Fr.Joseph Thurtuthumaly

The demise of Fr.Thuruthumaly was another sudden shock. I was keeping in touch with him almost every other week. We would share a lot of ideas about the Church. He was the one I hoped that I could share my views, feelings, and ideas. It is an unbelievable separation.I have to accept that it is a way of life. One day, without warning, we have to depart from this world. What we hold as permanent has no permanency. We have to prepare ourselves for that event in our life. Death is our constant companion. We have to  keep closely in touch with the Lord. The Lord alone can give peace in our lives.
Just a few days before leaving for the US , there was the celebration of the 41st day -memorial of his passing away at the Arpookara church .I was present for the mass and  was asked whether I could give a short homily at the mass.I consented readily to give the homily as it would be a great chance for me to pay homage to his memory and also to offer my admiration and appreciation of his life. It was an occasion for me to express my love and regard for him.
His absence  left a big void in my heart and I have no one  else to share those feelings.May God give him eternal rest.He led a worthy and dignified life.

Fr.Jose Chiramel

It was a real shock for me when I received the news about the sad demise of Josachan. I knew that the disease was serious and something bad would happen. But I thought he would recover and resume some of the activities in a light way. But it is so sad that he had to depart very fast. I cannot get over the loss. He was a very talented priest. He wanted everything to be done properly and in a dignified manner. He is a model for others to follow. God bless him.
We often had very frank and open discussions. He could follow what  I was sharing with him. Although he was much junior in age, he has a mature understanding of the Church and could make a good critical appraisal of the policies of the authorities without in anyway sowing seeds of dispute. He was very inspirational. It was his example that has prompted me to prepare homilies whenever I was invited for a function. One should always be ready to give a homily when one is requested on the spur of the moment by the host. He was a good reader and prepared homilies carefully. He was brief and precise which is rarely shown by many of the Malayalee priests who are in the habit of giving long sermons.

Henri Nouwen about his mother

The following words of Henri Nouwen are very touching.They speak about the feelings he has at the loss of his mother.When his mother was alive she wanted to share everything that is good with him, especially in the Spring when nature comes out in full blooms.Everyone who has experienced the loss of his mother would have the same feelings.

 

"When I see the rich soil, I thought of mother being buried in similar soil a few moths ago. and a strange feeling welled up within the experience of beauty.I can no longer tell her about what I saw, nor can I write her about the next spring...."(Prayers from the Genesee: A Cry for Mercy."p.68.

I have the same feelings about my parents. so many things happened in my life after their demise.An emptiness arises in my heart when I find that I cannot share all those things that happened in my life with them.

 

Leadership Camp

Leadership Camp

I am happy that the camp was over by last Saturday. It was a hectic time as I had to stay at XIME campus for the whole month .I had to be here to say the mass for the students in the morning.It has to be said to the credit of the students that they participated in the mass and in the class very well. I had to engage them daily in their classes on English.I also gave a class on the History of the Catholic Church.They had the opportunity of being engaged by some of the leaders of the State in different fields. By the time the course was over, we found them to be confident and outspoken.They were given practical training in delivering speeches, writing essays and journals and organizing various events.

Prof.K.T.Sebastan

Prof.K.T.Sebastian passed away on Feb.19  at 10.30 p.m. at the Pushpagiri Hospital
I lost a great friend, mentor and supporter in the demise of Prof.K.T.Sebastian. An irreparable loss. He was the quintessence of everything that was good in a human being.Loving, inspiring and compassionate, he was loved by his students and by myself deeply.
I went to the hospital two days before the surgery. He was half awake and  was funny and humorous, referring to his broken hip,comparing himself to the experience of Abp.Powathil when he broke his hip.
 I never had an idea that I would lose him after a few days.He used to call me when he was healthy often about my work and  the situation of the Church. I made it a point to visit him during my visits to Changanacherry. 
He was very passionate about the good of the Church. He had always his positive suggestions whenever there were lapses on the part of the authorities. He was no rabid follower of any doctrinaire author or authority in the Church. Sacrificing his time ,money and health , he traveled far and near to take part in conferences and give talks. He never expected anything from the authorities of the Church for his ministry.He had his definite ideas and he would present them without any fear.He was a gifted speaker and  writer and he used his talents for the Church.
All are over now.
God , grant eternal rest to your beloved son.

                      Prof. K.T. Sebastian

·       A great loss for the Church in India and in Kerala.

·       A voice of sanity and freshness, a champion of honesty and integrity and an ardent lover of the Church.

·       Gentle and caring, always working for  the good of the people he came across.

·       A very inspiring Catholic educationist

·       Absorbing the best from everywhere—Universal in outlook

·       The Catholic community’s best spokesperson

·       Attachment to the Eucharist—Jesus at the center of his life

·       Going everywhere to speak about the faith and the Church.

·       Vatican 11 and its reforms were in his thoughts always.

·       Even a couple of years ago , he wrote a book on Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Changanacherry

·       A guide and a mentor to many.

·       Through KCSL, he  molded many Catholic leaders.

·       As a teacher , he was  well loved by the students.

·       As a colleague – he was friendly  and  inspiring.

·       A lay theologian –writing a book about the Theology of the Laity.---one of the very few laypersons who wrote on lay theology in the Catholic world

·       Constructive criticism—not negative or destructive.

·       An unforgettable and a good friend to many-- including many bishops in India.

·       Can anyone forget his welcoming and smiling face?

·       Attending many seminars, presenting papers, teaching in seminaries—what a source of faith and love!

·       His kneeling down in the college chapel before proceeding to the Department is a great sign of his ardent faith and profound humility.

·       He spent  an enormous time for the Church in spite of his busy time as a loving Father to his family and as an inspiring teacher.

·       “A Teacher affects eternity”—this is very true of Prof. K.T. Sebastian. He was a professor in words and life.

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Josie Marfori

It is with a sad and heavy heart that I remember the life of Josie Marfori who passed away in 2002.She is from the Philippines , worked for the US Govt and belonged to the parish of St.Matthew's Cathedral,Washington D.C.I met her while I was at St.Matthew's.  I  was invited to bless her apartment and she was a regular participant at the masses at the Cathedral. She was very supportive and helpful.She even bought a car in order to give me rides. She took me to the University of Maryland to meet a professor. She used to invite me to meet her family at some of their important functions.I feel very sorry that she passed away so quickly . She lay unconscious in her room for three days and it was her sister who finally found her and took her to the hospital.She regained her memory but lost her speaking ability.She would babble without making much sense .I have visited her at the hospital in Virginia a few times. It was after I moved to Chicago that she passed away. If I knew earlier about her demise and funeral  details, I would have gone to Washington DC to attend her funeral. She was the first of my friends who passed away.