St George's Forane Church, Kulathuvayal

St George's Forane Church, Kulathuvayal is located in Travancore, Kerala in India.

History

During the large-scale migration in 1920's and 30's from central Travancore, the whole of Malabar was under the Latin diocese of Kozhikode. The administrators of the diocese paid special attention to the spiritual needs of the new settlers and gave them all the necessary help. The nearest Catholic Church in those days was at Vadakara. As new Christian settlements were established, the missionaries of Kozhikode diocese started paying attention to the needs of the community. The first among those who came to Kulathuvayal had been Rev. Fr. Siaro, Rev. Fr. Rebello, and Rev. Fr. Joseph Peediekkal. It was Rev. Fr. Siaro who celebrated the first holy mass at Kulathuvayal. That had been in the house of Mathur Cherian, one of the earliest settlers of the area.

The bishop of Kozhikode, Rt. Rev. Dr. Leo Presarpio SJ, understood the problems of the settlers and did everything to help them. In 1941, he authorized Rev. Fr. Joseph Peediekkal, the vicar of Vadakara church, to manage the spiritual needs of the people of Kulathuvayal, Maruthonkara and Padathukadavu, which were part of the Kuttiady settlement area.

The Catholics of these places can never forget the great services rendered by Rev Fr Peediekkal who carried out the new responsibility with sincerity and devotion. Every Sunday he celebrated the holy mass for the settler community at Kulathuvayal, in the house of Chacko Njallimakkal. That was how the spiritual life of the area, which had been kindled by Rev. Fr. Siaro, got rejuvenated in subsequent years.

Fulfillment of the dream

The church named after St. George was established as early as 1941 under the initiative of Rev. Fr. Peediekkal. Janab Moythu Sahib donated 10 acres (40,000 m²) of prime land at Kulathuvayal hill top for the new church. The thatched shed for the new church was constructed in no time under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Peediekkal, Rev. Fr. Mathew Kappukattil, and Rev. Fr. John Makkil. It was a modest attempt by the settlers who had been weakened by malampani. Taking a contribution of 25 paise each during prayer meetings had accumulated the necessary money. The cemetery was also established near the church by Rev. Fr. Peediekkal in 1941.

In 1943 the church building was reconstructed. It was a strong edifice built on granite pillars and was given a tiled roof. The new building was constructed literally on the strength of the gold ornaments of about 25 families. They were mostly the humble offerings of the poor mothers who were struggling in the midst of dangerous fevers and acute scarcity. Very soon Rt. Rev. Dr. Presarpio appointed Rev. Fr. DeCosta to assist Rev. Fr. Peediekkal. He used to come to Kulathuvayal on Saturday, say the mass on Sunday and then return to Kozhikode. On 28 January 1944, the bishop came to Padathukadavu and then to Kulathuvayal through Palery. One result of this journey was that the road to Kulathuvayal from Padathukadavu became a reality after the visit. The road was the result of the hard work of all the people of the area who toiled hard day and night, forgetting all the differences of religion, caste and class. The work was led by Janab Moythu who contributed food for the workers and two petromax lamps. Utilizing the 6000 Rupees he contributed, a new car was bought from Coimbatore by late Prof. K. M. Chandy (former Gujarat Governor) and the bishop was taken to Kulathuvayal in that along the new road. He traveled up to the present Vimalalayam junction in the car and then walked to the top of the Kulathuvayal hill. He was thoroughly impressed with the big crowd of believers there and promised them that he would soon give them a new permanent vicar. Accordingly, Rev. Fr. Thomas Ayilloor, of Thampalakkad, was appointed as the first vicar of Kulathuvayal on 25 April 1944. In no time he became the leader and the shelter to all the Christian settlers from Peruvannamoozhy to Kattippara.

