Blessed Augustine Thevarparambil (Kunjachan)
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Blessed Augustine Thevarparambil (Kunjachan) (1891- 1973)
Memorial - October 16. The feast of blessed Kunjachan is celebrated on the 16th of October every year.
Special Prayer on Every Sunday at 8.30 Pm at Ramapuram Forane Church
The man
Name : Fr. Augusthine
House Address : Thevarparampil, Ramapuram P.O
Kottayam Dist, Kerala, India
Father : Itty Iype Mani
Mother : Eliswa
Parish : Ramapuram
diocese : Palai
School : Ramapuram & Mannanam
Seminary : Changanacherry & Varapuzha
Important Dates
Born : 1-04-1891
Baptized : 08-04-1891
Received Cassock : 16-07-1915
Ordained Priest : 17-12-1921
Beginning of Ministry among Dalits : Sept. 1926
Died : 16-10-1973
Declared Servant of God : 11-08-1987
Tomb Opened : 10-03-1990
Venerable : 22.06.2004
Miracle Approved by H. H Pope Benedict XVI : 30.04.2006
Blessed : 30.04.2006
Birth and Family of Kunjachan Thevarparampil
Fr. Augustine, the Servant of God, whose parents were Itty Iype and Eliswa, was born on 1st April 1891, in Thevarparampil house, which was a branch of the ancient Kuzhumpil family. Among the five children born to those parents, Augustine was the youngest.
On the seventh day the child was baptised in the parish church, Ramapuram. It is the baptising priest who calls a baby by a name for the first time. This child was given the name Augustine, in respectful remembrance of the patron saint of the parish. Prayerful Atmosphere in the Home
The influence exercised by the parents in giving a good character formation to the boy Augustine was great.
To School
In those days pre primary schools such as kindergarten, nursery schools etc. were unheard of. Children in the villages were taught the alphabets and other initial matters by certain professional teachers, called ‘Ashans’, in their own schools, which were called ‘Kalaris’. The young boys and girls below five sat on the floor under a thatched roof. There were no pieces of furniture common to a class room, such as bench, desk etc. The Ashans were chiefly Hindus, and they treated all the children equally, irrespective of their religion.
In the Primary School
There was a primary school run by the Government of Travancore in the compound of Ramapuram Parish Church. The building was constructed by the Church, and then handed over to the Government.
On completion of the course in the Kalari, Augustine joined the primary school. Wearing a small cloth around the waist and holding an umbrella made of palm leaf, the boy went to the school together with his companions. He was the shortest one in his class.
At St. Ephrem’s School, Mannanam
After completing the primary classes at Ramapuram, K.M. Augustine joined St. Ephrem’s High School at Mannanam and resided in the St. Alosyius Boarding attached to the school.
Perfect of Marian Sodality
In the boarding Augustine got the opportunity to foster the devotion to Mary, Mother of God, which he acquired from his parents.
To the Seminary
Augustine Thevarparampil joined the Minor Seminary at Changanacherry* to become a diocesan priest, like his uncles Frs. Joseph and Thomas. In the first decades of the 20th century motor vehicles were not seen on the roads of Kerala. People went from place to place, mostly on foot. Augustine’s journey from Ramapuram to Changanacherry was accomplished in two phases. First he went to Kottayam on foot covering a distance of about 38 kilometers. He walked bare foot along the dusty roads full of stones and thorns. Then from Kottayam he travelled to Changanacherry by boat.
In the Major Seminary
On completing the minor seminary training, Bro. Augustine was admitted to the Puthenpally Seminary, at Varapuzha in June 1915.
Receives the Cassock
To receive the cassock, the official dress of a priest, was of special importance in the life of a cleric at that time. It was by this dress that a youngman was officially set apart from the other people. On July 16, 1915 Bro. Augustine Kuzhumpil received his cassock.
New Priest
At the end of the 9th year, his life in the Seminary reched its destination. That blessed day fell on 21st December 1921. The Bishop raised him to the status of a priest with the power to celebrate the Holy Encharist, preach the word of God, and to administer the sacraments.
Unemployment
Fr. Augustine celebrated his first Holy mass at Sr. Augustine’s Forane Church Ramapuram, with due solemnity. It was a great feast not only for the members of his family but to the parish community as a whole. As he was very small of stature, he came to be called ‘Kunjachan’ (Little priest). The servant of God Kunjachan resided at Ramapuram, for a while, where he could get practical training under Fr. Kokkat.
Assistant at St. Sebastian’s Church, Kadanad
Fr. Augustine was appointed assistant Vicar at Kadanad Church, in February 1923. The vicar in that church was Fr. Thomas Kuzhumpil, a relative of the S. of God.
