of Trichur and Kottaya~n respectively became a great landmark in the history of the Church in ~ e r a 1 a . l ~ Mgr. Medlycott took charge in December 1 887 and Mgr. Lavigne in May 1888. To prepare for the reception of the prelates, two grand public meetings of priests and laymen were held, one at Elthuruth Monastery and the other at 144 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Mannanarn Monastery. Mgr Lavigne fixed his temporary residence at Mannanarn and FI . Alexander of St. Joseph of Mannanam became one of the consultor5 The Holy See, by a special decree, dated December 15, 1887, appointed the Delegate Apostolic for the time being as the Prior General of the Congregation. Thus Mgr. Marcelline, who from the beginning cherished a tender love for the Congregation and who did so 1nuch for its growth., progress and stability, severed, from that year, all connection with the Congregation. The Fathers were very keenly affected by the separation. According to the new arrangement, in matters pertaining to the administration of the sacraments, care of souls and the like, the members of the Congregation were to depend upon. the Vicars Apostolic; for all the rest upon the Prior General alone. Mgr. A. Ajuti, successor of Mgr. Agliardi as Delegate Apostolic, became in 1887, Prior General oft he Congregation. He nominated Fr. Joseph of St. John of the Cross (Thayil), a member of the Congregation, his delegate. This kind of exemption from the jurisdiction of local Ordinaries has given 145 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the Congregation a status higher than that of Congregations Juris Pontificii of the Latin Rite. .fhe emergence of new Vicariates on the basis of rites, the demarcation of their boundaries" and the arguments regarding the ownership of the monastery and the convent of Coonalnmavu created further problems between the Syrians and the ati ins". But when the Syrians were removed from the Verapoly jurisdiction, Mgr. Leonard put forward his claims on Coonainmavu in 1888". The case was pending for many months before the Roman Curia. In the meantime the new seminary building at Puthenpally was offered in lieu of the monastery; but the Fathers refused to accept it as an exchange far the lnonastery where the novitiate and scholasticate of the Congregation were f~~nct i oni ng arid, where they had lived and .worked so many years and for the progr~ess of which they had contributed their very best men and means The Delegate Apostolic, Mgr. Ajuti, in January 1889 canonically visited all the monasteries of the Congregation. At 146 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Elthuruth he had a conference with the Superiors of Monasteries, whom he convoked also to an extraordinary General Chapter at Mannanam to discuss chiefly the ~iiodifications to be introduced into the Constitutions. Fo'ur of the Fathers were commissioned to re-write the Constitutions with the necessary changes. In 1889, Cardinal Ayuti permitted thein to prefix the word Immaculate Conception along with the Third Order of the Discalced Carmelites due to the fact that the Congregation was started during the years of the proclamation of the Immaculate Conception of Mother Mary. The final clecision of Rome regarding the Coonarnmavu question was in favor of klgr. Leonard, whereby the Congregation lost both Coonammvu and Puthenpally. This decision evidently entailed an immense sacrifice on the Fathers. Mgr. Ajuti, who was entrusted with the execution of the order was greatly edified by their ready submission in a matter whic.h was of vital importance to the whole Congregation. The novices and students from Coonammavu were transferred to Ampazhakad and thus St. Theresa's monastery became the Novitiate 147 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 211 house of the C:ongregation. In May of the same year, when the ordinary Genera1[ Chapter was held at Mannanain, the Delegate Apostolic deputed Mgr. Lavigne, S. J. , Vicar Apostolic of Kottayam, to preside over its slzs:;ions as his representative. Fr, Joseph of St. John of the C~.oss was nominated Delegate over the whole Congregation. In August. 1890, Fr. Joseph of St. John of the Cross convoked an extraordinary General Chapter at A~npazhakad to discuss about the modifications made in the Constitutions by the above mentioned co~n~ni ssi on of four Fathers. After the discussions, the Constitutions were sent to the Delegate Apostolic to be forwarded to the Holy See for approbation. The General Chapter made no provision for a Prior General and Consultors (Defin~tors). They only requested the Holy See to add to the Constitutions what seemed best regarding these two offices." In October, 1890, Mgr. Ajuti again visited the monasteries of the Congregation. During this visit he gave permission to the Fathers to say Mass in a bungalow that was close to the old monastery of Coonammavu, ceded to the Archbishop of Verapoly. This was the 148 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam origin of the present St. Joseph's Monastery of Coonammavu in the present Archdiocese of Emakulam. In 1902 it was raised to the status of a "Vicariate" Monastery, and in 193 1 to that of a "Priorate". Mgr. Ajuti., the great benefactor of the Congregation, returned to Rome in 1891 and was there appointed Secretary to the Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of Faith. Mgr. Zaleski, his successor, was nominated a year later, i.e., in 1892. During the interregnum, His Excellency Cardinal Simeoni, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of Faith, acted as Prior General of the Congregation with Fr. Joseph of St. John of the Cross as his Delegate. The General Chapter that w,as to be held in 1892 was postponed till the Constittutions were again approved by the Holy See in 1893 for another six years. In the approved Constitutions, a chapter on the Prior General and another on the Definitors, were added on by the Holy See itself.22 Fr. George of St. Mary (Varunny) Prior of Elthuruth, used the permission obtained from Mgr. Ajuti and Mgr. Medlycott, through Fr. Joseph of St. John of the Cross; Delegate began in 1890 the building of a monastery at Pavaratty in the present Diocese of Trichur. 149 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam This monastery and the Students' House at hlangalore are the only Institutions of the Congregation in erstwhile British India. All the other monasteries were in the British protected states of Travancore and Cochin. From 1.395 regular monastic life was begun at Pavaratty. It is worth nlentioning that Mgr. Medlycott was so pleased with the new institution that he expressed his conviction- that there would be no schisnl in those parts of Malabar which lay under the influence of the new monastery. In the list of benefactors, the leading families of the place find special mention. The St. Thomas Church at Pavaratty is a marvel of modern architecture. The Fathers there conduct an English High School and a catechumenatc. An Aspirants' House is attached to the monastery." With the establishn~ent of the Indian Latin Hierarchy, the Padroado Diocese (sf Cochin was re-constructed and thus Thevara was included within the boundaries of the Diocese of Cochin. This gave occasion for a dispute between the Syrians and the Padroadists. Fr. Zacharias of !St. Ephrem, Vicar of Vazhakulam Monastery, assisted by Fr. Joseph Antony and Fr. Paul Xavier (Kanatt) both members of the 150 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Congregation. strenuously argued that Thevara ought to belong to the Syrians. Fr. A.loysius Pazheparampil, then a secular priest, rendered into Latin the doc:uments produced by the two last mentioned Fathers, to be forwarded to the Delegate 'l'he decision of the Holy See was in favour of the Syrians. In 1890. the chapel of the place was included in the Syrian Vicariate Apostolic of Kot'tayam under Mgr. Lavigne, S. J., who the same year, handed it over to the Congregation. In 1892, a Branch House of the Congregation, war; opened there under the care of the Prior of Vazhakulaln Monastery. and in 1900 it was raised to a canonically established House of the Congregation. Thevara, owing to its unique situation, has several tinles been chosen as the residence of the Prior General. An English High School, a Printing Press, and an Industrial School were attached to this ona aster^^'. A monthly periodical Kudumba Deepam (The FamilyTorch) is published from its Press, as a souvenir of the double Golden Jubilee oft he sacerdotal ordination of H. H. Pope Pius XI and of the dedication of the Monastery Church, the first one dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in this country. 151 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Mgr. Bernarcline's desire of founding a Carmelite Institute for the indigenous Latins was frustrated at its very start. Nevetheless, the few Latins whu desired to lead a religious life were admitted into the Congregation. The Syrians and the Latins thus lived together for a long time. Although a monastery was opened for the Latins at Manguinmel, formerl) the residence of the Vicars Apostolic of Verapoly, some stayed with their Syrian brethren. Among these was Br. Roche, an inmate of Mannanain Monastery. He had in mind to organize a society of the Good Shephered. With due permission from Mgr. Marcelline, he began to build the Good Shepherd Church at Kottayam, in 1882, with alms collected from the Syrians and Latins. The church itself was for a long time administered by a Syrian priest, Fr. Cyriac Mailaparainpil, after whose death, the Prior of Mannanam became its Rector. He administered it through Fr. Charles of St. Elias, a member of the Congregation. After the separation of the Syrians froin the Verapoly jurisdiction, the right over the Good Shepherd Church was contested and finally adjudged to Verapoly in favour of the Latins at Kottayam; in compensation, Mgr. Lavigne, S. J., was offered the favour of sending 152 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Thomas Kurialacherry, late Bishop of Changanacherry, to Rome for his ecclesiastical studies in the Urban College of the Propaganda. ( ) n January 7, 1890, the saintly life of Fr. Cyriac Eliseus (I'orukara) came to an end at the monastery of Mannanam. In the course of his lift: he became the worthy successor of Fr. Cyriac Elias (Chavara) and thlc worthy brother of Fr. Thomas Porukara. He is the author of the rnost popular and devotional book in Malabar, called Nithiurudhunu. The Syl-iuc Of k e of the Dead as well as the Bible History in Tamil are the fruit of his indefatigable labors. Moreover Fr. Cyriac Eliseus is the apostle of the devotion to the Sacred Hear of Jesus in Malabar, which he spread everywhere chiefly through his Nithiaradhana. Of his activities after extinguishing the Mellusian schism. the most important was the introduction of English education among the Catholic Syrians of Malabar. Fr. Cyriac Eliseus (Porukara) there after, established the second Convent for Sisters at Mutholy in the South. But. above all, he was a man of God, and, if saints are pre- eminently men of prayer, he has his claim to the title. He spent the greater part of the day in communing with God; his face beamed with a celestial light during his meditation, Every one who came in contact 153 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam with him revered hirn and fondly cherished his memory. Mgr. Meurin, S. .I., Visitor Apostolic, after his return to Bombay, kept a vivid memory oft he saintiy old illan. He says in his letters: "I much venerate that holy ~iian".'" I'r. Cyriac Eliseus (Porukara) seeins to have had a very definite