Those were the days when forest fevers had their heyday, tormenting the settler community continuously. Cries of agony continued to rise up from the huts. The echoes of the knell terrified people. On some days there had been as many as thirteen funerals on a single day at Kulathuvayal church cemetery. In distant places graves were formed under trees and in shrubs. Rev. Fr. Ayilloor went from house to house spreading the message of hope and trust in God. The Koyna tablets he carried in his pockets saved the lives of hundreds.

Father Ayillor

Rev. Fr. Ayilloor established several churches for the Christian settlers, at Peruvannamoozhy, Koorachundu, Kallanodu, Thalayadu, and Kattippara. His contribution to the education sector was also very remarkable. It was he who started St George LP School Kulathuvayal, St Antony’s LP School Chakkittupara, St Thomas LP School Koorachundu, St Mary’s LP School Kallanodu. The people of Malabar will always remember his significant contribution, which went a long way in helping the educational aspirations of the settler community.

The Chakkittappara Lower Primary School which Fr. Ayilloor established had a long and eventful history. Avadukka Lower Primary School had been the oldest school of the area. The manager of that school, Kelothu Kunjiramakurup shifted the school to Chakkittappara in June 1944. Rev. Fr. Ayilloor bought that school and renovated it giving it the new name of St Antony’s LP School. Today the school is functioning in the land which had been donated by Panamattathil Outha. Another example for Rev. Fr. Ayillor's far-sightedness is the Kayanna Post Office, which was established mainly because of his attempt. Fr. Ayilloor didn’t forget to extend a helping hand when the settlers faced legal obstacles. Thus, he succeeded in building the foundation for a secure, strong and happy community. At last, in 1949, the ‘karuthachan’ (that was how people affectionately called him on account of his perennial black dress) was transferred to Manathavady.

Father Miranda

Rev. Fr. L.H Miranda from Mangalapuram succeeded Rev. Fr. Ayilloor as the vicar of Kulathuvayal. He was a doctor of Homoeopathy. The main achievement of his service was the opening of the Chempra-Perambra road. He got transferred to Thalasserry in 1951. Then it was the turn of Rev. Fr. C.J. Varkey to serve Kulathuvayal as its vicar. The very long period of sixteen years when he was the vicar was noted for the innumerable construction works successfully undertaken in Kulathuvayal. He was literally the architect of the beautiful church and the school, which stand majestically today at Kulathuvayal. It was his leadership qualities and his foresight that helped Kulathuvayal parish reach its heights in so short a period. The new church building was consecrated five years after the laying of the foundation stone. That was also the silver jubilee year of the parish. The church building he constructed was peculiar with its balcony, priest home, and the eighty feet tall tower. Rev. Fr. C J Varkey succeeded in implementing his plans perfectly and quickly because he had the willingness to work very hard and the determination born out of his unflinching faith and confidence.^[1]

Father Varkey

The elementary school had to be shifted from where it stood when the new church was constructed. The school was elevated to the status of a High School on 28 June 1954. St. George’s High School Kulathuvayal, which has grown to become a proud possession of the Vadakara Educational District, was mainly the brainchild of Rev. Fr. Varkey. He also established Pushpa L P School, Narimada, and St. Joseph’s Lower Primary School, Oonjil.

It is to be specifically mentioned that the only swimming pool associated with a school in north Kerala is at Kulathuvayal. It was also the result of Rev. Fr. Varkey’s imagination and hard work. He had always been a great sportsman and a lover of various sports and games activities. The rich sports tradition of Kulathuvayal High School is a fitting memorial to him. He had always been at the forefront of all the attempts to train the youth of the area. The volleyball lovers of Chakkittappara still have fond memories about the net and ball he bought for them. Every year volleyball tournaments are conducted for a rolling trophy in his name.