Blessing is Fruitful
Even while a young priest working as assistant, people used to approach him to save their crops from damaging worms and insects. They believed sincerely that if he came to bless and sprinkle Holy water, the worms in the Ginger field and insects destroying the paddy perish and the crops would be saved.
Mathai Sugusthy Nattunilathu from Ramapuram was a farmer, who had a fairly big plot with ginger cultivation, at Manathoor. Once he found that some pernicious worms were destroying the crops and they were growing rapidly. Feeling very sad over the event, the farmer approached our young priest and requested him to pay a visit to his ginger field. Kunjachan went with him immediately and on seeing the destroyed ginger beds, asked him why he did not inform him earlier. Still he encouraged him and asked him to rely on prayer. Then the priest went around the whole field, sprinkling Holy Water. He spent about two hours there. Ever since that event there was no destruction from the worms, and the farmer testified that he got an abundance of crops; more than what was expected.
Back to Ramapuram
Kunjachan’s service at Manathoor and Kadanad did not last long. As he got sick, he returned to Ramapuram in March 1926.
It was while convalesceing at Ramapuram that he came across a new field of activity, hitherto unattended by anyone else. He saw at Ramapuram and surrounding villages a class of people Harijans* deprived of all social status ans who lived like slaves at the mercy of the landlords. On studying the sad elight of these poor people, he decided to dedicate himself to their evangelisation and uplifting. =Dalits (Harijans) at the lowest rung of the Social Ladder
For centuries they were treated as untouchables and even as unapproachables. The upper caste Hindus kept them at a specified distance. If this was violated, they had to purify themselves by a cleansing bath. The low caste people were not even allowed to use the public roads, near temples. They were never allowed to enter places of Hindu worship or schools or other public places.
Mar Thomas Kurialacherry, Bp. of Changanacherry was very kind to these hapless people and he employed every possible means to raise them up from their sad plight.
First of all he tried to convince the priests of the diocese about their obligation to sow the word of God among the poor. In a letter, the Bishop sent to the priests on 1st June 1916, we read: "The great desire of a good priest should not be acquiring higher positions or amassing abundance of wealth, instead it should be the salvation of souls. To achieve this end, priests should follow the example of the Lord Jesus, discarding comforts, wealth and even the very life". The counsel of the Bishop exerted a deep influence on the mind of the young priest, Augustine.
Initiation in the Diocese
The Evangelical work in the diocese of Changanacherry was entrusted to Fr. Hilarios T.O.C.D., a religious priest of the Syrian Carmelite congregation. Visiting the various parishes of the diocese, he could attract many to the fold of the Holy Church, by his retreats and counsels. While residing in the monastery at Mutholy, he wrote to the parish priest of Ramapuram on 21-12-1924:
"I could find on special investigation in places like Piravom, Thuruthipally, Koothattukulam, Ramapuram and Kudakachira, that there were many people ready to receive baptism. If the necessary fund is available, evangelisation work could be begun in those places, immediately .................... Kindly inform me how you would be able to cooperate with me in this endeavour"
Annual Retreat and the first instance of Conversion
In his mission tour Fr. Hilarios T.O.C.D. came to St. Augustine’s Church, Ramapuram in March 1926. Actually he had been invited by the then vicar, to preach the annual retreat to the community of the faithful. At the insistance of the preacher, some of the landlords led their own dependents to the Church on the last day of the retreat.
The preachers taught them the essentials of the Christian faith. With the intention of instructing them further later on, they were ready to administer them the sacrament of Baptism. No one was compelled to receive the sacrament. Those who were not interested could go home freely. It is recorded that about two hundred people received baptism on that day.
Opens a new Vista in Evangelisation
It was in March 1926 that Kunjachan God returned to Ramapuram from Kadanad. He noticed the events that happened in the Church during the annual retreat. There he witnessed the beginning of a new field of Evangelisation. He saw the hundreds of Harijan families, who lived around him. None of them owned even a single piece of land. They lived in small huts made in other people’s property. Not only were they illiterate, but they didn’t even know the value of education. At the end of a day’s work, what they were given was only a small measure of rice. Reaching home in the evening they had to make use of this very rice to prepare food for themselves and their children. In the morning again they started to work in the field.
Instructors afraid to touch the students
In those days the children from Harijan families were denied admission in the public schools. Also the other students didn’t like these poor children sitting beside them in the class. The teachers too hated their presence.
Shed as Schools
Kunjachan realised that there was not even a single person among the neophytes who knew to read and write. He was convinced that imparting education was of primary importance in the field of his activities. Therefore he started schools known as Kalaries in small sheds in different parts of the locality.
