Christmas,2013

Christmas mass was con-celebrated at Mount St.Thomas.Gave the homily at the mass.Spoke about Christmas being the greatest love story of the world: God so loved the world that He sent His  only begotten Son that everyone who believed in him might be saved.
Mentioned Bishop Sheen's words that we become lovable because God has put His love into our hearts.
Emphasized the need to reflect that love.The words of Pope Benedict XVl at Cologne---about the Magi, coming to Bethlehem guided by the star but returning with the star in their hearts.
Later in the morning, went to Josy's house for a family gathering.
I am deeply thankful to God for giving me  this opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Christmas once again  in my life.

Classmates' Gathering,2013

Public Affairs committee Meeting,Dec.19,13

The first meeting of the Committee for Public Affairs will be held on Dec.19th. Invitations are being sent to the members  of the Committee.Hope and pray that the deliberations and discussions will be useful.

Advent,2013

Today is the beginning of Advent,2013.The season of Advent is a beautiful  time to reflect on the blessings we have received through the presence of Jesus in our life and to offer love and compassion to  all those who meet us in daily life  in this pilgrimage of life. We often speak of fasts and abstinence during this season of  hope and waiting. Following in the footsteps of Pope Francis, living by the thoughts he gives us daily and especially through the words of  the new Apostolic Letter, the Joy of the Gospel,  we have to use this period of Advent that is just breaking open before us , to reflect the pure graciousness of the Lord who offered peace and happiness to all at his birth.

Classmates' Gathering,2013,Mount St.Thomas

About 27 of the classmates gathered on Nov.19 ,13.A time of great laughter, sharing and praying together.last year the turn out was larger---more than 42 turned up.This time, a few of the priests fell sick or had other unavoidable engagements. Bishop Bosco Puthur is seen with the priests.

SB Alumni meeting,New York

SB Alumni Meeting,Cochin

An Alumni meeting was held at IMA  Board Room on Oct.8th . The purpose was to offer me their congratulations as well as to bid Bon Voyage to Prof.Robins and Dr.Philip Augustine who were leaving for the US.

It was a nice gathering and offered an opportunity for all to renew their contacts and friendships.

Committee for Public Affairs

At the last Synod of Bishops held held between Aug.23-30, the Committee for Public Affairs was reconstituted with Abp.Andrews Thazhath as the Chairman. I was asked by Abp. Thazhath to be the Secretary of the new Committee. The Major Archbishop too suggested my name for the post. I have accepted it because it would offer a greater opportunity to serve the Church on a wider front.
The first meeting of the

committee will be held on Dec.19th.
The main  topics for discussion at the committee would be :
1.The Impact of the Gadgill committee Reports on the lives of the people of that area
2.The media abuse of Christian themes and symbols

St.Thomas Church,Firmingham,Boston

Went to Boston on July 4th evening.Fr.Naikomparampil and Don came to pick me up from the Route 128/Westwood station.The stay at the rectory was very comfortable.St.Thomas Day was celebrated on Saturday,July 6th with a Rasa and I gave the homily.
They had their First Communion on Sunday,July 7th where I was the main celebrant. Eight priests were there at the different functions.
The parish had grown to include more than 140 families and most of the families are having children.Hence, the parish is very active and vibrant.
Left Boston on Monday ,July 8th.

Visit To St.Francis University,Joliet

The visit to St.Francis University on Wednesday, June 26th was very fruitful.Was very warmly welcomed by the President of the University,Dr.Arvid Johnson. Dr.Johnson visited SB college last year when he was the Dean of the Business School at Dominican University,Chicago.He is a great educator and teacher with great convictions.His faith and understanding of the values that underlie Catholic University education are worthy of special mention.After the tour of the campus,had a meeting with the President, the Dean of the Business School,the Vice President and the  Provost.

Conveyed to him the greetings of the Cardinal.

SB Alumni Meeting,June 29,13

The Alumni meeting ,Chicago went beautifully well. Biji  Kollapuram , the President and other office-bearers worked hard to make it very successful.Very happy that I had a few hours to spend with them and also to revive the memories of our times at SB.Later, we had a gathering at Biji's house.The above is the picture of the alumni gathered at Biji's house.

Visit to Dallas and Philadelphia

Annapolis,MD

Our stay at Marriot Waterfront was very good as it offered a beautiful view of the lake.The walk on the boardwalk was also very invigorating.Very close by  is St.Mary's Church.We would go over there early in the morning for masses. Santosh and Melany came for a visit and we had a nice evening together at the Waterfront restaurant.
Reached Philadelphia on Thursday evening.Cold and rainy on Friday.Saturday is OK.