Fr. Varkey was also interested in encouraging and sponsoring adventurous enterprises. An attempt made by Mr. Thomas Madukkavumkal brought the attention of the Kerala government and the Electricity ministry to the Oorakkuzhy waterfall, which became the source of the Kuttiady hydroelectric project that later became the lighthouse of Malabar. Rev. Fr. Varkey was also behind it. It was a team including Fr. Varkey and Thomas Madukkavumkal that went very near the waterfall for the first time and took photos. The photos taken by Fr. Varkey were incorporated in the report Mr. Thomas published in Mathrubhumy. The government initiated the plans about the Kuttiady project after the publication of that report.^[2]

Sacred Heart convent

The Sacred Heart convent on the eastern side of the Kulathuvayal hill was established mainly because of the attempt of Rev. Fr. Varkey. The settlers still remember fondly the great services rendered by the sisters in the fields of education, medical care and spirituality. Another invaluable contribution of Fr. Varkey was the establishment of the Vimala Mary Congregation, which later became MSMI, which now has more than fifty branches in different places.

Rev Fr. Varkey paid attention to the medical sector and the technological sector as well. Two institutions that bore witness to that are the Mount St. George Hospital and the Georgian Institute of Commerce. Although they have disappeared in course of time, their service to the people in the days when no such facilities were available had been immeasurable. We can say that they disappeared only after fulfilling their goals in full measure. During his tenure, the post office, which had been established under his initiative, was elevated to the level of a sub post office.

Thalasserry diocese

In 1953, when Thalasserry diocese was established, Rev. Fr. Varkey joined hands with the diocese and continued to render his invaluable service to Kulathuvayal. That shows his love and commitment to the people here. He succeeded in supporting the activities of the diocese in a significant manner. It was he who helped the bishop, Mar Sebastian Velloppilly to establish the Corporate Management for the schools that came under the diocese. Thus, after putting in a lifetime’s service for the parish and people of Kulathuvayal, Rev. Fr. Varkey departed the place to become the corporate manager of the Thalasserry diocese. Later he returned to Kulathuvayal as the director of Vimalalayam, thereby becoming the supporter of Kulathuvayal once again.^[3]

Father Kottukappally

The vicars who succeeded him found the parish ready in every sense to receive further developmental drives. By that time the initial hardships of the settlers had almost come to an end. However, there were areas where their services were necessary. In 1967-69, Rev. Fr. Francis Aarupara led the parish. It was Rev. Fr. Mathew Kottukappally who was the vicar after that and he remained in charge until 1974. It was during his tenure that Kulathuvayal and Chakkittappara became electrified. The construction of the first floor of the High School including the office, and the widening of the Perampra-Koorachundu road were the major developmental activities undertaken under his leadership.

The next vicar had been Fr. Kuriakose Chemblany who remained until 1978. Rev. Fr. Mathew Panachippuram was the vicar until 1981 and Rev. Fr. Joseph Koottarappally occupied the position till 1984. Rev. Fr. Sebastian Kanjirakkattukunnel was the vicar from 1984 to 1989 and Rev. Fr. Thomas Kochuparampil served the parish as the vicar for a short period from 1989 to 1990. All of them served the parish in different ways, helping in the development of the parish and its institutions. It was during the tenure of Rev. Fr. Chemblany that new rooms were built for the High School, near the ground. The silver jubilee celebrations of the school were organized under the initiative of Rev. Fr. Panachippuram and a new hall was built as the jubilee memorial. The water supply scheme for the school was also established in that period. All those years, the vicars showed interest in various agricultural activities as well in order to ensure continued income to the parish.

The growth of the parish continued uninterruptedly during the tenure of Rev. Fr. Koottarappally and Rev. Fr. Kanjirakkattukunnel. Both showed much interest in the development of the agricultural activities of the parish. The present building of the Karikandanpara chapel was built under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Koottarappally. It was in his time that the compound wall was built around the church and the main gate was placed. Another unforgettable contribution from him was his initiative in building a migration memorial at Chembra.