Back to his house
When Kunjachan became more and more sick. As he had to depend on others for every personal need, and was advised to stay at his house for better treatment.
At Home
In the first few days after reaching home, he was found to be some what restless. He was really sad at having left the premises of the Church, where he was staying for about half a century.
Yet, gradually he got himself accustomed to the new surroundings of the family. Many people, including his beloved fold, relatives and friends visited him regularly. Though in shortwords, he enquired about the whereabouts of each and every one of his flock.
The Last moments
Kunjachan’s health gradually deteriorated; respiration was difficult and he lay in bed always.
The saintly priest suffered all his pain silently. He limited his speech to only a few words. On 16th Oct. 1973, two of his seminary mates, Fr. Sebastian Mattam, and Fr. Abraham Moongamackal reached Thevarparampil House quite accidentally, to visit their ailing old friend. Though he saw them standing beside the bed, he could not talk any thing distinctly. A sudden change was noticed in his facial expression. Understanding the gravity of the situation, the Reverend priests gave him the last blessing. The holy soul of Kunjachan flew into Heaven peacefully.
Not long after, the bells of the parish church tolled announcing his death. People from all over parish and neighbouring places rushed to Thevarparampil House, to catch a last glimpse of the deceased Kunjachan.
To the Parish Church
On 17th morning, the dead body was taken to St. Augustine’s Church Ramapuram for the last services and burial.
On that very day itself many people approached the coffin imploring the intercession of the holy priest who had just passed away. Some of them even touched their rosary, pen and other things on the bier and prayed.
One more Mediator in Heaven
At the end of the concelebrated Mass in the afternoon, it was Fr. Valerian C.M.I., who spoke the panegyric. He spoke well of Kunjachan’s holiness in life, apostolic zeal, kindness of heart, love for the poor and other virtues. And towards the end he told quite enexpectedly, "we are participating in the funeral of a saint. We have one more mediator in heaven".
Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil, the auxiliary bishop of Palai, officiated at the ceremonies, in the absence of Bp. Mar Sebastian Vayalil, who was on a mission tour to the dioceses in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.
Kunjachan was buried in a new tomb constructed in front of the altar of St. Augustine in the old church, where he had been celebrating the Holy Mass for years. Eventhough he proposed in his will that he should be buried in the cemetry among the poor Harijan Christians, no one was willing to accede to that pious desire.
The day after the burial
People were convinced of the sanctity of the life of the Kunjachan even while he was alive. Such people were very sure that Kunjachan would be a powerful intercessor for them before the Almighty. So they began to come to his tomb to pray for his intercession. Protection of crops from destructive insects, curing of domestic animals, success in examinations, employment to the unemployed and similar items were the subjects of their prayer. As a memento of their gratitude, his photo was published in the daily newspapers. They felt that Kunjachan was still staying with them granting all kinds of wonderful favours.
Marble slab over the tomb
Some pilgrims who approached the tomb, knelt there and prayed for his intercession. While returning, they took home a little soil from that tomb. They experienced that, the soil had some miraculous power. When their number increased, it was necessitated that the sepulchre be kept safe, neat and tidy. Therefore the relatives of the Servant of God decided to instal a marble slab over the tomb. On 4th May 1974 Mar Sebastian Vayalil, Bishop of Palai blessed the slab and installed it.
The unregistered will
The servent of God understood that he was approaching the end of his life. On a sheet of paper he wrote his last wishes. As he had nothing in his possession, there was no need of registering any ‘will’. In that document we read; "I do not possess anything either as land property or as cash account. Neither do I owe to anybody anything. The pieces of furniture in the room, belong to the senior priests of the Kolath family.
"After my death, the funeral must be conducted in the most simple way. Ever since 1926, I had been staying with the Harijan Christians. Even after death, I would like to be with them. Therefore my dead body should be buried, where the Harijan Christian are buried. The news of my death should not be published in newspapers. You need inform only the fellow priests of this parish, and the priests of the neighbouring parishes. The coffin should not cost more than twenty five rupees.
"I have to get Rs.464. Annas 6 and paise 3 from the Church, which amount I had spent as salary to the Catechist. To that amount, should be added Rs.35, Annas 9 and paise 9, which if I find difficult to realise, Ouseph Mathai, my eldest brother’s son, should entrust to the Church, thus making the amount to be Rs.500/-. The interest of this amount should be spent to celebrate a Holy Mass and an office for the dead, on the day of my death anniversary.
"Don’t celebrate the Sradham* with a ceremonial meal. Instead, it is enough that the prayers for the dead be done at the sepulchre. It is requested that on that occasion, the members of the family and the Harijan Christians make their confession, receive Holy communion and pray for the souls in Purgatory".