intuition of his approaching death, for which he made the minutest preparation. On the day of his demise he said Mass, handed over his Mass accounts to the Procurator, saying it was his last, and then, as usual, went through his ordinary routine of life in the forenoon. In the evening just before the "Angelus" bell , he had slight indisposition. Calling for the Superior of the house, he urgently asked for the last Sacrainents, which he received with edifying devotion and afterwards peacefully enjoying a foretaste of heaven, passed away from this vale of tears." As usual the Congregation continued to confront the trials and tribulations. Bishop Medlycott realized that education was better suited to the requirements of the time.28 In order to keep direct vigilance over 154 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam his seminarians, he suppressed the seminary at Elthuruth and removed the seminarians to hi:; residence at Trichur. Mgr. L.avigne, S. J., for the same reason and t o introduce unifor~nity in the training of candidates for the priesthood, suppressed, first the se~ninary of Vazhakula~n in 1888, and in 1801, that of Mutholy, where the seminarians from Vazhakula~n and the convert Clergy from the Mellusian schism had been sent. Mgr. Marcelline, O.C.D., gathered all the seminarians of Pulincunnu at Mannanam. Thus all the seminaries, except that of Mannanam, were suppressed before 1892. Mannanam too was closed in 1894: from that time almost all the Syrian candidates for the priesthood have been trained in the Central Apostolic Seminary at Puthenpally, conducted by the 1)iscalced Carmelites of the First Order. l'he relief from the direction of seminaries opened the way to vigorous educational work on the part of the Congregation. The Fathers attached ii~uch importance to English education which they understood to be absolutely necessary for the uplift of ~a l a b a r ' ~. English education had not been much valued among the catholics of Malabar before the visit of Mgr. Meurin. S.J. It was Fr. Cyriac Eliseus (Porukara) who 155 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam started the first English School for Syrians at Mannanam. Fr. Gerald of St. Joseph was t:he pioneer educationist under Fr. Cyriac Eliseus (Porukara). The modest school opened at Mannanam, gradually rose in the former seminary building to the status of a H.igh school under the patronage of St. .Ephrein. His Grace the Most Rev. Mar Augustine Kandathil, the first Archbishop ofErnakulam, and His Lordship the Rt. Rev. Mar Thornar. Kurialacherry, the first Bishop of Changanacherry, are alumni of the St. Ephrem's. Close by, there is also a vernacular school for boys."' I'he other monasteries followed the lead of the Mother House. The Congregation had four English High Schools, four English Middle Schools, and four Vernacular Schools by the end of nineteenth century. In oriiel- to conciuct the school work more efficiently, the Congregation decideti to send i t ? own inembers tbr higher secular studies, and so, among the reachins staft' there were also many Fathers of the Congregation urho have taken University degrees. The Fathers spare no pains in instillin!; ihe Catholic spirit in the hearts of their students. Besidcs reyu13r catechism classes conducted by the Fathers, the 156 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Sod;ili~\ ~ j i ~ l i i . 1~lcss~:d Virgin Val-! \ \ as dul!, established in all English cI1001. l ' l i c ~ ~ ~ \ L ~ I I ~ . I o I s . moi.ccr\c~.. Ila\e hoarding lhoi~ses attached to 111t:11i I ~ I I - I I I C u~~- l >t ~i l l ~i ng ol'(',rtliolic \>ti! s ilniler tht: special care ot'the I.aIllc1.i. \ \ I lo the ~~~cl - cns e 1 7 1 ' clel.iccll n1ernhcl.s i n the ~ I I I I I . I S~~nic~raIc. lioi~scs and a Scholasticate for e c l s ~ s ~ l i s r e r 1 1 opened in the monasteries of A!lu~hol!. ( ' t ~on: i ~nnl a\ ~i ~ and (' hrtl~ip~izha. \vhich no\v ~.epresented the In order to secure and foster vocations to the Congregation, there were three institutions, one at Mannanam, another at Pavaratty and the third at Alwaye, where children aspiring to religious life were trained and educated. The "Aspirants' Schools," as they were called, were started after the nnodel of "Scholae Apostolicae," very common in Europe, and conducted by Religious Orders and Congregations. The Aspirants' School was first opened at the new monastery building at Coonamavu. in 18'92. It was Mgr. Lavigne, S.J., the vicar Apostolic of Kottayam, who realized the scheme and drew up the Rules for the Aspirants, at the instance of His Em. Card. Si~neoni, Prefect of the 157 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of Faith. The Holy See approved these rules in 1906. He wanted to establish schools associated with each parish and convents for the progress of the society. It was in 1892 that Bishop Lavigne and Bishop Alosyious Benziger, the Bishop of Quilon in the presence of innumerable Priests and a vast concourse of the faithful conducted the solemn consercration of the Monastery church of ~annanam. " In 1893 the Constitutions were for the second time approved by the Holy See for six years. In the new Constitutions there was provision for a "Prior General" to be elected from among the members of the Congregation, and for a "Definitorium" consisting of four Consultors, to assist him. The Constitutions also insisted on the adoption of the formal Carmelite habit of brown wool instead of the white cotton one then in use; the blue mantle was retained in honour of the Immaculate Conception, and in memory of the old title, "Servants of the Iminaculate Mother of Mount Carmel". In compliance with a petition sent to the Holy See, by a special decree of the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of Faith, Fr. Bernard O.C.D, (a European Missionary) 158 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam was nominated Prior General of the Congregation "ad teinpus," the Constitutions remaining intact in all points." I11 1896. Fr. Bernard O.C.D, was consecrated Coadjutor to Mgr. Leonard, Archbishop of Verapoly. Finding the charge too heavy for him, he appointed the first Definitor General to be his Delegate in matters pertaining to the Congregation. Thus Fr. George of St. John the Baptist ( Parappura~r~) and Fr. Frederick of the S. Hear (Punchakunnel) became Delegates in 1896 and 1897 respectively. By the Decree of Pope Leo XIII, Quaec Rei Sacrae issued on 28"' July 1896, the struggle of Syrian Christians for identity came to an end. -. The restructuring of the thrcc Vicariates of Trichur, and Kottayaminto l.hree vicariates of Trichur, Ernakulam and Changanacherry under the local Bishops viz, Bishop John Menachery, Bishop Louis Pazhepara~nbil and Bishop Mathew Makil respectively34 marked the beginning of a new epoch in the history of the CMI. Mgr. Leonard, O.C.D, Archbishop of Verapoly, died in August 1897, and was succeeded by Mgr. Bernard Arguinzonis of Jesus. Thus from 1897, the Archbishop of Verapoly had been also Prior General of 159 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam the Congregation which was spread throughout the three Syrian Vicariates Apostoliic of Trichur, E:rnakula~n and Changanacherry and the Diocese of Mangalore. He was a staunch disciplinarian who never made any compromise with evils" Fr. Frederick of the S. Heart, Delegate of Mgr. Bernard, after visiting all the monasteries, convoked at Mannananl an extraordinary General Chapter of the Congregation in 1897. The Constitutions were revised and forwarded to the Holy See for approbation. In the following year, the Holy. See approved, not the modified Constitutions but the former ones with two or three inodifications of minor importance suggested by Mgr. Bernard. The approbation was for another six years. Jacob Kaniimthara, who was from the beginning associated with the two founders, having attained his 981h year, died in peace in 1898, at Mannanam. He had the happiness to see all the important events connected with the beginning and the progress of the Congregation. His Holiness, Pope L,eo XIII, had sent him a special blessing before his death. Fr. Frederick's term of office having expired, Mgr. Bernard nominated Fr. jo!;eph of St. John of the Cross (Thayil), as his Delegate, 160 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam which office he held till his death in February 1902. His successor, Fr. Geoye of St. Mary (Varunny) died before taking charge of his office. Fr. Geosge.s place was tilled by Fr. George of St. John the Baptist (Parappuram). I , In 1902. Mgr. Bernard, who did much for the spiritual welfare of the Cong~.egation by his tactful government, with the sanction of the Ho l ~ See. resigned his office. In his petition to Rome, he bore witness that the C:ongre;:ation was eminently qualified to choose its Prior General from among its own worthy members. Rome did not hesitate to put into execution the provision for self government which had been alreaill granted by the Constitutions. Accordingly Fr. Alexander of St. Joseph (Senior). one of the First Eleven Fathers who made their prof'ession in 1855, was elected Prior General, at the General Chapter held at Mannanam at the close of the year 1902. Fr. Alexander of St. Joseph was so t a~nous a preacher as to be called the "Second Xavier" of Malabar. The Holy See honoured hiin with the title "Missionary Apostolic" and t.he "Croce di ~ene~nerenza". " 161 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam In 1905, the Congregation celebrated at Mannanam the fiftieth anniversary of' the profession of the First Eleven Fathers, which had taken place in 1855.'" Special favours were granted by the Pope on that occasion. Pope Pius X, sent the following autograph letter to the Congregation: "Dilectis filiis fausta quaeque et salutaria a Domino adprecantes, Apostolicam benedictionem peramanter impertiinus." To comme~norate this Golden Jubilee, an artistic Chapel in Gothic style, dedicated to the l~nlnaculate Virgin Mary, was built in front of the Monastery church at Mannanam. The same year Fr. Alexander of St. Joseph (Junior) who was then prior of the Mannanaln Monastery went to Rome and submitted the modified Constitutions for final approbation. On March 12, 1906, they were approved "in perpetuum."The epithet "Iinmaculate" together with the first title of' the Congregation, "Servants of the Immaculate Mother of Mount Carmel" had fallen into disuse by the affiliation of the Congregation to the First Order of Discaleced Car~nelites. Mgr. Ajuti favoured the wish of the Fathers to revive it. Thus the title of the Congregation became "Sodalitas Fratrum Excalceatorum Tertii Ordinis 162 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam B. V. M. lmrnaculatae de Monte Carnlelo in the Constitutions appl-oved by the Holy See in 1893 and finally confirmed in 1906. The term of' office of Local and General Superiors being three years. Fr. Alexander of St. Joseph (Senior) was reelected Prior General in 1905. In 1908, Fr. Basil of St. Teresa succeeded Fr. Alexander and was re-elected in 191 1. Fr. Alexander of St. Joseph (Junior) in 1914, Fr. Gabriel of St. Joseph in 1917, Fr. Alexander of St. Joseph (Junior) once again in 1920, Fr. Aloysius of St. Mary in 1923 and Fr. John Berchrnans of Jesus and Mary in 1926, were elected Priors General. In 1929, there was no General Chapter, as the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Church confirmed Fr. John Berchmans and his Definitory for another three years, leaving to them the election of Local The monasteries of Kurianad and Chainpakulam in the present Dioceses of Palai arid Changanacherry respectively and that of Alwaye in the present Archdiocese of Ernakulain, were opened in 1922, 1925 and 1928 respec:tively. A donation of the Mattathil family is the beginning of the Monastery at Kurianad, while the one at Chalnpakulam depends on the bounty of Mr. and Mrs. Sebastian 163 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Mappilacherry and of the mother of the latter. Kurianad had under it a catechumenate and Champakulaln an English Middle School. Alwaye is very famous for ~ t s healthy water; people from every part of Malabar resort to it dur ~ng the summer season. To the Monastery at Alwaye was attached an Aspirants' House. Resides the fourteen formed Houses and the House of Studies at Mangalore, the Congregation had Branch Houses at Karukutty, in the Archdiocese of Ernakularn, at Ayroor, Puthupally and Poonjar in the erstwhile Diocese of'changanacherry, and at Thalor in the Diocese of Trichur. In these places the Fathers devoted themselves chiefly to the conversion of non Christians and the reunion of non-Catholics. At Puthupally, Poonjar and Thalor they conducted elementary vernacular schools in addition The Cathc~lic Syrians always have had at heart, the reunion of their separated brethren. The Congregation from its very start had always been on the alert to work for the reunion. The Bethany Movement, set on foot by the conversion of two illustrious Jacobite Prelates, Mar ivanios, Archbishop of Bethany, and Mar Theophilos, Bishop of Tiruvalla, facilitates the mission work among the Jacobites. 