Mar Augustine Kandathil
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Mar Augustine Kandathil (b. at Chempu, near Vaikom, in Kottayam, Kingdom of Travancore, 25 August 1874; d. at Ernakulam, Travancore-Cochin, India, 10 January 1956) was the first Metropolitan and Head of the Syro-Malabar Church, the principal Church of the Saint Thomas Christians in India. He was the first Indian to assume powers and reign as an Archbishop of the Catholic Church.[1]
He was ordained priest on 21 December 1901 and appointed the first rector of the Petit Seminary at Ernakulam; he continued to take an important part in the spiritual formation of seminarians throughout his life. After being consecrated Bishop on 3 December 1911 and appointed Co-adjutor to the Vicar-Apostolic of Ernakulam, Mar Aloysius (Louis) Pazheparambil (1896-1919), he succeeded Bishop Pazheparambil as Vicar-Apostolic at the latter's death on 9 December 1919.
The epitaph which he composed of his predecessor has been widely admired; I. C. Chacko, Illiparambil chose to conclude his biography of Mar Louis Pazheparambil with it:
`A Prelate specially devoted to the Blessed Virgin, simple in ways, frugal in habits, ever devoted to the interests of his Rite and Nation, steadfast of purpose, yet tactful in action, a scholar, a linguist, a historian, and a diplomat, he was a great Indian.'
The Syro-Malabar Hierarchy was founded by Pope Pius XI on 21 December 1923 with the Archdiocese of Ernakulam as its centre and Archbishop Mar Augustine Kandathil as its first Metropolitan and Head, with suffragan Dioceses of Changanacherry, Kottayam, and Trichur, respectively under Bishops Mar Thomas Kurialachery (1911-1925), Mar Alexander Choolaparampil (1914-1951), and Mar Francis Vazhapally (1921-1942); this was the culmination of the centuries-old struggle for self-governance in the Syro-Malabar Church. Mar Augustine Kandathil was installed Archbishop on 16 November 1924 and led the Church from its helm as Metropolitan for three and a half decades, until his demise at the age of 81.
During the Holy Year 1925, Archbishop Kandathil, together with Bishop Kurialachery, went on pilgrimage to Rome by sea, the only time he left the Indian subcontinent, to thank the Pope for establishing the Hierarchy; they also participated in the canonisation of St. Thérèse de Lisieux on 17 May 1925; while at Rome, both prelates fell gravely ill, and Bishop Kurialachery died and was buried there. During his return, Archbishop Kandathil visited the newly independent Republic of Ireland and was received by the Irish President and freedom fighter W. T. Cosgrave. He also came to know at close quarters the activities of the Congregation of Christian Brothers; this inspired the Archbishop to found a monastic order, the Congregation of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux for Brothers (CST Brothers) in 1931; together with Fr. John Pinakatt and Mgr. Mathew Mankuzhikary, Archbishop Kandathil also founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Nazareth (CSN Sisters) in 1948.
Archbishop Kandathil began the Catholic weekly in Malayalam, the Sathyadeepam, in 1926, with his disciple the eminent theologian and man of letters Mgr. Jacob Naduvathussery as the editor, to disseminate the tenets of the Catholic faith and its social teaching; the weekly was so named by Mgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran, a frequent contributor. The erudition of Mgr. Naduvathussery in the theology of Augustine of Hippo, Anselm of Aosta, O. S. B., and Thomas Aquinas, O. P., was harnessed in defence of the Catholic faith against atheism, rationalism, materialism, communism, usury, and moral relativism. The weekly has since flourished as the mouthpiece of the Catholic Church in Kerala to this day.
The daily newspaper in Malayalam, the Malabar Mail, which he began in 1936 with the journalist Fr. Thomas Veluthedathu as the editor and the activist M. M. Varkey, Mookenchery and the historian M. O. Joseph, Nedumkunnam as assistant editors, proved decisive in fostering various political struggles in the Kingdom of Travancore during the regime of Dewan C. P. Ramaswami Iyer in the decade before Indian independence, such as the Utharavada bharanam [Responsible government] struggle and the struggle against the Education Bill piloted by Iyer. The paper was banned in Travancore, but continued to be published from Cochin and to be read in Travancore.
The Mar Louis Memorial Press was started in 1920 to support these and other publications, such as the Ernakulam Missam, the official organ of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam. He also founded the Ernakulam Archdiocesan Library in 1924.
Archbishop Kandathil encouraged the expansion of the All Kerala Catholic Congress, the Catholic Action movement in Kerala which had been founded in 1905 at Ernakulam under the Presidency of Ezhupunna Parayil Avira Varkey Tharakan with the approval of Mar Louis Pazheparambil and the participation of the Latin Catholics, and directed the clergy to extend all help to its organisers for recruiting lay members; he also granted an office building in Ernakulam to serve as its head-quarters. This helped the Catholic community to play a principal part in the popular struggles in Travancore and Cochin (under the leadership of Joseph Pettah, Professor of Economics at St. Thomas College, Thrissur, Elanjikkal Thariath Kunjithommen, MLC from Muvattupuzha, and Cyriac Kandathil) starting with the Nivarthanam [Abstention] agitation for proportionate representation in 1932, and at length, for the rise of Catholics like A. J. John, Anaparambil, C. J. Varkey, C. O. Ouseph, N. V. Joseph, Naduvathussery, M. M. Varkey, Mookenchery, and P. T. Chacko, Pullolil, to eminence in public life.