Celebration of the Death Anniversary
The first death anniversary of Kunjachan was duly celebrated on 16th October 1974, jointly by his relatives, the neophytes and the other parishioners. With the passing of years the number of participants at the death anniversary increased to several thousands. Bishops, priests and people from far and wide reached Ramapuram, making the place a renowned pilgrim centre. They all take part in the Sraddham, and eat the ceremonial meal with due devotion.
Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil, Bishop of Palai, in the homily preached on the death anniversary of the saintly priest, said: "Thousands of people are coming to the tomb of Kunjachan and after prayer go back to their houses with mental peace. Several people are getting God's graces through the intercession of Kunjachan. He used to give a lot of favours when he was alive and this is a continuation of that. He used to comfort those who were in sorrow and pain. He used to go among people with difficulties and he tried his best to solve their problems. His eagerness to comfort those in difficulties even after death is a continuation of that practice."
Kunjachan was seldom known beyond his field of work during his life. The daily pilgrimage to the tomb, and the assembling of tens of thousands of Christians as well as members of other religions on the anniversary of his death indicate in a touching manner how much alive and impressive is his memory. Kunjachan who ever wanted to remain unknown, has now become a world celebrity.
Steps towards Canonization
The news about the holiness and the intercessory power of Kunjachan reached even far off places. Pilgrims began to flock to his sepulchre. His photographs published as an expression of thanks giving for the favours granted, articles in journals and magazines etc. influenced the general public. Many responsible persons opined that his cause might be considered for canonization.
It was Mar Sebastian Vayalil, first Bishop of Palai (Retired) who took the primary initiation in this line. Based on a request made by the retired Bishop, nad convinced of the importance of the matter, Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil placed a petition before the Congregation for saints in Rome to start the process of canonization, of Fr. Augustine Thevarparampil. After a preliminary investigation, the congregation issued the ‘Nihil Obstat’ (no objection) to start the process.
Bp. Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil appointed Fr. Antony Cairoli, OFM, the postulator general of the congregation of Franciscan Minors, Rome, Postulator of the cause of Kunjachan. The Diocesan Tribunal
Rev Fr. Joseph James C M I - Chief Judge & Bishop's Deligate
Rev. Fr Joseph Kariyapuram - Promoter of justice
Rev. Fr Sebastian Thayil - Promoter of justice
Rev. Fr. Sacharias Madhurapuza - Notary
Rev Sr. Eymard C M C - Notary
Rev. Sr. Paul Mariah - Cursor
Inauguration of the Diocesan Tribunal
Card, Simon Lourdusamy, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental churches, during his official visit to Kerala, reached Ramapuram, on 11 August 1987. In a public session held inside St. Augustine’s Church Ramapuram, in the presence of the Cardinal, the diocesan Tribunal was fromally inaugurated. In that august assembly, participated by many of the bishops of the Syro Malabar church, and attended by priests, religious and thousands of lay people, Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil the local ordinary, at first took the oath of secrecy. He was followed by the presiding judge, promoter of justice, notary, and cursor. Thence forth Kunjachan began to be called as the Servant of God. Fr. Kurian Mathothu, a priest of the diocease of Palai, was appointed Vice-postulator of the cause. A list of witnesses, numbering 121 had been prepared and was presented before the congregation of Saints. A circular letter was published in the diocesan bulletins of the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara churches, requesting the faithful to entrust the vice-postulator, with any record or matter that might be of help to the diocesan tribunal in its investigation. The registers and diaries written by the Servant of God, the letters he wrote, received or kept by him, etc were scrupulously collected and examined. The vice-postulator took care to meet as many people as possible personally who might have had contact with the revered priest, from among whom a few were chosen to be additional witnesses.
The Diocesan Tribunal in sitting
Completing the preliminary preparations, the Tribunal began its sitting to examine the witnesses on 15th June 1989. It was quite accidental that, the sessions of the Tribunal were conducted in the very same room in the presbytery, where the Servant of God was staying for more than three decades!
Altogether 129 witnesses were examined in 205 sessions. They included Bishop-1; Priests-30; Rev. Sisters-12; Laymen-73; Laywomen-12; Religious brother-1. On completion of the examination of the witnesses, their testimonies had been translated from the vernacular Malayalam to English.
The final (public) session of the diocesan Tribunal was conducted at St. Augustine’s church Ramapuram on 6th June 1992, presided over by bishop Mar Joseph Pallikkaparampil. The bishop put his signature officially on the packets containing the findings of the tribunal.