164 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam .The two prelates viere received into the Catholic Church on the 20"' of September, 1930. The Holy See has granted them jurisdiction over those whom they converted and permitted thein the use of their foriner Rite and Liturgy with necessary corrections. At the request of the Archbishop of Bethany and the Bishop of Tiruvalla, the CMI Fathers often went to the mission stations to preach Missions and Retreats to the new converts and also to take active part in public conferences. Preaching Retreats and Missions, hearing confessions, administering the last sacraments to the dying, teaching in schools and managing ~iieln, conducting catechu~nenates and industrial Schools, apostolate of the Press were the chief outlets of the active life of the Congregation. In 1931 the Congregation numbers 135 priests, 120 scholastics, 25 novices, 53 lay brothers, and 77 aspirants. I t was during Fr.Silvester's time of Prior Generalship, a special synaxis of the congregation was held in I933 and changes in the constitution were bought in far with the canon law. He was in administration for about twenty eight years and brought many changes in the congregation,. He might the only person in the congregation who held i l l adminis1:ration in such a long period. His enthusiasm in 165 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam religious life, disci.pline in life, intellectual sharpness, and interest to the Congregation are the different reasons that bought him in position for st~cli a long term Fr. Silvester was serious in nature but siinple and compassionate at heart. As a result he was not approached by n~any but accepted and appreciated by many of his students. The following coininents mentioned by one of his student's shows this. "I got the real taste of religious life only when I stayed with Fr. Silvester it Ainbazhakkad monastery. Everyone looked at hiin with fear, but I feel that he was like a mother to me. \Ve laughed like anything."4" Fr. Silvester was a musician. He composed few songs in Syriac. He was a knowledgeable inan in Cannon Law. He learned Sanskrit and explained Bhugavut Gita in its real meaning. He was always interested in spiritual reahation and bird to spend every bit of his time for it. He spends a lot of time for reading spiritual books. He was greateful in getting the spiri1;ual call in the Carinelite order and tried to reach its perfection with siricere efforts. As a result he paid inuch attention in observing the rules and regulations of the Congregation in its time 166 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam I I sense. In his unpublished work named Narnmude ~ot huj eevi t harn~~ he mentions about his meditations and retreat which could help his inmates i n their religious life.4' When the news of the death of Fr. Silvester reached the Delegate Apostolic and first Internulnio Rt. Rev. Leo P Keerkens he wrote: "The sad news brought me by your letter twenty eighth April 1957, let me with a real sense of Loss Fr. Silvester was one whom I had ample occasion to know and appreciate both as a religious and as a superior and 1 shall never forget his many kindness to me personally. He did suffer much for the order and I am sure that he will now pray for its spiriluai growth and prosperity. His nleinory will surely remain in benediction".'" Fr. Bertho~lomew served in the CMI Congregation as the Prior General, Novice master, Rector, Prior etc. and what was most striking in his life was that he was always with the zeal and spirit of a young a I lll,,,,,llll \ ~! l , , c ~, ! l l ~l ~l l . \ ~>l.ll.~>.O. I \,I\III,I~IC~C I',~IIIII~cc~ i t i ~al i i \ \ r t \ ~JII ~ ~ ~ i p ~ ~ h l i s i i c d \+wrL \ \ r i t t e~i I>! 11: s. Silvester i ~ i 133 11~11iiI>ers a11cI 1(>0 ~p.i+.\ "I \ \ IIILI, lhr. ~( l t cs tlic lp0111ts t o his r ~, l l ci - t i o~i 21114~nicditations. se\'erol i-ctrents l i c hcl d 1 1 i I I I I . 11 iii:;iilipht~ 111, \piritunl hl i o\ \ l ed~. e nlid ~ ~ n d e r s l n ~ i d i n ~ a i d depth oi.his l , , l <~l l L~Ll , ~. , l C,l ,>,l L.l ! I I I I \ I I ' I . I . I. l ?S147. a4 T l i ~ \ was a note wri tten by Rt . Re\. Leo P, Keerkens t o the Prior o f El thuruth Monastery. 167 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam novice. l i e spent his life for the develop~nent and upliftlnent of the Congregation and the Church. He was a man of compassion and sense of duty. tie alss3 served as the managing editor to the first daily, Deepika and first Catholic monthly, Karrnalakusum. Fr. Berthololnew was behind shifting the Prior General House from Mannana~n to Cochin. His E.ucharistic devotion was a source of inspiration for many. He spent an hour before the Eucharist before he sleeps. He used to tell others that Euch~arist is the source of his strength and inspiration.'" Fr.John Berchmans was a great figure in the history of the CMI congregation. Out of his fifty years as a priest he spent thirty three years in administration. He was the Prior General for two terms is the best example for his administrative skills. He wrote Anantha Sneham , M: Spirituul Diar:i>. He was the Inan behind the monthly of Kudumbhadt.e~~ain.He started the Little Flower Press at Thevara. The provincial house and the other colnplexes at Rajagiri , Kalamassery are the ideas of Fr.John Berchmans. He held different positions like Professor of Philosophy, Defenitor General, Provincial and Retreat preacher. During the struggle 168 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam between Diwan Sir C.P Karnaswa~ny and Bishop ICalassery, Fr. John, the then Prior General made his great contribution for the church. About him F~..Salas wrote "we cannot ignore the great contribution made by Fr.John for our province especially at its initial stage. We are obliged to his meritorious services to our province and we renle~nber hi111 everyday. >.JO Fr. Vincent held the post of Prior General for six years from the year 1947. Despite his fast declining health conditions, Fr. Vincent went about discharging his official and personal duties in an exemplary and praiseworthy manner. Punctuality, discipline, self-confidence, respect for all were only a few of the most outstanding qualities that rendered him to superiors as well as subordinate^.^' Fr. Vincent's deniise spread a glooin all over the society. The Prior General and other superiors of the Order, Priests, and nuns paid their last respects and in their presence his mortal remains were laid to rest in the Monastery Church in the evening on September 29, 1 963.48 169 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Fr . Maurus Valiyapara~npil was a good administrator who bought great changes in tlie Congregation. He was the Prior General for 13 years and held post like Provincial, Novice Master, Prior etc. As a voung priest he spend 111ost of his time in doing pious activities. The General (.-hapier in 1953 elected him as the Prior General of the Congregation. It was during his period the name of the Congregation had been changed fro111 TOCD to CMI. Again we see that the Congregation got a new constitution during his Prior Generalship. He divided tlie Congregation into different Provinces for administration purpose. He was silent, prayerful and read the needs of the time and led the Congregation., 171.. Maurus was the Prior General of the Congregation \\hen Card. '1-isserant ftorn Rome visited Kerala. It was during his time the Dharmara Se~ninary in Bangalore was built in 1957. The Martholna Shrine at Kodungaloor, the Bala Bhavan in Ernakula~n other establish~nents were started by Fr. ~ a u r u s . ~ ~ He sent the first ~nissionaries from the Congregation to Raigarh - A~nbikapoor and started the missionary work. It was during his time 170 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Chanda mission was entrusted to the CMI Congregation by Rome. In I960 he sent inissionaries outside India especially to Iran and Iraq. T'hese were the starting point of the missionary work at the CMI Coiigregation \vhich later spread to North America, S America, Canada and t urope and ~f r i ca. "' Fr. Canisius Tliekkekara ( 12-05-1 9 14-29-01 - 1998) who was a member of' St. T'eresas Monastery when he demised on 29'" January, 1998 fie was a man of principles and a devoted worker of God. He set an example through his life which attracted many towards God. He looks his doctorate in Theology from Candi University as well as in Bible studies in Gregorian University in Rome. Fr. Canisius was a spiritual leader and served as a Bible teacher, Rector of the major seminary. Prior General, Provincial and a Vicar General in different institutions from 1957 to 1981. Towards the end of his life, he spent his days in prayer and meditation in the CSR House., Pariyaram. Thus even during his last days, he influenced many and drew them towards God. In spite of' his busy schedule, he did a lot for the development of Sacred Heart Co'ngregation. He was nominated by Pope John Paul I1 for the revival of Medical Mission Sisters so as to obtain pontifical status. He did a commendable work by revising and amending the rules of different congregations. Moreover he wrote books on Salvation 171 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam History, Kerala reformer - Blessed Chavara and a number of articles. As a follower of' God in all his deeds, his only prayer during his last days \\,as "0 (3c8d, your wish is my happiness, satisfaction and consolation". fiis last words on his way to the hospital were "I am so happy". Fr. Canisius was a spiritual inan and led to the spiritual revival of the Congregation. His spirituality flowed from him towards others and other communities. People froin different walks of life flowed to hiin for seeking spiritual advice when he was at CSR pariyararn.j1 In the beginning there were no rules and regulations for the congregation. I t functioned as per the oral instructions of Bishop Maurelius ~t abi l i ni "~. After words the rules given by Bishop Maurelius Stabilini to the e,arly fathers was discovered on 17th July 191 1 by Fr. Kochu Chandy Kattakkayam. It emphasized the iinportance of sanctification of self through prayer, meditation, and spiritual reading performance of liturgy and examination of conscience at night. It also stressed the significance of priestly ministry and undertaking works of 172 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam charit) for the salvation of souls". They were also directed not to become too familiar with lay people. Later Fr. Porukkara also provided . - 54 a set of'rule ol'llfe . l'he spirit of CMI is twofold i.e. conteinplative and active5'. Bishop Stabilini allowed them to choose a life of contemplation and action'". It was an earnest attempt to make a spiritual synthesis of meditation and action.ln 1906 the approval of the constitution was given in pe ~~e t ~r t ~r n. In 1958 the name of the congregation was changed to "Carmelites of Mary Immaculate" (CMI) and the revised constitution was approved QG' expeuimentum. In 1967 the congregation received the status of Pu~itifical Exemption. The Congregation from its beginning exercised itself in such activities as the Church in Kerala was in need of at the particular. times. I t started with preaching retreats, conducting seminaries and training of priests; met the challenge of educating the youth and disseminating Christian literature; laboured for the conversion of non-Christians and for the reunion of separated brethren; undertook w0rk.s of inercy and started charitable institutions. 