Monday, December 31, 2007

The End of the Year


Today is the last day of the year. I am happy for all the blessings I have received form the Lord during this year. I thank God for all the members of my family for the blessings they have received this year. So many of my nieces were blessed with children.

My Christmas , this year, was celebrated in Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville is an hour by flight from Chicago. In the evening, the Syro-Malabar community there organized a cultural show with dances performed by the children of the community.

On Dec.29, the alumni association of S.B and Assumption colleges had a party organized to congratulate me on my 40th ordination anniversary. A watch was presented as their gift.

On Sunday, Dec.30, I celebrated mass for the the Knanaya community and they also congratulated me on my anniversary by singing songs and cutting the cake after the mass. It all reminds me of using my time for the Lord in a much more committed manner.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

40th Anniversary of Ordination

On Dec.16th,the Fourtieth anniversary of my ordination was celebrated at the Mar Thoma Sleeha Cathedral, Bellwood, Chicago. Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath was the main celebrant. Frs.Punchayil, Joseph Muttath , Antony Thundathil and Jogy Kaniampeedikayil concelebrated along with me. Fr.Puchayil gave a very inspiring homily during the mass. Immediately after the mass, there was a short meeting and then the children gave a few very colorful dance performances. It was snowing in the morning and the whole midwest was covered with snow in the morning. Apart from the inclemencies of the weather, everything went very well.
May God be thanked for his great mercy and blessings.
I had a few calls the next morning from India, offering congratualtory messages. The newspapers in Kerala carried the news of the anniversary.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Principal,St.Berchmans' College



At the top --- the Syro-Malabar community of North Carolina.The second ----the community at San Antonio,Texas.There are masses held once a month in these places. The faithful in these communities are very active in their participation.

Dallas

I am in Dallas with Noby.Josekutty and Lelamma are here.Dallas is also cold like other places in the States at this time.We went to the Malayalam church on Sunday to say the mass. It was the mass for the children and hence was said in English.The children sang and responded well at the time of the mass. A few who are from Alleppey met Josekutyy and he had a lively time with them.Yesterday , we went to Sunny's house and had supper with his family.Deepa, his wife and the children were there--Aparnna and Aliana.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Snow,Wed.Dec.5,07

This morning , the whole place was covered with snow. The sight was beautiful although it was very cold outside. From morning to noon, the whole place sparkled with the radiance of the sun as it was very sunny outside. But the problem comes later, when it freezes into snow and gets accumulated. It is hoped that the temp.would rise and the whole thing would melt away .If not, it will remain here for weeks. Then, getting out would become difficult.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Family










Jogy Paul

Fall season,Florida and New Yrk




The first one, Florida. The second, the front of Jogy's house. ...Thrird, on the way to NY from NJ, beside I-87.Fourth, Paul and Reba.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Family Pictures



Family pictures.The first, Liju,Linu,Noby,Josy and Leelamma before Noby's engagement in Trivandrum........The second , the members of the family.Cheriankunju is seen in the picture. The third,Liju and Linu....The fourth,Onam Pookalam infront of Kochayan's house.
Seated are Biji and Anu. The Pookalam was made by Anu and her mother!

Research Center,St. Berchmans' College




From the top, Frs.Kurialacherry and Maroor before the blessing of the Research Center,S.B.College. Profs. K.T.sebastian, A.E.Augustine,Joy Joseph and K.K.Francis are also seen.The second,Abp.Mar Joseph Powathil.....Next, the Campus of Immaculata College, Philadelphia.The last, with the students of the Catholic University ,Washington D.C. when working in the Campus Ministry.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Advent

Today , I said the mass for the youth at the Mar Thoma Cathedral in Chicago. The choir consisting of the children sang well in English.
The snow and the sleet of yesterday disappeared and the temp. warmed up. After the mass, Mr.George Ambatt invited me for lunch and after lunch , I came back to the house.
Advent is a time of hope, dreams and expectancy. Our hearts should be longing for the presence of Jesus in our lives--a time to reawaken in our hearts love, forgivenss,and compassion.It is also a time to depeen our faith which consists in the total surrender of our selves to God's will.

IFCU,Toulouse


With Fr.Hesburgh in Toulouse, France at the IFCU meeting.The second , Frs.Kurialacherry and Maroor before the blessing of the Research building. The picture at bottom is Fr.Malloy, the President of Notre Dame at the IFCU meeting at S.B.

Cardinal Baum and IFCU Ex.council




With Cardinal Baum of Washingotn D.C. after the Christmas mass at St.Matthew's Cathedral,D.C. in 1978.The next one,Abp.Benedict Mar Gregorios when he came to preside at the Inaugural meeting of the IFCU held at St.Berchmans' college in 1992.Seen in that picture are also the Bp. Mar Geevarghese Timotheos of Tiruvalla and the President of the Catholic University in Indonesia. Lastly, the Executive Council of IFCU at Toulouse.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

The Presidents of India




The first ,waiting to greet President Zail Singh .The second,greeting President Sankar Dayal Sharma .... third , with the Vice-President Mr. K.R.Narayan.Lastly, giving the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the President' s visit.

Assisi



This was taken at Assisi in front of the cave where Francis spent his time in meditation. It is a lovely place; very beautiful to see. Donna, a student at C.U and Fr.Kamukampally are seen in the picture..... did spend a day at Assissi. The picturesque scenery of the village is really haunting .

Walker Percy



Walker Percy is signing my book called "Prophecy in American Fiction" at a reception in his honor in Washington D.C. in 1983. My doctoral dissertation was on the novels of Walker Percy. Walker Percy was one of the well known novelists of America , living at that time. He was a medical doctor and an agnostic. But then, he became a Catholic and was very successful in combining ubobtrusively Catholic message along with existential philosophy in his novels dealing with the contemporary problems of America. He was very gracious in sending me responses whenever I have asked for clarifications on various aspects of his novels.

The beginning of Winter

Today, Chicago got its first snow,sleet and rain. I was going to Sajan's house around 1p.m. and just when I was reaching his house, it began to snow and within a few minutes, the whole place was covered with snow. I did not remain long here . As I was returning from his house around 3p.m., the sleet began to fall on the car. I reached home safely and took a nice nap to get over the hardship of the driving. It is really diffcult for the people to travel today.
Tomorrow is the beginning of the Advent and I would be saying mass for the children. Next week, I would be leaving for Dallas. By that time, Josekutty and Leelamma would reach Noby's place.