Due to the efforts of Archbishop Kandathil, the dominion of the Syro-Malabar Church was extended beyond its traditional boundaries in 1955; this enabled the creation of the suffragan Diocese of Tellicherry (1953) under Bishop Mar Sebastian Valloppilly (1955-1989), for ministering to the substantial number of migrant Catholics in Northern Kerala (erstwhile British Malabar). The suffragan Diocese of Palai was created in 1950 under Bishop Mar Sebastian Vayalil (1950-1980).
Archbishop Kandathil founded a missionary congregation of priests and laymen, the Vedapracharasabha [Congregation for the propagation of the faith] in 1921, with the learned historian Mgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran as director, to work for bringing people outside the fold to the Catholic faith; the activities were aimed at non-Christians as well as Christians outside the Catholic Church, and led to considerable increase in numbers for the Syro-Malabar Church.
The Archbishop was an earnest supporter of the efforts of Geevarghese Mar Ivanios Panickerveetil, O. I. C., the Metropolitan of Bethany, and his followers in the Oriental Orthodox Church to reunite with the Catholic Church; this led, at length, to the creation of the Syro-Malankara Church on 11 June 1932 [1] with the Archdiocese of Trivandrum as its centre and Mar Ivanios (1932-1953) as its Metropolitan, with the suffragan Diocese of Tiruvalla under Bishop Jacob Mar Theophilos Kalapurakal, O. I. C. (1932-1950); others who reunited include Joseph Mar Severios Valakuzhiyil, Thomas Mar Dioscoros Ottathaikal, and the Indian Nationalist leader Barrister George Joseph Oorayil. Mar Ivanios was installed Archbishop on 12 March 1933 in the presence of Archbishop Kandathil.
Archbishop Kandathil presided over the nineteenth centennial celebrations of the arrival of St. Thomas the Apostle at Kodungallur in 52 A. D; The Jubilee celebrations were inaugurated at Ernakulam, 28-31 December 1952; Eugène Cardinal Tisserant, the Dean of the College of Cardinals (1951-1972), arrived at Ernakulam on 11 November 1953 from Ortona with the remains of the right arm with which the doubting Apostle had touched the wounds of Jesus Christ to clear his doubts. The relic, after being exposed at Ernakulam, was installed on 6 December 1953 in the Mar Thoma Pontifical Shrine that was built at Kodungallur; the shrine was conferred Pontifical status by Pope Pius XII.
The Archbishop founded the Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha, in 1953.
As an administrator, Archbishop Kandathil was noted for his attention to detail; he established systematic methods and practices of administration and accountancy in the Church. The Maharaja of Cochin adopted his innovations in accountancy to the administration of the Kingdom of Cochin. In the tasks of administration, he was assisted by various Vicars-General, including Mgr. Bernard Madambhagath, Mgr. Thomas Nedumkallel, Mgr. George Valliarumpath, and Mgr. Mathew Pothanamuzhi.
When the Vatican sought to establish a completely Chaldean liturgy for the Syro-Malabar Church in 1955, Archbishop Kandathil declined to give his assent:
`We are pure Indians, born and brought-up in India. We are racially Indians, a good part of our forefathers having been converted from high-caste Hindus of Malabar by St. Thomas. Hence we are known as St. Thomas Christians. From the time of St. Thomas, our people were having their liturgy in their own national language, except perhaps some essential parts in Syriac, introduced by St. Thomas. The Syro-Malabar rite, as distinct from the pure Chaldean Rite, is about three and a half centuries old, and has been recognised as a distinct rite. We want a reformation in our liturgy that will help it to be living, dynamic, and progressive.' [2]
Archbishop Kandathil lies buried at the altar of St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica, Ernakulam. A portrait in oil paint by artist Artist P. J. Cherian, Puthanangady, student of Raja Rama Varma (son of Raja Ravi Varma), is installed at Central Hall, Archbishop's House, Ernakulam. His patrimonial estate in Chempu was bequeathed by him in 1942 to the CST Brothers for endowing the St. Stephen's Ashram and Orphanage, Mathunkal, Chempu.
The Mar Augustine Memorial Lisie Hospital, Ernakulam, was founded in accordance with his vision and plans, in his memory, in the years following his demise, bears witness to his devotion to St. Thérèse de Lisieux, and continues to provide succour to the destitute of Ernakulam.
[edit] References
- Fr. George Thalian: `The Great Archbishop Mar Augustine Kandathil, D. D.: the Outline of a Vocation', Mar Louis Memorial Press, 1961. (Postscript) (PDF)
- Fr. Joseph Mavunkal: `The Archdiocese of Ernakulam and its Metropolitan' (in Malayalam), Mar Louis Memorial Press, 1936.
- Mgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran: `Christianity in Malabar with special reference to the St. Thomas Christians of the Syro-Malabar Rite', Orientalia Christiana, t. VI(2), n. 23, pp. 89-136, Rome, April 1926.
- Mar Augustine Kandathil: `Chaldean liturgy not to be restored' [Letter to Eugene Cardinal Tisserant, 6th June 1955], Ernakulam Missam, XLIII (6), June 1973, pp. 63-73.
[edit] Further reading
- Mar Augustine Kandathil: Statement (in Malayalam) on the epic-poem in Malayalam Shreeyeshu vijayam [The Victory of Lord Jesus] by Kattakayam Cherian Mappillai, 1926.
- Kattakayam Cherian Mappillai: `Kattakayam Kruthikal' [The Works of Kattakayam] (in Malayalam), Carmel Publishing House, Trivandrum, 1988.
- Mgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran: `The Syrian Church in Malabar', A historical dissertation submitted for the Master of Arts Degree of the University of Madras, Reprinted with a few additions, Br. Joseph, S. J., Superintendent, St. Joseph's Industrial School Press, Trichinopoly, 1914.
- Mgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran: `L'entree des eveques Jacobites de l'Inde dans l'obedience du Pape', Missions Catholiques, 1930, pp. 534-535.
- Mgr. Thomas Vadassery: `The Catholic Church and the Jacobite contentions', Tiruvalla, 1946.
- Naalaagamam [Chronicles in Malayalam] of the Udayamperoor Pazhaya Palli [Old Church], Seat of the House of Villalvettam
- Mar Louis Pazheparambil: `An Account of a Very Important Period of the History of the Catholic Syrians of Malabar', Chacko Mathen Paremparampil (Ed.), Puthenpally, 1920.
- I. C. Chacko, Illiparambil: `Mar Louis Pazheparambil: Jeevithavum kaalavum' [Mar Louis Pazheparambil: Life and Times] (in Malayalam), Trivandrum, 1937.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b Mar Joseph Kariattil (Kariattil Ouseph Malpan) was consecrated Bishop and appointed Archbishop of Cranganore by Maria I of Portugal at Lisbon on 17 February 1783 under the rights of padroado [patronage] granted to the Portuguese Crown by the Pope; however, on his way back to Kerala, he fell ill at Goa and died there on 10 September 1786 before he could set foot in or take possession of his Archdiocese or be installed Archbishop. These events are narrated by Paremmakkal Thoma Kathanar in his travelogue in Malayalam, the Varthamanapusthakam, concerning his eight-year long voyage with the Malpan from Kerala to Rome and back (1778-1786); the voyage had been undertaken with finances from Thachil Mathoo Tharakan for the purpose of removing obstacles to receiving Pakalomattam Mar Dionysius I, the Oriental Orthodox Metropolitan (1772-1808) and lineal heir to Archdeacon Thomas Parambil (Pakalomattam), into the Catholic Church; they also submitted a petition to the Vatican for the cause of the canonisation of Devasahayam Pillai. The death of Archbishop Kariattil was to stall by more than a century both the achievement of self-governance for the Syro-Malabar Christians (attained in 1923) and the reunion of St. Thomas Christians in the Oriental Orthodox Church with the Catholic Church (partially attained in 1932).
- ^ The views of Archbishop Kandathil on the liturgy of the St. Thomas Christians (cf. Ernakulam Missam, XLIII (6), June 1973, pp. 63-73.) were often quoted and elaborated upon by his successor: "Our forefathers were `Hindu-Christians', having been converted from Hinduism, and not `Judaeo-Christians' like the first fruits of the apostolic labours of St. Peter. Just imagine how vigourously St. Paul resisted St. Peter's attempt to impose the law of circumcision on the non-Jewish converts. We have no traces of the liturgy used by St. Thomas in India, but we can presume that it was an indigenous form of worship blending the message of the gospel with the spiritual patrimony of the new converts, and using idioms and symbolisms intelligible to them. With the advent of the Syrian bishops from abroad, bringing with them a developed Chaldean liturgy, the liturgical seedling planted by St. Thomas must have been neglected, if not choked. Our forefathers succeeded in Indianising to some extent the imported liturgy. In essentials it remained Semitic. That is why, when the question of restoring the Chaldean liturgy was proposed by Rome in 1955, my illustrious predecessor Archbishop Kandathil was unwilling to give his concurrence." Mar Joseph Cardinal Parecattil: Adaptation and the future of Christianity in India, June 1973; cf. also his Syro-Malabar Liturgy as I see it, Abel Periyappuram, T. O. C. D. (Ed.), Ernakulam, 1987.
| Preceded by Mar Aloysius Pazheparambil |
Archbishop of Ernakulam 1919–1956 |
Succeeded by Mar Joseph Cardinal Parecattil |