173 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam The niis:;ion work of the CMI Congregation gathered new dinlension and momentum as local churches were entrusted to it beyond the boundaries of Kerala. In 1962 Chanda took shape as the first niissionary Ordinate of the Syro Malabar Church and was entrusted to the Congregation. Since then new rnission dioceses and regions were erected in central and north India. There are now six dioceses in north India entrusted to the Congregation, viz., Chanda, Sagar. Jagdalpur, Bijnor, Rajkot and Adilabad. These six dioceses are headed by CMI Bishops. This is indeed a milestone in the progress of the CMI Missions and abiding evidence of recognition by the Apostolic See. At present there are more than two thousand and five hundred mernbers in the Congregation including priests, brothers and seminarians. While most of our members minister to the needs of the people i n India, there are some who serve in different countries of Africa, Europe. South America, Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, the United States, Canada and Australia. For the sake of administration the congregation is divided into nine provinces, four vice-provinces and one region, llnity and gladness was the hall Inark of the founding ~nen~bers, which had been handed down to them by their founder 174 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam fathersi'. 'l'hough the members of the congregation hailed from dit'ferent families and of different rites, they lived in peace with one anotheri! Bhokti -- Knrmu Yoga is the special characteristic of the congregationi". I t is the lndianised version of the spirit of Carrnel which consists in constant prayer leading to ardent zeal for God and his people. The s'arne life ideal has been suminarised in their motto, Dh1'uiienu Madbhokta Mudarpita. The term Bhakti - Karma Yoga was first introduced in the constitution of 1969. The constitution of 1976 records "the incessant flow of our mind towards the Lord in an undivided gaze of love is Bhakti. This supreme love for God brama pr-emn! i s realised and fostered through listening (sravanam) and responding (atmanivedanam) to his word in absolute faith (sradha) by which we adhere lotally in mind and heart to slim who is the only source and centre of all that we are and all that we have. niskama kal-ins would flow from true Bhakti and has to be sustained. nurtured and enriched by it. It will prompt us to offer all our actions whether lnaterial or spiritual (loka-veda-vyapara-nyasa) as a gift of worshipful ~ I '\I.$)\ i o. I ,!J.~8k,/11t' ( ~~, ! ! ! , t ~~: ~, l ~o~~. I>. ' ) ' I i I I , . . 15. I I I I , I 1 I I l i ~ ~ ~ x ~ I ~ I L I , . L ~ ~ 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ / ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 1 1 ~ 1 1 1 1 -~-. .... Scplenihcr. lc)OO 175 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam service (hhu1u11) and sacrifice Cvajna) to the Lord leaving the fruits there of'entirelq to him to be rightfully enjoyed by all his children alike. Ever) work done in a spirit of devoted service and selfless sacrifice achieves in us true liberation from self and transforms us into Inen fully available to God and his children. Work thus beco~nes sacrificial and sacred; a pure expression of our love of God and men, collaboration with the Eternal Designer who with his sacrificial self-gift to us has worked out the redemption of fallen humanity""0. It is deeply related with the special characteristic of the Congregation, which is prayer. Listening has an important place in Indian spirituality. The rich experiences of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate through the ages empowered them to undertake more challenging programmes. The C'MI missionaries took the leadership of immigrants who moved fi'om central Travancore to the Malabar region in search of cultivable lands. Thereafter they became instrumental in piloting a series of peasant :movements in ~ a l a b a r . ~ ' Arnong the: multitude of services rendered by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculatl:, its activities in the field of education are highly 176 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam commendable. it has got eleven aided colleges, six parallel colleges. seven technical institutions, eighty one higher secondary and high schools, e ~ght upper prinlary schools and twenty two pre primary schools t'unct~oning both within and outside eral la."* 177 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Conclusion [(erala, the land of Perumals being the land of charity welcomed almost all the world religions with their sub-sects along with the different ethnic groups. It became the citadel of world religions and races. It is a .land of religious experience. It had undergone far reaching changes following the immigrations of the Aryans. The Aryans brought occupational divisions in the society that was not kn0v.n to the pre: Aryans in Kerala. The inhabitant Dravidians were agriculturists by nature and responsibilities were assigned on the basis of merit. ability a.nd character. The arrival of the Aryans stratified the society into Brahmins, non-Brahmins and untouchable sections and it marked the beginning of a Nambutiri epoch. 'The division of the society made the state one of the worst examples of caste divisions and caste domination in the whole of India. The Pulayas, Parayas and Kuravas formed the lowest r ung of the society. They were real burden bearers of the Hindu social hierarchy. Slavery was coinimonly accepted and recognized by the Sanskrit law. Thus the casteless egalitarian society of the early period became a 178 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam caste-ridden .socit:ty. The erstwhile Dravidians were subjected to severe caste disabilities and restrictions. They became the victims of high caste tyranny and oppression. In order to escape from caste rigours. the people from the oppressed sections of'the society converted themselves to other religions. Another feature of the ancient Icerala society was the existence feudalism. I he whole land was owned and controlled by the upper caste Brahmins, though jen~nies they never cultivated due to caste laws. They left their land to the sub-castes like Ezhavas and Nadars. In the feudal system that existed in Kerala, the land owners had absolute authority over their tenants and serfs. The tenants in turn enjoyed arbitrary control over the subtenants and slaves. Slavery was another feature that existed in Kerala society. There existed hereditary slavery and social slavery. The Parayas, Pulayas, Vellalas, Ulladars and Kanakkars constituted the major slave castes of the society. 'The slaves were born in inhuman conditions, grew up under the shadow of jenmi tyranny and owned nothing but poverty, dirt, disease, sorrow and suffering. The slaves were denied even the remote comforts of huinan life. They were tortured both physically and 179 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam mentally. A Paraya male slave was only equal to 20 to 6 old virraya f u17~171. s and female sold at only half of it. Slavery. fkudalism. casteism and class divisions were the features of Kerala society till the middle of 19"' century. The spread of English education and missionary endeavours awakened the people against the evils that prevailed in the society. The reform movement started in the 19"' c:entury were the need of the time. Different schools appeared to bring changes in different means and ways. The landless, homeless, right less and selfless people welcomed the arrival of the missioners and ~~hol eheart edl y embraced it. The missionaries forced the authority to pass laws and fine means to remove the deplorable situations of the society bring respect to human dignity. It was at this point the CMI e:merged to bring freedom to the oppressed, light to the darkness and educations to the uneducated. They focused on the backward community. They found education on the ineans to overcome these deplorable conditions. There the emergence of the CMI was the need of the hour and people welcomed it with both hands. Christianity in Kerala is old as Christianity itself. As Jesus Christ is universal, his disciples were also universal. Therefore the 180 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Cllristianity. ivhich was brought here by St. Thomas, is not an alien religion. The faith.. traditions, and practices are the best examples on the arrival ot' 5t. 'Thornas to Kerala in A.D. 52. Before 189 AD, the histor) of Kerala was silent about the infant church. The remarks of Panthenus and Demetrius of Alexandria brings evidences of an existence of a church in Kerala. 'The undisputed evidence of Cosmos was another esalriple of the existence of Christians in Kerala. The rulers like C'hel.[nsrn Perumal of the land recognized the services of the early St. Thomas Christians by bestowing several privileges and grants. This led them to irnprove their social status at that time. When the trade between the West and Kerala, the St. Thomas Christians entered on the scene and confirmed the trade between the Malabar and East and thereby brought ibreign currency to the land. 