Meeting with the VP of the University of Dallas

On Tuesday,May 28, I had a meeting with the Dr.Barry,the Vice-President of the University of Dallas.The meeting was very fruitful.The Vice-President is very interested in carrying on an academic tie-up with St.  Berchmans' College.As they have graduate programs in Finance, it is also possible along with the tie-up with MBA programs, to have a linkage between the graduate programs in commerce/finance of both the Institutions.The VP also pointed out the existence of a very good Dept. of Ministry at the University.The Bishop of Dallas, Most Rev.Kevin Farrell , in a later discussion at the Chancery ,was very supportive of this academic linkage.

Pope Francis

It is with great joy that people in Kerala received the news of the election of the new Holy Father. Many were watching TV late into  the night , hoping to hear something  about the election of the new Holy Father. It was a great surprise when we heard the name of the Holy Father.No one has mentioned  that name before and the media were focusing on other Cardinals.All of a sudden all the tidbits of the news dripping though the media about the Holy Father made him very much loved by the people. What  struck everyone was his down  to earth attitude to everything in life--his humility,simplicity,smile, affability etc.
I remember  the day when Joh Paul l was elected.  I was talking to some  students at the Catholic University campus.Then, one of the students came and told me about the election of the new Pope and he was thrilled to see the Pope smiling so beautifully when he was greeting people.The words the student said still remain in my mind: He said  "I was thrilled form head to toe when I saw the Pope smile."
we have moved a lot from those times.With John Paul ll , the contact with people became an inherent part of the Papal style.H would greet ,hug, smile and laugh and all those human gestures made him part of the lives of the people he met in his life.
Pope Francis is following in his footsteps but with a much deeper way of involvement.Pope Francis has already lived the style of being close to the people while he was a Cardinal.It becomes much easier for him to adopt the style that would bring him close to people.

Meeting with Cardinal O'Malley,2007

 Cardinal is being spoken about as one of the most probable candidates to be elected as the next Pope.
 The following is  a report of my meeting with Cardinal Sean O'Malley who is  now the Archbishop of Boston.
 I visited him on Nov.9,2007 . It was the first time I met him after I left Washington D.C. in 1981.We were working together at St.Matthew's Cathedral and the Cardinal was then a young priest working as the Chaplain for the Spanish Catholics of  Washington D.C. I had the special joy of welcoming the Cardinal on behalf of the Diocese  of Chicago as well as for the Syro-Malabar community of Boston when he came to preside over the St.Thomas  Day celebrations. He was the main celebrant at the mass and gave a beautiful homily,highlighting  the role of St.Thomas Christians  in India.
People of Washington D.C had  a great affection for him because of his sympathy, affability and and a very low-keyed approach. He was accessible to all and he took care of the poor and the marginalized in the society. At that time, the Spanish Catholics were not organized as they are now.He was also very humble in his external appearance , wearing always his Franciscan habit and sandals.When I left Washington after my studies in I981, he was continuing his ministry  as the Chaplain.Later I learned that he was appointed by the Holy See as the first Bishop of Virgin islands.From there, he came to Falls River Diocese and then  to the Diocese of  Palm Beach and finally to Boston.The  New York Times and many other secular papers ran great stories about the Cardinal  when he was appointed as the Archbishop of Boston.When I met him , he was residing at the rectory of the Cathedral , after having sold the imposing Chancery to pay compensation to the victims of abuse.
Later when I attneded a confernce of Vicars General and Vicars of priests at the Lake Mundelein Seminary,Chicago , I  was sitting close to a black priest. He turned to me and asked whether I was Fr.George and whether I had worked at St.Matthew's. He then told me that he was working then as a receptionist at St.Matthews. After I left D.C. Fr.O'Malley invited him to the Virgin islands and there he went to study for priesthood and  was ordained by Bp.O'Malley.Now he is a Monsignor and the Vicar General of the Virgin Islands.
(The following are the words of Cardinal Sean O'Malley in his blog,Cardinal Sean's Blog 2007,Nov.09)

On Tuesday, I met with Father George Madathiparampil, a long time friend who was studying for a doctorate at Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. and working as an associate pastor at St. Matthew Cathedral during 1970′s, when I was stationed in Washington.

Fr. George, vicar general of Syro-Malabar Diocese of Chicago (which has oversight of all the Syro-Malabar parishes in the United States and Canada) is in Boston for a retreat for the Malayalam-speaking community of New England.

The Syro-Malabar Community in New England area celebrates Sunday Mass each week at Fernald Center Chapel in Waltham.