Venerable Mar Thomas Kurialacherry
Mar Thomas Kurialacherry, fondly known as Kunjuthomachen, was born on 14 January 1873 at Champakulam in Changanassery, Kerala. His parents were Chackochen and Accamma.
From his childhood, Thomas was known for his goodness and deep faith. From a very young age, he had a special devotion to the Eucharistic Lord and the Blessed Mother. Becoming a priest was his lifelong desire. While studying at Mannanam, he decided to dedicate his life to the priesthood.
His Seminary Life in Rome
During his seminary studies in Rome, Thomas was deeply inspired by the sisters who spent both day and night in Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Their life of prayer strengthened his desire to make the Eucharistic Lord known, loved, and adored by everyone, always and everywhere.
He spent nine years at the Propaganda College in Rome. During this time, he excelled in his studies and in other areas of college life. The college register described him as first in everything, a beloved leader among his classmates, and a zealous missionary.
He was ordained a priest on 27 May 1899 by Cardinal Cassantha. He celebrated his first Holy Mass in the Chapel of Jesu, which belonged to the Jesuits.
The Beginning of the Adoration Congregation
After returning to Kerala, Fr. Thomas continued to work to promote devotion to the Holy Eucharist in his homeland.
By God’s providence, he met Philomina Vallayil, who later became known as Mary Francesca de Chantal. She had a deep desire to become a religious sister and shared the same Eucharistic mission.
With her cooperation, Fr. Thomas founded the Adoration Congregation on 8 December 1908.
In 1911, Fr. Thomas Kurialacherry was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Changanacherry. This helped the congregation grow and spread to different Syro-Malabar dioceses in Kerala.
A Social Reformer and Good Shepherd
Bishop Kurialacherry was a committed social reformer. He worked actively to bring positive change to people who were marginalized and neglected in society.
He was a faithful son of the Church. As a priest and bishop, he was a good shepherd who cared deeply for the people entrusted to him.
As a social reformer, he stood for equality, peace, and justice for everyone. He spoke strongly against social evils throughout Kerala.
He worked to bring Dalits into the mainstream of the Catholic community. He also had an ecumenical vision and worked for the unity of different Christian communities.
He was a compassionate person who brought joy to those who were sad, gave support to those who were suffering, and offered comfort to those in difficulty.
His Contribution to Education
Mar Thomas was also a great educator and a person of strong intellectual ability.
He strongly believed in the importance of education and started several educational institutions, including St. Berchman’s College, Changanacherry.
His 113 pastoral letters show his great concern for the spiritual welfare of the people entrusted to him.
Above all, he was a man of God and a devoted lover of the Eucharistic Lord.
He worked tirelessly to encourage devotion to the Blessed Sacrament among the faithful. He promoted 40 Hours and 13 Hours Devotions and encouraged solemn Holy Hour celebrations in parish communities.
His Final Journey to Rome
When Mar Thomas prepared for his Ad Limina visit to Rome, he had a strong feeling that it would be his last journey.
It was the Silver Jubilee year of his priestly ordination, and he had planned to take part in the beatification process of St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
Before leaving Kerala, he entrusted the sisters to the Immaculate Virgin Mary. He also asked everyone to forgive him for any shortcomings.
After reaching Rome, the seminarians from Changanacherry who were studying there invited him to celebrate Holy Mass at Propaganda College. He gladly accepted their invitation.
Although he was tired, he celebrated Holy Mass. After Mass, he fainted.
It was significant that he had celebrated both his first Holy Mass and his last Holy Mass at the same altar.
Mar Thomas Kurialacherry died on 2 June 1925.
His mortal remains were brought back to Changanacherry in 1935 and buried in the Metropolitan Cathedral Church.
On 25 March 2014, his mortal remains were transferred to a newly built chapel called Marth Mariam Kabaridapalli, attached to the Metropolitan Church.
The Cause of Beatification
People who knew Bishop Kurialacherry believed that he was a holy and saintly person. The sisters and many other people began praying to him and asking for his intercession.
Many pilgrims continued to visit his tomb. Reports of favours and graces received through his intercession strengthened the desire to see Mar Thomas raised to the honours of the altar for the glory of God and the good of His people.
The cause for his beatification began in 1983 at Mar Thomas Kurialacherry Vikas, Changanacherry. The diocesan process was completed in 1991.
The present postulator is Rev. Msgr. Paul Pallath.
The Positio, which presented the heroic virtues of the Servant of God, was submitted to the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 1996.
A team of eight theologians and a Promoter of Faith studied the document. On 26 March 2010, they unanimously recognized that Mar Thomas had practised heroic virtues.
The Positio was then studied and discussed by the Cardinals and Bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. They approved it, and the Pope issued the decree recognizing the virtuous life of the Servant of God.
On 2 April 2011, Mar Thomas Kurialacherry was officially declared Venerable.
For his beatification, the recognition of a first-class miracle through his intercession is required. A further approved miracle would then be required for his canonization.
Mother Chantal (Philomina Vallayil)
Mother Chantal, Philomina Vallayil, was born on 23 December 1880 at Champakulam to Mathew and Mariamma.
From her childhood, she had a strong desire to love the Lord with all her heart and to serve the poor and needy. She made a firm decision from a very young age that she would never do anything that would cause pain to Jesus or Mother Mary. She kept this decision throughout her life.