'The Carm~elite inissionaries played a vital role among the St. Thornas Christians in Kerala. Pope entrusted the Order of Discalced Carmelites from Italy to work into the spiritual matters. They entered on the scene when St. Thomas Christians were ill-treated and Latinized by the Pol-tuguese missionaries due to ignorance. Fr. Joseph and Fr. Hyacinth, both the members of the order of Discalced Carmelites were 181 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam appointed as Papal colnlnissioners by Pope Alexander VII to bring out conciliation between the European missionaries and the St. Thomas Christians. It led, to the erection of an Episcopal administration directly fro111 Propaganda. It was against Padroado privilege granted to the Portuguese Klng. This led to the rivalry between Propogada and Padroado. The hostility against the Carmelite missionaries by the Dutch and the Portuguese made things worse in the land of Malabar. The triple roots 1.e the Indian situation, the Syro-Malabarian tradition and the Carmelite patronage paved the way for the emergence and growth of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. The triple r wt s had a long legacy ,which is deeply embedded in the socio-economic, religious and cultural fabric of Kerala. In the nineteenth century it was allnost like a volcano which was impregnant with social maladies and religious fallacies. The birth of CMI took place at a time when the volcano was about to erupt. The timely arrival of the trio i.e Fr. Thomas Porukkara, Fr. Thomas Palackal and Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and ithe forination of the first indigenous Christian Congregation arrested a great calamity. They became instrumental in leading their fellowmen from unreal to the real, darkness to the light 182 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam and from death to immortality. They had corrected the fossilized custolns and out dated practices and thereby lead their folk to the illtirnate destination. They were called upon to fulfill the historic need of the period. Almong tlie trio Fr. ICuriakose Elias Chavara played the most decisive role in the socio-economic and religious transformation of modern Kerala. He became the harbinger of t he new epoch in the history of inodern period. History shows that Inen appear at times with the purpose of leading the society. Society never runs short of leaders. There was Mahatma Gandhi to liberate the Indian society from British rule, Martin Luther for the American Negros, and Chavara Kuriakose Elias for the Kerala Society. Chavara Kuriakose Elias came on the scene when the society and tllr church were divided on the basis of religion, caste, creed and rite. The St. Thomas Christians of Kerala was without any leader after the demise of Fr. Thornas Paremakkal. It was he who led the Syrian Christians fro111 dangers of schism and divisions. The CMI played a vital role in the socio-economic and religious history of lndia,. In the annals of history, Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and his reformist movement have a unique role. He introduced 183 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam revolutionary changes when society was in its rigid and uncivilized form. He realized that education is the focus through which changes could be bought in the society. He became instrumental in starting schools attached to churches and called pallzkudom which commenced an educational reformation in Kerala. The CMI's concentrated their attention mainly on education and they worked among all sections of the society especially the week and the needy. Fr. Chavara was a social reformer who tried to fulfill the social needs of other human beings. Love your neighbour as yourself was always his motto. Fr. Chavara always tried to serve the poor and the needy. He was a friend. of all, high and low, rich and poor, learned and ignorant. He beliieved in the basic equality of all. According to him, although rightful differences exists between man, the equal dignity of persons demand;^ that a more human and just condition of life be brought about. Hyence he preached and practiced charity which he said "is a co~nlnandlnent from God". Fr. Chaval-a went around contacting and persuading the rich to contribute regularly their share for the uplift of the poor and the needy. He reminded them of the fact that they would be deprived of their 184 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam wealth if they amassed it at the cost of their less fortunate neighbour, if they withheld the just wages from the poor coolies and labourers or if they did not give them their just dues. He did regularly, from the alms he collected, feed and clothe the poor, regularly did he go his round of visiting and consoling the sick and the bed-ridden. His charity did go so far as to urge him found an asylum for the poor destitute at Kainakary at a time when s\lch a venture was quite unheard. Unfortunately such a well-nleant and far-sighted enterprise was slowly ignored after the death of Fr. Chavara. E'r. Ch~var a was an eminetly imposing and distingushed personality in the nineteenth century history of the Christian community of Kerala. As the proverb has it, he seems to have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His straight, undeviating course of life was a succession of endeavors and achievements. He and his associates put up a doughty fight, not with the protestantizers of the 16"' century but with an equally tough Rochosian schis~natic uprising amongst the St. Thomas Christians, in the mid- nineteenth century. He was a much sought after retreat preacher. Go deep into the records of the labours and life-works of St. Francis De 185 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Sales and pictu~re to mind the manner and ways the saint did accomplish them which is visible in the very life of the Father Kuriakose E1ia:s (ihavara. He spent himself to reclaim and to heal up a whole decadent community of the St. T'hoinas Christians, people, priests. institutions and churches fallen overnight into the eddying confusion and distortions of the Rochosian schism; and he did bring them all round. He was the originator of Religious Life for women in Kerala and he started the first convent in Kerala at Coonammavu as an indigenous Carmelite Tertiary of which he was also life-long director. He founded seminaries to prepare pupils and candidates for priesthood, as indeed the prime motif and objective of his new-formed Religious Association was the renovation of Christian life amongst his people, of St. Thomas Christians, by hallowing priestly life amongst them. As history does show it, by laying the foundation they were indeed installing a lighthouse of tremendous spiritual forces and its gladsome news spread quickly far and wide rousing the people to great enthusiasm and good will. Soon a cluster of buildings rose up on the spot and many priests, seminarians and aspirants came to join in, making the new-born monastery a bee-hive of souls of spiritual fervor 186 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam arid of evangelical enthusiasm. Most of the priests who embraced the ne\41 way of life ryere of the same class and caliber of the trio, able and reputed and deeply spiritual men. Wherefore the lighthouse on the top of tile Mannanaln hillock soon began to shine forth lustrously. The lnelnbel-s this new religious association called thelnselves , Matl~avin Dhasanmar (the Servants of Mary ~ml l ~acul at e). In and around the precincts of their holy habitation reigned a serene tranquility, and between the brethren sweet fraternal regard, hearty cooperation and good will. Theirs was a regular routine of prayerful devotional Life, with intermitten; pious exercises and canonical hours. The veteran priests amongst them went out often to preach serlnons and missions or retreats in the parish churches, and even to ilndertake regular parish responsibility. This was the sort of life the trio contemplated and yearned for, and with the attainlnent so far, everybod!- was satisfied. Under the guidance of Fr. Kuriakose Elias the little community gained strength and it worked wonders in the pastoral and social fields. In this manner to the length of quarter of a century ( 183 1 to 1855) the A171alolbhava Matha Sangam thrived and made themselves a distinctive body of religious, through and through native, 187 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam approved and blessed by the local ecclesiastical authorities and loved and respected by all the people. Some would say that they were no religious. as they had no public profession of views and the acknowledging seal of Rome. That is a mistaken notion. ?he Amulolbhav~~ Mathavin Dhasanmmar underwent several metamorphoses until it emerged out to be the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. It's a fact that the CMI never tried to make any attempt to play a political force of the society. They started their mission according to the needs of places and time. They provided water, education and medicines tor the needy. In their zealous activities they never tried to look at their safety and security. It was a niskamukamam for them. It is a fact that through their large and varied institutions, the CMI fathers brought knowl-edge and light to inillions of people. Their work was not limited to the people of a particular caste or creed but for all. The founding fathers of CMI lighted a lamp at Mannanam in 183 1 and their followers carried that light far and wide. They brought forth radical changes in the social, economic order of the society and that paved the way for building a classless and casteless society based 188 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam on high ideals of human equality and universal brotherhood. The CMI is also playing a unique role in disseminating their founders' motto of implementing non-formal educational schemes to make people enlightened. 1:oday the C'MI continues the social service activities under the able stewardship of its members. As emphasized in the constitution of' the CMI, its ultimate goal is the promotion of spiritual and material welfare of the people. This noble goal was fulfilled through a number of socio-humanitarian institutions and establishments. 189 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY I Primary Sources A. Unpublished Cover File, No.286. Docket Sheet for District Files, No 42811 937. File No. R.Dis.748 of 1930. Filc No. 1383 of 1929. Foreign Political Consultation Proceedings dated 21 March 1808. Judicial File, No.9 16. Legislative File, Yo. D.Dis. 42811937. Polltical Consultat~ons ,Vols.32,33.128,133 and 134. I'roceedings of the Madras Government dated 11 September1 869. Book of Traditions, CMI Congregation, Prior Generals' House, Cochin . Chethipuzha halagamam, Chethipuzha Monastery, Changanachery. CMC Nalagarnom, Vol. I-IV, Alwaye 1985. Coonainavu Nalagamain, Coonalnavu Monastery, Alwaye. Kan~anthara Diary, Mannanam Monastery, Mannana~n, Kottayaln 190 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam I <UI lakose Elias Chavara, Nalagamangal, Mannana~n Monastely Mannanam, Kottayam. Mannanam Nalagamam, Mannanaln Monastery, Mannanam, I~ottayam. I'arappuram Dial-!, Mannanam Monastery, Mannanam, I<ottayaln. Pulincunnu Nalagama~n, PuYincunnu Monastery, Alleppey. Varapuzha I<anyakamadham Nalagamam, Varapuzha. Vazhakulatn Nalagarnam, Vazhakulam Monastery. Ernakulam. B. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis Narayan. M.G.S., l'olitical and Social Conditions of Kerala under the Kulasekhara Empire A.D.(1800-1924), liniversity of Kerala, 1972. Plampatxinpil Philip, The Socio-Religious Tradition of the Nayar Co~n~riunity of Kerala, The Harward Seminary J.oundation, U. S. A. , 1973. I<osam~na Mathew., Polity and Society in Travancore with Special Reference to the Position of Women, University of Kerala,Trivandrum.200 I . 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Hillarian. J Hosten. H., Hutton, J .H.. Innes, C.J., and Evans, F.B., Iyengar, Sesha T. R., Iyer, L.A Krishna., Missionary Activity and the Syrian Christians, Educational Policy and Mission Schools: Case Study, London, 1967. The Kerala Temple and the Early Medieval Agrarian System, Kottayam, 1999. East India Gazetteer, Vol.11, London, 1828. The Nadars of Tamilnadu, Oxford, 1969. Hindu Manners and Ceremonies of Abbe, JA Dubois. Iceralathile Carinelaramain, (Mal.) Mannanam, 1955. Antiquities from San Thome to Mylapore, Calcutta, 1936. Caste in India, Bombay, 1963. Malabar, Madras, I95 I. The Ancient Dravidians, Madras, 1900. Social History of Kerala, Vol.11, Madras, 1970. 