Along with these documents, the letters of the Servant of God, his pocket diary, different registers writtenby him and kept in the Church, biographies in different languages, paper cuttings, articles in magazines, reports of favours received, etc also have been packed, sealed and sent to the Congregation of saints in Rome. The original copies of the documents were kept in the archives of the Bishop’s house.
Historical Commission
On demand from the part of the Postulator, a Historical commission consisting of three members was constituted on 6th June 1993. The commission made a detailed enquiry about everything that might be found about the Servant of God, in the major Seminary at Alwaye, (The Puthenpally seminary, where the Servant of God had his priestly studies was later shifted to Mangalapuzha seminary, Alwaye), Archives of the Bishop’s houses at Changanacherry and Palai, and other places related to the saintly priest. The report prepared based on the findings of the enquiry was sent to Card. Anjelo Felici, prefect of the con. of saints, Rome, on 15th September 1993.
Diocesan Process approved
The findings and the reports sent to Rome, weighed all together 62 kgs. The papers arranged in a number of files, were submitted to the Congregation by Fr. Giovanni Folguera OFM, the Postulator.
As a first step, the documents were bound in 36 volumes. Then the Congregation made a detailed study to see whether the proceedings of the Diocesan Tribunal were conducted according to the prescribed regulations. Finding them to be in the proper order, the Congregation issued by Decree approving the validity of the documents on 26th November 1993. Again on 10th December 1993, Msgr. Jose Louis Gutierezz was appointed ‘Relatore’ for conducting the cause of the Servant of God.
The Death of the postulator, and the appointment of Fr. Giovanni Folguera, O F M as the new postulator
Fr. Antonio Cairoli, who was serving as the Postulator at the beginning of the process, expired on 17th November 1989, due to cardiac arrest. He is succeeded by Fr. Giovanni Folguera, OFM as the new Postulator.
Fr Augustine Thevarparambil beatified
On 22 June 2004 Pope John Paul II approved the heroic practice of virtues of Kunjachan and declared him venerable.
Meanwhile the process of the miraculous cure of the clubfoot of a boy was undertaken and the findings were sent to Rome for consideration. After a thorough investigation of the miraculous nature of the cure, made by competent personnel in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI approved it, opening the way for Beatification.
Venerable Kunjachan was beatified by His Eminence Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, major archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church on 30 April 2006 in the very same village Ramapuram, where he was born, worked, died and buried.
The feast of Blessed Kunjachan is celebrated on 16 October every year.
The Papal Nuncio to India Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, Cardinal Telesphore P Toppo, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), and other Bishops and priests participated in the ceremony.
Fr Augustine is the fourth in the Syro-Malabar Church to be declared as Blessed. Saint Alphonsa Muttathupadathu of Bharanaganam, Fr Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Mother Mariam Thresia of Irinjalakuda are the others.
Miraculous Cure of the Club-foot of Gilson Varghese
Gilson, son of Varghese and Elsy of Kalathil family, Adimaly, Kerala, was born on 8th August 1981. The Kalathil family belongs to St. Martin's Catholic Church of the Latin diocese of Vijayapuram. Gilson had a serious deformity on his right foot when he was born.
Since Gilson was a member of the diocese of Vijayapuram, the diocesan Tribunal had to be set up by the Bishop of Vijayapuram. According to the norms of Canonization, diocesan investigation on a miraculous cure must be conducted in the diocese where the miracle happened and under the Bishop of that diocese. Accordingly Dr. Peter Thurithikonam, Bishop of Vijayapuram, constituted a Tribunal in 1997, with a presiding judge, Promoter of Justice, Notary, Cursorand Medical expert. The Tribunal examined 18 persons including 6 doctors and registered their testimonies. The reports were sent to Rome in 1998.
The documents were thoroughly studied and evaluated by a group of seven doctors authorized by the Congregation. They gave their approval unanimously. Again it came before a Commission of seven Theologians. They also approved the miraculous cure. Finally a commission of Cardinals and Bishops examined the matter. The final approval has to be made by the Pope himself.
Opening the way to Beatification
On Monday 19th December 2005, Pope Benedict XVI authorized the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, the promulgation of the decree on the miracle attributed to Venerable Servant of God Augustine Thevarparampil (Kunjachan), thus opening the way to Beatification.
Venerable Kunjachan was Beatified by His Em. Card. Varkey Vithayathil, Major Arch Bishop of the Syro - Malabar Church on 30th April 2006 at the very same village Ramapuram where he was born, worked, died and buried.
See also
Catholic saints and blesseds: India for a complete list, as well as links to the biographies of other Christian saints and blesseds
Syrian Christian for a detailed article about the community.
