Antony Thachuparambil

Antony Thachuparambil (8 December 1894 – 9 June 1963), popularly known as the Missionary of Chelakkara was an Indian Syro-Malabar priest and social reformer who worked in the backward area of Chelakkara, Thrissur District, Kerala, India.[1] He was declared Servant of God by the Holy See for his Heroic Virtues in 2009.

Servant of God
Antony Thachuparambil
Mural of Antony Thachuparambil at Kottat Church, Chalakudy, Kerala
Born(1894-12-08)8 December 1894
Kottat, Thrissur District, Kerala, India
Died9 June 1963(1963-06-09) (aged 68)
Chelakkara, Thrissur district
OccupationCatholic priest, Social Reformer

Early years

Antony Thachuparambil was born on 8 December 1894 in Kottat, a suburban village of Chalakudy in Kerala to Poulose and Rosa.[1] He had his early schooling in Chalakudy Government High School and college education in St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli. He continued his pastoral education at Mary Matha Major Seminary, Thrissur and was ordained on 22 Dec 1924.[1]

Social career

Thachuparambil started his career in 1928 as the first Chaplain of Chelakkara, a backward forest area in Thrissur.[2] There, he worked among the poor and he built St. Mary’s Forane Church,[3] a school for girls (Little Flower Girls High School), a destitute home for children[4] which was later renamed Fr. Antony Balabhavan,[5] a convent for nuns, Little Flower Convent [6] and a health clinic which later grew to become Jeevodaya Mission Hospital.[7]

Canonization

Thachuparambil's contributions for the overall development of Chelakkara, reportedly irrespective of the caste, creed or colour, were considered by the Roman Catholic Church when deciding upon initiation of his canonization process. Paul Pulikkan was appointed the postulator and as the first step towards canonization, Antony Thachuparambil was declared Servant of God by the Roman Catholic Church on 9 December 2009. Thachuparambil is said to be credited with several miracles[8][9] which are being considered and verified by Roman Catholic Church.

In the media

Shalom Television aired a documentary on the life of Thachuparambil as an episode under their series, Saints Town in 2015.[10]

See also

References
  1. "History". St. Mary's Church, Chelakkara. 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  2. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kerala-priest-declared-as-servant-of-god/94542-3.html
  3. "chelakkara.pdf - Google Drive". Docs.google.com. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  4. "Glorified Souls". Archdiocese of Trichur. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  5. "chelakkara". Smcim.org. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  6. "Little Flower Convent". Smcim.org. 30 May 1930. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  7. "Jeevodhaya Mission Hospital". Smcim.org. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  8. "DEVOTIONS & PRAYERS: June 2009". Devotionsandprayers.blogspot.ae. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  9. "1963". Newsaints.faithweb.com. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  10. Fr. Antony Thachuparambil (Documentary). SaintsTown (Episode 22 ed.). Chelakkara, Kerala, India: Shalom Television. 2015. 27:46 minutes in.
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