200 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Jacob John. A., John, K .J., (ed. ) Joseph ,P.C., . Jossy, (ed.) Jossy. Joy ,K, T., Kadankavi l Thomas, Kaniyamparambil, Kurian, Kawashima, Koji, History of the London Missionary Society in South Travancore (1 806-1 956), Nagarcoil, 1990. Christian Heritage of Kerala, Cochin, 198 1. Research Studies in the Economic and Social Enviroment of the Indian Church, Kottayam, 1938 Atyunnatanta Tanalil,(Mal.) Aluva, 199 1. In the Shadow of the Most High, Aluva, 1997. The Mar Thoina church: A Study of its Growth and Contribution, Kottayam, 1986. Kudumbain Chavarayude Veekshanathil, Chavara Vekthiyum Sidhiyum (Mal.), Cochin, 1994. Suriyani Sabha,(Mal.). Missionaries and a Hindu State Travancore (1 858-1936), New Delhi, 1998. 201 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Iceay, F.K.. Koshy, M .O., Koshy Ninan, Kudapuzha, Xavier, Kuruvilla, K.K., Kusuman. K. K. , Logan William, Mackenzie. G..T., Madelbaum, Majumdar, R.C., and others, A History of Syrian Church in India, New Delhi, 1960. Caste in the Catholic Community in Kerala, Ernakulam, 1982. The Dutch Power in Kerala, 1729-1 758, New Delhi, 1989. Caaste in Kerala Churches, Bangalore, 1968. Faith and Communion of the Indian Church of St.Thomas Christian, Kottayam, 1984 A History of the Mar Thoma Church and its Doctorine, Madras, 1956. Slavery in Travancore, Trivandrum, 1973. Malabar Manual, Vol I, Thiruvananthapuram, 2000. Christianity in Travancore, Trivandrum, 190 1. Society in India, Bombay, 1972. An Advanced History of India, Part 111, London, 1967. 202 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Majurndar, R.C.,(ed.) Malley, L,S,S,O., Manickam, S, Mariadas, Mary,C. J . , Mateer, Samuel, Mathew C.P and Thomas M. M., Mathew, A., Maurilus, Medlycott, A, E., Menon. C. Achyuta, The History and Culture of the Indian People, Vol X, Bombay 1965. Modern India and the West, Oxford, 1968. Slavery in the Tamil Country, Madras;1982. CMI Sabhayuda Malabar Kudiyettam, Thevara, 200 1. TheCarmelite Congregation. Land of Charity, London, 187 1. Native Life in Travancore, London, 1883. The Indian Churches of St. Thomas New Delhi, 1967. A History of Educational Development in Kerala, New Delhi, 1985. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, Mannanam, 1962. India and the Apostle Thomas, London, 1905 The Cochin State Manual, Cochin, 19 1 1. 203 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Menon Padmanabha ,K. P., Menon, Shungoonny P., Menon Sreedharan A,, Mingama,A.M., Moozhoor, Z .M., Mukhe~jee, Prabhati, History of Kerala, Vol 111, New Delhi 1984. A History of Travancore, Madras, 1878. Social and Cultural History of Kerala, Trivandrum, 1979. A Survey of Kerala History, Trivandrum, 1967. The Early Spread of Chritianity in India, Manchester, 1926. Blessed Chavara, The Star of the East, Kottayam, 1993. Beyond the Four Varnas: The Untouchables in India, Delhi, 1988. Mundadan, A. M., History of Christianity in India Vol.1, Bangalore, 1970. Mundadan, Mathais and others, A Text Book of the History and Spirit: The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, Cochin, 1977. Nagam Aiya, V., Trvancore State Manual, Vol 11, Trivandrum 1940. Nambudiripad, Sankaran K., Ente Smaranakal, (Mal.), 3 Vols, Kunnamkulam, 1964. 204 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Narian,U,A.. Natarajan, S. , Nehru, Jawaharlal, Nelson J. H., . Nirakkal, Gregory, Oddie, G .A,, Panikkar, K. M., Panjikaran, J.C., Philip,E.M., Pillai Kunjan , P. N., Elarnkulam, Social History of Modern India- Nineteenth Cnetury, Delhi, 1972. A century of Social Refonn in India, Bombay,1962. An Autobiography. The Madura Country. A Manuel, Madras. 1865. CMI Sabhayude Charithra Samkhepam,(Mal.) Trichur, 1970. Social Protest in India,~ New Delhi, 1979. Malabar and the Portuguese, Bombay, 1929. The Syrian Church in Malabar, Trichinopoly, 19 14. Malankara Sabhayude Rahasya Pedakan(Mal.), Kottaym. 1907. Studies in Kerala History, Kottayam, 1970. Kerala Charitrathile Chile Irruladanga Edukal (Mal.), Trivandrum, 1 963. 205 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Pillai, K. K., podipara, Placid, J Porukkara Elias, Kuriakose, Porukkara Eliswa, Pothen, S, G., Plathottam. Valerian Prescilla, Mary, Pudukkaattukkaran, Joseph, Pukadiyil lttup, Studies in the History of India with special reference to Tamil Nadu, Madras, 1979. Tha Individuality of the Malabar Church, The Heirarchy of the Syro-Malabar church, Allepey, 1976. Sthapaka Pithakkanmar, (Mal.) Mannansun, 1950. Nainmude Pitakkaninarude Charithram,(Mal.) Mannana~n. The Syrian Christian of Kerala, Bombay, 1963. Bharat Apostle(Ma1.). Mlankara Sabha Mata vinte Vira Santanam, Mannanam 1939. The Servant of God, Fr. Cyriac Elias Chavara, Mannanam, 1953. Mother Eliswa, Cochin, 1990. Keralakraistava,(Mal.) Trichur, 1973. Suriyani Sabha Charithram,(Mal.). 206 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Pylee, I., M.. Pyrard de laval, Francois. Rajayyan, K., Ramanatha I yer. S., Ravindran T. K., Rohrback, Peter Thomas, Romeo, John, Rozario, A. J.,(ed.), Samuel ,V, C.. Sen, S. P.,(ed.) St Thomas Christian and the Diocese of Verapoly, Ernakulam, 1977. Voyage to the East Indies Vol.1, London, 1798. History of Tamil Nadu, 1565- 1982, Madurai, 1982. Progressive Travancore, Trivandruin, 1923. Asan and Social Revolution in Kerala, Trivandruin, 1972. Journey to Carith, The Story of the Carmelite Order, New York, 1966. Vazhthapetta Chavarayachan, (Mal.), Alwaye. Kollam Christanikal,(Mal.) Kottayain, 1995. Ithu Oru Indian Sabhayo,(Mal.) Kottayam, 1975. Social And Relegious Movements in The nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Calcutta, 1979. 207 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Slattery leter, The springs of Car~nel, NewYork, 199 1. S~nitl?, V, A., The early History of India, Oxford, 1904. Sobhanan. B., RalnaVarlna of Travancore, Calicut, 1978 . . . . . . . . . Temple Entry Movement and Sivakasi Riots, Madurai, 1985. Stater. Gilbert. Dravidian Elements in Indian Culture, New Delhi, 1976. Strickland W and .Marshall, T.W. W., Catholic Missions in Southern India in 1865, London, MDCCCLXV. Suderlal, Pandit, How India Lost Her Freedom, Bombay, 1970. Thapur, Romila, A History of India, Vol. I, Middlesex, 1972. Thekkedath. Joseph, History of Christianity in India, Vol.11, Bangalore, 1982. Tho~nas P. J. , Malayala Sahityavum Christianikaluin(Ma1.). Tholnas. P. T., Karmayogi(Ma1.). Thomas, Bernard, Malayalathille Carinelitha Moonnam Sabhayude Charithram,(Mal.). 208 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Varghese, Titus V., Vivekananda, Swami, Walter, M Abbot,(ed.) Ward and Conner, Wood Cock,George, Glimpses of the History of the Christian Churches in India, Madras, 1983. The Syrian Carinelite Congregation in Malabar, Mannanam, 1944. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Calcutta, 1964. The Documents of Vatican, New York, 1966. Memoir of the Survey of the Travancore and Cochin States, Vol. I, Travancore, 1863. Kerala- A Potrait of the Malabar Coast, London, 1967. 209 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Fr.Thomas Porukara Fr.Thomas Porukara was born on Dec.27, 1799 in Porukara Family of Champakulam Praish. He was ordained on Sept.22, 1823. Fr.Thomas Porukara is one of the founders of our Congregation. He had his priestly training in a Latin seminary enabling him to learn Latin language and traditions. Fr.Thomas Ordained at the age of 23, he was first Porukara appointed to his home parish, (1800-1848) Champakulam. Being a great devotee of St.Joseph, Fr.Thomas encouraged people to grow in that devotion. This devotion of his was instrumental in dedicatin J the Church and Monastery at Mannanam in the name of St.Joseph. After two years of service at Champakulam, Fr.Thomas was transferred to Thankasserry as the vicar of the Latin Church there. He introduced the tradition of Sunday homily. His abiding interest in silence and prayer prompted him to work for the foundation of the first indigenous religious congregation. With the foundation of the church and house at Mannanam, this dream was partially realized, though Fr.Porukara did not live to see the day, when the first eleven fathers took their vows in 1855. He was called to eternal rest on January 8, 1846, and was buried in Mannanam. 210 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Fr. Thomas Pal ackal Malpan Thomas Palackal was born in the .%. H year 1780 in Palackal family in Pallipuram Parish. He was ordained in the year 1804. Malpan Thomas Palackal is one of the founders of our Congregation. A rr~an of prayer with a spirit of self-sacrifice, Fr.Thomas Palackal started a small Fr.Thomas seminary, where aspirants t o priesthood Palackal were being trained. He was secretary and (1780-1841) advisor t o the Archbishop of Verapoly. I n his capacity he helped for the orderly development of Syro-Malabar Churches. He was also interested in starting an indigenous religious congregation and a seminary for the training of their members. To achieve this objective and t o get the permission of the Archbishop, he worked together with Fr.Thomas Porukara. Fr.Cyriac Elisas Chavara, one of his disciples, also worked along with them and brought the idea t o fruition. All the three are considered founders of t he CMI Congregation. But Fr.Palackal passed away on June 16, 1841, before the canonical erection of the Congregation. He was buried at Pallipuram. 211 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Appendix, No. I11 BLESSED KURIAKOSE ELIAS CHAVARA Kuriakose (Cyriac) Chavara was born in 1805, of pious and devout catholic parents of Syro-Malabar Church, i n Kainakary, Kerala, India. I n baptism he was given t he name Kuriakose (Cyriac). After his early schooling in t he native village and priestly studies under Fr.Thomas Palackal at Pallippuram, he was ordained priest i n 1829. Co-operating with Fathers Thomas Palackal and BI.Chavara K. EliasThomas Porukara, he founded the indigenous (1804 - 1871) religious congregation for men, (1831) now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immacul ate (C.M.1). It was after t he death of t he senior companions i n the foundation t hat Fr.Kuriakose wi th t he first members, made t he religious profession in 1855. In religion he took t he name Kuriakose Elias of the Holy Family. Starting seven religious houses, besides t he fi rst one at Mannanam, in different parts of Malabar, t he new congregation made great strides i n a spiritual renovation i n the Church of Malabar. Seminaries for the education and formation of clergy, introduction of annual retreats for priests and people, a publishing house for t he propagation of Catholic doctrine, a house for the dying and destitute, special attention t o catechumens, schools for general education, were among the few of various activities under Father Kuriakose Elias' leadership. Many valuable improvements i n the Syro-Malabar l i turgy are largely t o his credit. In 1866, with the co-operation of Fr.Leopold Beccaro OCD, he started t he Congregation of t he Mother of Carmel (C.M.C) for women. A schism threatened the church i n t he area i n 1861, creating a very critical situation. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, then Vicar General of the Syro-Malabar Church, is gratefully remembered and acknowledged by t he then and later leaders of t he church and by t he catholic community i n general, for his strenuous fight, strong stance and effective leadership in thwarting Thomas Rochos' intrusion and saving the church i n Malabar from schism. 