TESTIMONY 33

TESTIMONY 33

Name: Marianna 

Surname: Mathangi 

Date & Place of Birth: Kesarapally Village 

Address: Machavaram, Vijayawada, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh State 

Relationship: Direct Witness. 

Date of Written Witness: 13-01-1968

Brother Joseph Thamby came to St. Anthony’s Church at Kesarapalli village in 1938. Mr. Daya Samuel, Head Master of the school there saw Brother Joseph Thamby and thought to be a mad man, chased him away from the church premises. 

Afterwards, Brother Joseph Thamby was drying his wet clothes, Bible and the rosary behind the Church. After the school, when the Head Master saw it, sent me to see him; soon realized that he is a Catholic and then I was asked to take care of his needs. Brother Joseph Thamby by the time knew no Telugu and so I made signs to make arrangements what he needed like food…etc. 

Then, I taught Brother Joseph Thamby Telugu almost every day. When he learned Telugu so well, he began to catechize people in the village. He used to be very pious and devotional towards the matters concerning the Church and God. On every Tuesday evening, he used to make people to recite the prayers to St. Antony. He used to enquire about the difficulties of people in the village. If any one bitten by poisonous creatures, he used to treat them with some leaves, whatever is available at his sight and asks them to take it with faith; they used to get relief out of it. Some did not believe this and used to think that he is able to do all these with some kind of magic. Even Fr. John Calderaro, the parish priest of Avutapally had suspicion regarding the works of Brother Joseph Thamby, but later seeing the miraculous works in other villages; he too believed and took Brother Joseph Thamby to Avutapally. 

Meanwhile I went to boarding for studies. After 15 days, he came to me and said, ‘you taught me Telugu. You are my first relative and friend.’ He used to help me with money whatever is possible for him. He used to tell me always not to forget God and told me to meditate and reflect on God always. 

When people come to prayer at night, he used to feed them with the food that he used to cook for him. We, children sometimes used to stay at night with him. Sometimes, at nights without telling he used to go somewhere. When we ask him he used to tell that he visited some villages. Sometimes, he used to wear saffron colour dress and used to wear also lalchi, lunky and used to have a walking stick with him. He used to have black beard, filaria on his leg and had a smiling face always. He used to never ask anyone for anything. 

Mathangi Marianna, Machavaram 

Dated: 13/1/1968