Father John Kuzhinapurath, OIC, (1904–1994) was among the first priests who united 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.
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Kuzhinapurath was born in 1904 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 intermediate education at C.M.S College, Kottayam.
Kuzhinapurath 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. Kuzhinapurath 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 Superior General. He worked in several mission centers at Thiruvalla and Trivandrum. He journeyed 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).
Kuzhinapurath died on January 28, 1994.
The Bethany Ashram published a special issue of Bethany Sabdam, a compilation of memories about Kuzhinapurath in 1995.[1]
The death anniversary and commemoration of Fr. John Kuzhinapurath OIC was celebrated on January 30, 2010. Rev. Dr. Thomas Kuzhinapurath and other seven priests from Kuzhinapurath family concelebrated the Holy Mass at Bethany Ashram, Nalanchira, Trivandrum, where tomb of Fr. John Kuzhinapurath OIC is situated. Followed by the commemoration meeting presided by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis. Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis released the book Preshita Deepam the biography of Fr. John Kuzhinapurath OIC written by Peter C. Abraham by giving the first copy to Dr. George Onakkur. Baselios Cleemis said Fr. John was truly a refuge to the poor and the destitutes.[2]
Fr. Thomas Inchaykkalodi, Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Vol. 1, Bethany Publications, Kottayam, 2006.
Peter C. Abraham, Peshita Deepam: Fr. John Kuzhinapurath OIC, Malankara Catholic Publications, Trivandrum, 2010.