Philomina had a deep interest in spiritual activities. She attended Holy Mass every day and was an active member of the Sodality of Our Lady.
She wanted to dedicate her life to God and serve humanity as a religious sister. However, her family asked her to agree to marriage. She accepted their decision. Unfortunately, she became a widow after a short time and returned to her family home in Champakulam.
Her Call to Religious Life
During her widowhood, Philomina lived a quiet life of silence, solitude, prayer, and penance. She continued to desire to dedicate herself completely to God and to the service of His children.
God prepared her for a special mission of love for the Eucharist.
Her unexpected meeting with Fr. Thomas Kurialacherry at Kalloorkatt Church opened a new path in her life. This meeting gave her new strength and inspiration. She found in Fr. Thomas a spiritual guide who could lead her towards the mission God had prepared for her.
Fr. Thomas also understood that he needed a strong leader and collaborator to help guide the new congregation he had dreamed of founding.
After meeting Philomina, he recognized that she was the right person to help fulfil the vision he had received during his time at the Perpetual Adoration Chapel in Rome.
Her Formation and Early Leadership
Mother Chantal was a deeply religious woman. Her faith was the source of her extraordinary courage and strength.
During her formation, Fr. Thomas recognized her motherly love, courage, strength, and determination. These qualities were very important for the growth of the new congregation.
On 23 January 1903, following Fr. Thomas’s direction, she left her home and spent one year with the Clarist Sisters at Changanassery, where she continued her school-level studies.
Later, while continuing her studies at Mutholi, she cared for about 17 children who lived and travelled with her. They became the first candidates of the new congregation.
On 8 December 1908, six of these candidates received the religious veil. This marked the official beginning of the Adoration Congregation.
Her Contribution to the Congregation
Since the Founder, Mar Thomas Kurialacherry, had many responsibilities in the diocese, the work of starting new schools and colleges was entrusted to Sr. Chantal.
She carried out this responsibility with great dedication and efficiency.
The first schools and convents of the SABS Congregation were established through her hard work and commitment.
Her years of official service were not easy. She faced many difficulties from government authorities, local people, non-Catholics, and even some people within the convent.
She also experienced humiliations within the convent. She accepted these experiences as opportunities to unite herself more closely with her Heavenly Spouse, Jesus.
For reasons that are not known, she was not given permission to make her final vows together with the other sisters who were professed with her.
Her active official life came to an unexpected end with the death of the Founder, Mar Thomas Kurialacherry, in 1925. After his death, she was no longer involved in active leadership and remained outside active life until the end of her life.
Her Life of Suffering and Trust in God
In the later years of her life, Mother Chantal experienced many more trials and difficulties. She accepted them silently and with faith, seeing them as a way of sharing in the suffering of the Suffering Servant of Yahweh.
Her sufferings became a source of strength for the congregation and helped it continue its journey and growth.
Mother Chantal was never known to complain, become irritated, or criticize others. Instead, she humbly accepted everything and repeatedly said:
“Glory to God.”
She remained deeply united with the Eucharistic Lord, with whom she had a close personal relationship.
She continued to be a loving, compassionate, and caring person. She sought her comfort and strength from Jesus in the Eucharist.
She generously shared her spiritual and material resources with the people around her.
Her love for the poor and needy, which had been present from her childhood, continued throughout her life, even during the years when she lived away from active ministry.
Her Deep Love for the Eucharist
Mother Chantal’s life was a complete surrender to the will of God.
From her childhood until her old age, she accepted God’s will and found joy in following it.
Her deep love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament gave her the strength to face the many trials and difficulties in her life.
Even when she felt rejected by some of her own sisters, faced difficulties with diocesan authorities, or was misunderstood by the public, she accepted everything with faith and continued her mission of making the Eucharistic Lord known, loved, and adored.
When her apostolic work became limited to the convent, she continued to act as a missionary in her own way. She used every opportunity to encourage devotion to the Holy Eucharist.
She spent long hours before the Blessed Sacrament, speaking with Jesus, even during the quiet hours of the night when no one else was around.
She was often seen in the convent chapel, deeply absorbed in prayer and contemplation.
Her Final Days
The last days of Mother Chantal’s life were marked by great physical suffering.
She died on 25 May 1972, giving her life completely into the hands of God.
Mother Chantal was a heroic woman, especially in her suffering, faith, courage, and determination.
Even during her lifetime, she encouraged children to pray and prayed for their intentions. After her death, many people began visiting her tomb and asking for her intercession.
People come to her tomb in large numbers from different places. Her intercession is especially sought by young women praying for marriage and by pregnant women praying for a safe and normal delivery.
Co-Foundress of the Adoration Congregation
Mother Chantal worked closely with Mar Thomas Kurialacherry in founding the congregation.
At the Renewal Synaxis held in January 2007, she was officially recognized as the Co-Foundress of the Adoration Congregation.
As the first member and Co-Foundress, her contribution to the congregation came from her deep love for Jesus in the Eucharist.
Her love for the Eucharistic Lord was expressed through her love for others and through her dedication to the growth of the congregation.
She overcame many difficulties with courage and patience.
Her love for the poor, devotion to the Holy Eucharist, and silent acceptance of suffering remain powerful examples of faith and continue to inspire many people.