212 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Amidst hi s diverse and manifold activities he found t i me and leisure t o write a few books, both prose and verse for t he benefit of t he faithful. His counsels t o t he Christian families given i n the form a "Testament of a Loving Father" are universally applicable and are relevant t o this day. Essentially a man of prayer and intense charity, he stayed i n close communion wi th the Lord amidst: his several religious and social activities permeating his spirituality t o all around him, so much so t hat he was accepted and referred t o as a man of God, from hi s early years. I n 1871, on January 3rd, Fr.Kuriakose Elias Chavara after a short but painful illness, died at Koonammavu preserving his baptismal innocence. His mortal remains were later transferred from Koonammavu t o Mannanam i n 1889 and are piously kept in St.,Josephls Monastery. 213 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Appendix, No. IV The Seven Fathers who were expelled Fr. Louis Pazhayaparambil (First Bishop of Ernakulam) Louis was from Pulincunnu Parish and was a member of Mannanam Monastery. He was among those who prepared the draft of the petition. He used to stay in Pulincunno in order to teach the seminarians there and to discuss on the petition to be sent to Rome. He was very close to the Bishop Leonard and t o Fr.Scarla Thattassery. It was Fr.Thattassery, who took the boy Louis (,Mathan) of 14 years old, to Mannanam community, even against the will of the parents. Both Bp.Leonard and Fr. Thattassery did not want to dismiss Fr.Louis. But Fr.Louis was very stern in his ideas even though he was aware of the consequences. His dismissal order was handed over to the Prior General Fr.Kuriakose Eliseus. Thereafter, Fr.Louis spent his days either in Pulicunnu church or in his own house. Later he became the vicar of Pulicunnu Parish. When Bp.Laveenju took charge of the diocese of Changanacherry, Fr.Louis was his secretary. And he became the first bishop of the diocese of Ernakulam in the year 1896. Fr. Ouseph Chavara was from Kainakary Parish and was a relative of BI.Chavara. He was a member of Mannanam Monastery. Fr.Ouseph joined the Mannanam community at the age of 12. He worked hard for the development of the monastery from the very beginning itself. When he received the order to leave Mannanam, he replied that he had no other house except Mannanam. He said that it was he who had made all the construction work at Mannanam and what had done was all for the religious community and not for himself. He added that in this old age he had no other place to go. After hearing him the bishop allowed him to continue at Mannanam, but he was not permitted to say Mass. The rest of his life he continued in Mannanam as one separated from the religious community. He died and buried in Mannanan. 214 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Fr. Mani (Emanuel) Minattoor ' ~ r . ~ a n i was from Bharananganam Parish and was a member of Pulincunnu Monastery. He made his profession and was ordained t o priesthood together with Fr.Louis Pazhayaparambil. He was very intelligent and even when he was a seminarian, he used t o teach in the seminary at Koonammavu. Fr.Mani rece~ved from Fr. Scaria Thattassery the order t o leave Pulicunnu and to go to Vazhakulam. When he reached Vazhakulam the order of dismissal was handed over t o him. He I& Vazhakulam and stayed in his own parish of Bharananganam. At the time of the hearing by the Apostolic Visitor Bp.Maurin at Mannanam, Fr.Mani brought to light the baseless accusation leveled against him and his companions by Verapoly missionaries. Bp Marceline appointed Fr.Mani as the vicar of several churches. Though he was appointed the vicar of the church at Malayattoor, he refused to take it up and became the vicar of his own parish at Bharananganam. I n 1988 he was the vicar of Arakuzha Parish. When his companion Fr.Louis Pazheparambil (one who was dismissed from the congregation) became the bishop of Ernakulam, Fr.Mani was appointed as the vicar of Edappally Parish. He spent his last days in his own parish of Bharananganam. Fr. Mani had a very happy end of his life. He could witness the success of his endeavour and that of his companions. It was a happy moment in his life to take part in the Episcopal ordination of his companion Mar Louis Pazheparambil. Fr. Hilarios Tharavattil Fr.Hilar~os was from Bhamanganam Parish and was a member of Mannanam Monastery. He used t o stay in Pulincunno in order t o teach the seminarians there and t o discuss on the petition t o be sent t o Rome. He was very close t o the Bishop Leonard and t o Fr.Scaria Thattassery. They really did not want him t o be dismissed. But Fr.Hilarios was very stern in his ideas even though he was aware of the consequences. His dismissal order was handed over to the Prior General Fr.Kuriakose Eliseus. Acc:ordingly Fr.Hilarios left the 215 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam c:ongregation and spent the rest of his life in his home parish Bharananganam. Fr. Paulose Shankoorickal Fr. Paulose was from Njarackal Parish and was a member of Pulincunnu Monastery. Fr.Sacria Thattassery handed over the order of the Bishop, telling Fr.Paulose to meet the bishop urgently. When Fr.Paulose met the bishop. The bishop accused him for signing the petition, and ordered him to leave Pulincunnu Monastery immediately and to go to Koonarnmavu. As soon as Fr.Paulose reached Koonammavu, he received the order for dismissal from the vicar there. There after Fr.Paulose lived in his own parish of Njarackal. Fr. Varghese Keeri (Irumpan) Fr. Varghese was from Poovathussery Parish and a member of Pulincunnu Monastety. He was sent to Koonammavu Monastery. After reaching Koonammavu, he was given the order for dismissal. At the time when he left Pulincunnu (Januray 23, 1876) onwards, he had feeling that he had done something wrong against his commitment to religious life. He gave a letter of apology to the bishop and gained back his good will. The bishop appointed him the vicar of Kuthiathode parish. From 1878 onward he had been the vicars of 14 parishes. He later became one of councellors of BpJohn Menachery. While he was spending his retired life in the priestly home at Trichur, on Januray 1, 1917 Fr.Varghese was called to eternal life. Fr. Mathai Matheckal Fr. Mathai was from Arakuzha Parish and was a member of Pulincunnu Monastery. When he received the order of dismissal, he straightaway questioned the validity of the order and left Pulincunnu and lived in his own parish of Arakuzha. At the time of the Apostolic visitation at Mannanarn by Bp.Leo Maurin S.J., Fr.Mathai was given the permission to return to the religious life, but he refused to do so. 216 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Appendix No. V First Eleven Fathers of the Congregation Kuriakose Elias Chavara Kuriakose (Cyriac) Chavam was born i n 1805, of pious and devout catholic parents of Syro-Malabar Church, in Kainakary, Kerala, India. I n baptism he was given the name Kuriakose (Cyriac). After his early schooling i n the native village and priestly studies under Fr.Thomas Palackal at Pallippuram, he was ordained priest i n 1829. Co-operating with Fathers Thomas Palackal and Thomas Porukara, he founded the indigenous religious congregation for men, (1831) now known as the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (C.M.1). I t was after the death of the senior companions i n the foundation that Fr.Kur~akose with the first members, made the religious profession in 1855. I n religion he took the name Kuriakose Elias of the Holy Family. Starting seven religious houses, besides the first one at Mannanam, in different parts of Malabar, the new congregation made great strides in a !;piritual renovation i n the Church of Malabar. Seminaries for the education and formation of clergy, introduction of annual retreats for priests and people, a publishing house for the propagation of Catholic doctrine, a house for the dying and destitute,, special attention to catechumens, schools for general education, were among the few of various activities under Father Kuriakose Elias' leadership. Many valuable imprr)vements in the Syro-Malabar liturgy - are largely t o his credit. I n 1866, with the co-opemtion of Fr.Leopold Beccaro OCD, he started the Congregation of the Mother of C:armel (C.M.C) for women. A schism threatened the church in the area in 1861, creating a very critical situation. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, then Vicar General of the Syro-Malabar Church, is gratefully remembered and acknowledged by the then and later leaders of the church and by the catholic community in general, for his strenuous fight, strong stance and effective leadership in thwarting Thomas Rochos' intrusion and saving the church i n Malabar from schism Fr..iacob Vaiiiyara FrJacob was a neighbour and relative of BI.Chavara. He belonged t o the parish of Kainakary. He joined the congregation after his ordination i n the year 1848. He was one among the eleven priests t o take profession on December 8,1855. He was committed t o his pastoral activities and was looking after the spiritual needs of those affected by epidemic. His young religious life came to a quick end after only two weeks of his first profession. He died on December 24, 1885 and was buried in Mannanam. Fr.Mathai Kalapurackal 217 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 9 Fr.Mathai belonged to the Parish of Palai. He joined the Mannnanam ,...:a, L.xi Community in the year 1845 and was one among the eleven priests t o take profession on December 8, 1855. He was a good retreat preacher. It was a ::i$g&time of the epidemic malaria and there was no body t o take care of the . .. monastery at Plassanal. Fr.Mathai was deputed by the bishop to that place and in the year 1860, five years after his first profession, he too became a victim of the epidemic and was called to eternal rest on June 22, 1860. He was buried in Mannnanarn. Fr.Mathai Munjantt Fr.Mathai belonged t o the parish of Lalam Puthenpalli, Palai. He was ordained a priest in the year1845 and then joined the community in '%&$: Mannannam and was one among the eleven priests to take profession on December 8, 1855. He was the first Prior of the monastery at . ,l .. Koonammavu. He lived only five years after his profession. He died on January 16, 1861 at the age of 41, at Elthumth and was buried there. Fr.Kuriackose (Al bert Kuri an) Kochupurackal . Albert Kurian was from the parish of Athimmpuzha, a place very near to annanam. Hence from the very beginning of the construction of the asterv in Mannanam, Fr. Kuriackose was rendering all possible help to founding fathers. Then he joined the community t o make his profession the first eleven fathers on December 8, 1855. From 1856 to 1865 Fr.Kuriackose had been the rector of the seminary at Mannanam, since Fr.Chavara who was the Malpan of the seminary had very little time to spend in the seminary. I n the year 1866,on September 13, while undergoing medical treatment in Ernakulam, he was called to eternal rest. Fr.Geevarghese Thoppi l .Geevarghese being a relative and friend of BI.Chavara, joined the mmunity at Mannanam after his ordination in the year 1838. He was mous as a retreat preacher and confessor. He worked together with the ree founding fathers and helped them in the construction of the onastery. He is considered as the fourth pillar of the CMI congregation. Fr.Geevarghese was born in the year 1813 at Veliyanad which was a part of the parish of Pulincunnu. As a small boy he stayed at Ollur for his studies and then joined the seminary of Malpan Vasrghese Vadayattu to be ordained in the year 1838. I n the same year he joined the community at Mannanam and made his profession with the first eleven fathers on December 8.1855. Since he spent his early years in Ollur, he was familiar with Elthuruth and nearby northern places. This helped him to stay at Elthuruth and preach in the churches of northern side at the time of schisms of Rockos, Melus and others. 