The services of Rev. Fr. Kanjirakkattukunnel were mostly aimed at rejuvenating the spiritual enlightenment of the parish. His oratory skill, tactfulness and the ability to pay attention to each member of the parish were contributing factors in his great success. He was instrumental in uniting a lot of the parishioners who stood aloof and showed a dissenting mentality. He also succeeded in drawing several people to a spiritual reawakening. The parish came to view the implementation of God’s words through his actions.

Rev. Fr. Thomas Kochuparampil had only one year to serve the parish. Rev. Fr. Jacob Puthenpura came to the parish after that as the new vicar. He has been here to lead the golden jubilee celebrations of the parish. It was his success that the jubilee celebrations turned out to be grand and became an opportunity for the entire parish to remember the services rendered by the forefathers who toiled hard for the establishment of a parish here and a strong and Catholic community as well. He was followed by Fr. Arakaparambil who served the parish for six years continuously. One of the notable things during his tenure was laying the foundation of a Higher Secondary School. It was Fr. Thomas Kadhalikattu who came after him completed the construction of St. George's Higher Secondary School Kulathuvayal. It currently holds students in Science, Commerce and Arts scheme. Six years of his service to the parishners are immense. He constructed a compound wall around the church, built a new staircase that would take to the front portion of the church, and above all did maintenance work in the church. He also laid the foundation of a renewed cemetery. Fr. Mathew Choorapoykayil came after him and completed work at the cemetery. It was blessed by Mar Paul Chitilapally, the then bishop of Thamarashery, in the year 2008. At present Fr. George Karukamalil serves as the vicar and manager of both the school and the higher secondary.

At first Kulathuvayal had been part of the Kozhikode diocese. It became a part of the Thalasserry diocese from its inception. The first bishop of the new diocese, Mar Sebastian Velloppilly, had always been a great support and inspiration to Kulathuvayal. In 1986, when Thamarasserry diocese was formed out of Thalasserry, Kulathuvayal got affiliated to it.

The parish spreads through the panchayats of Chakkittapara, Koorachundu, Perambra and Kayanna in Kozhikode district. The land is made wet and fertile by the reservoir of the Kuttiady irrigation scheme, and the Chembrapuzha that springs from Chakkittapara, flows east until it reaches Koorachundu, and then turns west and flows around Kulathuvayal till it reaches Kuttiadypuzha. There are about six hundred families in the parish who are mostly agricultural families.

Former Vicars

1. Rev. Fr. Joseph Peediyeckal
2. Rev. Fr. Thomas Ayillor
3. Rev. Fr. Miranda
4. Rev. Fr. C.J. Varkey
5. Rev. Fr. Francis Arupara
6. Rev. Fr. Mathew Kottukapalli
7. Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Chemplani
8. Rev.Fr. Unknown
9. Rev. Fr. Joseph Kuttarapalli
10. Rev. Fr. Sebastian Kanjirakattukunnel
11. Rev. Fr. Thomas Kochuparambil
12. Rev. Fr. Jacob Puthanpura
13. Rev. Fr. Ephrem Pottanani
14. Rev. Fr. Arakaparambil
15. Rev. Fr. Thomas Kadhalikattu
16. Rev. Fr. Mathew Choorapoykayil
17. Rev. Fr. George Karukamalil (Current)^[4]

Vocation

Kulathuvayal is very rich in vocation. A good number of its children serve the church and humanity from different places on earth. Some of them are outside the state and quite a few serve abroad. There are a dozen priests and half a dozen seminary students from the parish. There are also about a hundred sisters from this parish who belong to various congregations and bear witness to Christ from their various places and the various missions.

Priests from the Parish

1. Rev. Fr. Philip Kanakkacherry
2. Rev. Fr. Thomas Oswald Kappukattil CMI
3. Rev. Fr. Jose Kappukattil CMI
4. Rev. Fr. Sebastian Embrayil
5. Rev. Fr. Thomas Vattottutharappel
6. Rev. Fr. George Moolayil
7. Rev. Fr. Sebastian Panamattomparambil^[5]

References