John Kuzhinapurath

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Father John Kuzhinapurath, OIC, (1904–1994) was the first priest who reunited with the Catholic Church along with Archbishop Mar Ivanios on September 20, 1930 in the process of the formation of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

Fr. John was born on Midhunam 23, 1078 of Malayalam Era at Omallur near Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India. He was the youngest child of Pakalomattom Kuzhinapurath Eapen and Kocheetha. He had his primary education in Government Middle School at Pathanamthitta. He was ordained deacon by the Orthodox Catholicos Mar Baselios in 1919. Then he studied for priesthood at M.D. Seminary, Kottayam, Kerala. Deacon John continued his secular studies at St. Thomas High School, Pala, Kerala. He completed his Inermediate education in C.M.S College, Kottayam.

Fr. John Kuzhinapurath OIC

Dn. John joined the Bethany Ashram, the monastic order founded by Archbishop Mar Ivanios. He made his first monastic profession and Mar Ivanios ordained him priest in 1929. Fr. John followed Mar Ivanios and reunited with the Catholic Church on September 20, 1930.

He had a monastic formation of one year in the Carmelite Monastery at Trivandrum. He served the Bethany Ashram as novice master and Suprior General. He worked in several mission centers at Thiruvalla and Trivandrum. He journied several kilometers by cycle every day for doing missionary and charitable works. He started the prayer centre at the T. B. Sanitorium at Pulayanarkotta, Trivandrum.

He authored the book Sahana Yanjgam (Sacrificial Suffering).

Fr. John passed away on January 28, 1994.

The Bethany Ashram published a special issue of Bethany Sabdam, a compilation of memories about Fr. John Kuzhinapurath in 1995.^[1]

Being inspired by the life of Fr. John Kuzhinapurath, OIC, several young members of his family became priests and nuns. Now there are 7 priests and 8 sisters from the family of Fr. John.