218 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Fr.Geevarghese was very influential and popular among people mainly due t o his sweet way of dealings and powerful retreat preaching. This helped hi m t o collect funds for the construct~on of monasteries i n different palaces. It is he who collected the necessary fund for the church and monastery of Elthuruth. Once he was asked by Fr.Leopold the missionary, who was the delegate of the bishop, to urgently collect Rs.2OOf- for the construction of a convent at Koonammavu. Fr.Geevarghese approached the people at Thripunithura side who were very generous to help him. But when he realized that the amount collected had gone beyond that which he was permitted t o collect, he called back the donors and ret:urned the excess amount, before he met the missionary to hand over t he collected amount. When his superiors realized that the presence of Fr.Geevarghese is necessary for the completion of the construction of the monastery at Pulincunnoo, he was sent t o that place the vicar of the parish. He could complete the construction with the help of the people of his own native place. While he was the parish priest of Pulincunnoo he became sick and was called for eternal rest i n the year 1873 on October 13. He was buried i n Pulincunnoo. Fr. Kuri akose El i seus Por ukar a AB Fr.Kuriakose Eliseus was the youngest brother of Fr.Thomas Porukara. He joined the seminary at Pallipuram and was ordained a priest on March 16, . . , 1839. Being i n charge of the church in Quilon he worked against the ., schisms. He was i n continuous contact with the Mannanam Community from the very beginning itself. When Fr.Thomas Porukam died i n the year 1845 and was buried i n Mannanam, Fr.Kuriakose was already in the community of Mannanam and was one among the eleven priests t o take profession on December 8,1855. Fr.Kuriakose succeeded BI.Chavara as the Prior General of the congregation on February 22, 1971. Then he was the Vicar General of Verapoly diocese taking care of the churches in the Southern parts of the diocese. He compiled and popularized the prayer book called "Nithaymdhana" (perpetual adoration). At the ti me when the seven priests were expelled from the Congregation, due t o their involvement for local hierarchy movement, Fr.Kuiriackose was the Prior General of the Congregation. He died at the age of 76, on January 7, 1890 and was buried in Mannanam. Fr. Kur i an Pal ackal Fr.Brocard Kur~akose Palackal was a relanve of Fr.Thomas Palackal one the founders of the congregation and belonged t o the partsh of Pallippuram. He was one among the eleven pnests t o take profession on December 8,1855 and was known as Palackal Kuriachan. For 30 years he was at Mannanam. 219 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Then he was Prior at Pulincunnoo and Chethipuzha. He died on January 24, 1898 at Panavally and was buried there. When the monastery was shifted to Manappuram his rernains also were shifted to the new monastery. Fr..Scaria Kal athi l Fr.Scaria Ephrem Kalathil belonged t o the parish of Pulincunnu. He joined the Mannanam Community while he was a seminarian and he was one among the eleven priests to take profession on December 8,1855. He had Prior at different bouses and the Rector of the seminary at Mannanam. He had great devotion to the BI.Sacrament. On June 28, 1908 Fr.Scaria was called to eternal rest and was buried in Pulincunnu. . Fr.Alexander Kattakayam (Sr) Popularly known as Valiya Chandy Achan, Fr. Alexander belonged to the Parish of Pala!. He joined the Mannanam Community after his ordination as priest and he was one among the eleven priests t o take profession on December 8,1855. His services as a devout priest, a fervent preacher and an undaunted defender of the Church were extraordinary. He was honoured by the Holy See w~t h the title of Missionary Apostolic. Fr. Alexander was the first Indian Prior General after the govern?-we of the Congregation was taken over from the fore~gn Verapoly authorities. At the age of 81 he died on October 7, 1909 and was buried in Mannnanam. Fr.Mani Kani yarakath Fr.Mani belonged to the parish of Lalam Puthenpally, Palai. He was one among the eleven priests to take profession on December 8,1855. I n the year 1857 he was appointed as the parish priest of the church in Angamaty. There were two mutually fighting groups in the parish, and Fr.Mani was given the task of bringing them together. I n this attempt he was misunderstood by the authorities and was expelled from the religious community. The rest of his life, he continued as a diocesan priest. 220 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Appendix. No. VI CMI EDU<:ATIONAL INSTITUTlONS Universitv CoUeees 1. Christ College, Irinjalakuda. 2. Christ College, Bangalore. 3. Christa Jayanti, College Bangalore. 4. Kuriakose Elias College, Mannanam. 5. Rajagiri College of Engineering,Kakkanad. 6. Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery 7. Sacred Heart College Thevara, Kochi. 8. St.Aloysius college, Elthuruthu,Thrisur. 9. St.Joseph's College, Arakulam,Idukki. 10.St.Joseph's College Devagiri, Kozhikode. 1 1. St.Joseph's Training College, Mannanam. PARELLEL COLLEGES 1. C.D. M. Mary Matha College, Varanadarappilly . 2. Father J.Porukkara Memorial College, Champakulam. 3. Girijyothi College,Vazhathope, Idukki. 4. Gurukulam, Beach Road, Allappuzha. 5. St. Joseph's Parallel College Pakulam, Thavalam Palakkad 221 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 6. St. Theresa's College, Ampazhakkad Kottamuri, Thrissur. INSTITUTIONS TECHNICAL EDUCATION. 1. Amala I T C, Muttar. 2. Cannel Polytechnic, Punnapra. 3. Good Shephered I T I Kunnamkularn. 4. K.C.M. IT1 Koduveli, Thodupuzha. 5. K.C.M. IT1 Koonammavu, N. ~ a r u r ~makulam. 6. Snehabhavan ITC, Irinjalakuda, Thrissur. 7. St. Pius ITC, Amanaka Kottayam. AIDED HIGH SCHOOLS IN KERALA 1. Assumption High School, Palampra, Kottayam 2. C.C.M. High School, Karikattor, Kottayam 3. Calvary Mount High School, Pacarty, Thrissur. 4. Deepthi High School, Thalore, Ollur. 5. Infant Jesus High School, Vazhakulam ,Emakulam 6. K.T.J.M.High School, Idamattom, Kottayam. 7. Mother Theresa High School, Muhamma, Alapuzha. 8. Sacred Heart High School, Thevara Kochi 222 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 9. Savlo H~gh School, Devagiri, Kozhikode. 1 0 . 3 Aloys~us High School , Elthuruthu, Thrissur I 1 .St Anne's High School. Kurianad, Kottaym. 12. St Anton\ ' s High School. Poonjar Kottayam 13.St. ,4ntorlys High School. Mutholy ,. Kottayam 14.St. Ephrems High School, Mannanam Kottayam 15.St Joseph's High School, Pulir~cunnoo Alapuzha 16.St. Therasas High Schoo1,Manapuram , Alappuzha 17.St.Joseph~s High School. Pangarapilly, Thrissur. 18.St.Joseph's High School, Pavaty, Thrissur. 19.St.Mary's High School. Koodathai, Thamarassery. 20.Star Jesus High School. Koratty, Angamaly. 21 .St.'fhomas School, Netta. 22. Shanthl Bhavan, Enathu UN AIDED SCHOOLS 1. Kristu .[yoti.. Chethipuzha 2. Christ Nagar Thiruvananthapura~n 3. Christ Nagar. Thiruvallam 4. Rajagiri School, Kalamassery 5. ST. Vincent's School, Pala. 6. Bharatamatha School, Palakkad. 7. Carmel School, Chalakkudy. 8. Silver Hills School, Kozhikode. 9. Vishwa Jyothi Public School, Angamaly 223 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 10.Kcriakose Elias ,Mamanam. I I . M.G. !VI.~.S. Muthoor, Thiruvalla. 12.Fr.Thomas Porukkara, Public School, Charnpakulam 13.Kristhu Jyothi Highersecondary School, Chethipuzha 14,,/a\di& Public School, Edava. 15,Vimalalayam ('MI School. Moonnar. High Schools outside Kerala I . Bartatha Matha. Koppa. 2. Carrnel School, Kollampalayam. 3. Christ School. Bangalore. 4. Christ Kannada School, Bangalore. - i . High School. Kaliyil. 6. High school. Netta. 7. High school, Pilamkala. 8. Lisieux, Coimbatore. 9. Pushpa, Perlyapattana, Mysore. IO.SHUP School. Karnataka. 1 1.St. Thomas Cannel School, S Coorg. 12. Viswadeepthi. Pllachi. 12.St.Xavier's School School , Kutch, Gujarat, 13.St.Francis School, Akhnoor. J.K. 14.St.Xaviers, English School, Kutch, Gujarat. 15.Prakash vidhyalaya, Denthewada,M.P. 4 16.Christ English School, Bangalore. 224 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 17.Christ Kannada school, Bangalore. 18.S.H School, Bellampally, Adilahad. 19.All Saints School. Tehri, UP. 20.St.Xaviers, School, Bavanagar,Gujarat. 21.St.Pauls School. Ananad Nagar,Bhopal. 22.St.Mary's School. Kutch. 22.6t.orge High school, Mumbai. 23.K.E.Carmel School, Caucutta. 24,Carrnel School. Garhwal, Tehri. 25.Prashirtha School, Poonamallee, Chennai. 26.Chavara Vidya Bhavan Mamc School, Coltnbatorq. 27.Lisieux Higher Secondary School, Coimbatore. 28.Nirmal Nikethan School, M.P. 29Carmel Higher Secondary Secondary School, EroQB. 30.Carmel School, Gadchiroli,Mount Ca me School, Kutch. 31.St.Mary's Schoo, Rajkot. 32.St.Micheal's School Govindpur, M.P. 33.Arul Nilayam, Gudallur. 34.Christ School, Guna. 35.Jeevan Jyothi. Hinganghat, Wardha. 36.Nirmal Vidhyalay, Jagadalpur. 37.Christ School. Poonch, J.K. 38.St.Xavier's School, Jamnagar. 39.St.Francis School, Jetpur, Raj kot. 40.Jyothi Vidyalaya, U.P. 225 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 4 1 .St.Mary ' s Camel School, Kaliyal. 42.St.Marq 's School. Kutch, Gujarat. 43.St.Micheal's English Medium School, Kanker, Baster. 44.Prakash Vidyalaya. M.P. 45.St.T'hotnas School. Limbdi, Gujarat. 46.Preshitha Matrikulation School. Madurai. 47.St.Thonlas School, Bhavnagar. 48.Chavar-a Vidya Bhavan,.M.P. 49.St.Mary.s School, Bhavanagar. 5O.St.Mary's School, Rajkot. 51.St.Ma1y's School, U.P. 52.Chavara School, Narisinghpur, M.P. 53.St.Maq' s School, Kutch. 54.St.Thomas School, Adilabad. 55.St.Joseph School, Padampur, Kotdwar. 56.St.Thomas School, Paur. 57.CMI School. Periyapatna, Mysore. 58.Vishwadeepthi School, Pollachi. 59.St.Joseph's School, Porbandar. 60.St.Xavier's School, Raidhanpur, Gujarat. 61.St.Xavier's School, Sanchi. 62.Preshitha college, Sarvanampetty. 63.Sachidananda Gurukula Vidhyalaya, Sihor. 64.Secred Heart College, Sitapur. 65.1,ittle Flower School, Srinagar,U.P. 226 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam 66.Dayamathlmatha School, Gujarat. 67.St.Ann's School. Jamnagar, Vadinagar,Gujarat 68.St.Mary3s School. Veravel, Gujarat. 69.St.Ann's School. Adilabad Upper Primary School 1 . Fr. J.B. U P S, ~othamangalam ! MGMUPS. Thlruvalla 3. S H U PS, Chamapulam 4. ST. Thersita's Thalore 5. St. Thomas U P School, Karukutty 6. U K P S. Calvary Mount, ldukki '7. U P S, Pangarappilly. Thrissure 8. UPS, Korandakad Primary and Pre-Primary Schools 1. Calvary Mount L.P.S, Idukki 2. Carmel L.P.S Chalakudy 3. Infant Mary Nursery, Manapuram 4. John Bosco, L.P.S, Varadarappilly 5. KCM Nursery. Neeleeswaram 6. L.F. L.P.S, Pavartty 7. L.F., L.P.S. Thalore 8. L.P.S, Kaithappara 9. L.P.S, Meekamandapam 227 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Appendix No.VII The Prior Generals of the Congregation 81 Chavra K Ellas . , . Card ~erneoni (1891 . 18921 Fr Cyriac Ellseus (1871 - 1885) Bp Andrew A l u t ~ (1886 - 1891\ Bp Bernard 0 C D (1892 1902) Fr Alexander (Sr) Kattakayam (1902 - 19081 - . .- Fr AlexanderiJrl Kattakavarn 228 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam Fr Maurus ( I 953. 1966) Fr Theobald (1972 - 1978) Fr Thomas Aykara I1978 - 1984) Fr Thomas Mampra (1990 19%) Fr Alex Ukken (1996 - 2002) 229 Prepared by BeeHive Digital Concepts Cochin for Mahatma Gandhi University Kottayam
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