TESTIMONY 47
Name: Mr. PrabhudasSurname: ThelagathotiDate & Place of Birth: 67 years oldAddress: Kankipadu Village, Vijayawada, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh StateRelationship: Direct WitnessDate of Written Witness: 1997
My name is Thelagathoti Prabhudas. I am a retired teacher from Kankipadu. Once Brother Joseph Thamby came to Manikonda village; I was 10 years old. He was teaching prayers to the village people and praying the Rosary with them in the Church. This is the first time I saw Brother Joseph Thamby. I did not know how to pray. I was standing far away with folded hands. Brother Joseph Thamby called me and asked, “What is your name?” I replied, “Prabhudas”. In the same village my brother and his wife are working as teachers. He asked them to bring a glass of water and they brought to him. Brother Joseph Thamby prayed over me and gave me a new name, Joseph Antony. He invited me to Peddavutapally and said that he would educate me. As he said, he used to bring all the necessary things to Manikonda for my education. I used to visit him in Peddavutapally during the holidays.
Once I came to see him during holidays. On every Friday, morning at 8 a.m., he used to get stigmata. I used to bring white clothes on previous day and on Fridays I used to wipe the blood and used to keep the blood-stained clothes in a basket. Brother Joseph Thamby used to ask me to burn those clothes on Saturdays. He used to preserve the ashes and when someone was sick with theses ashes, he used to put the sign of the Cross on the foreheads of the sick. Those come with the stomach pain, he use to put the sign of the Cross on the stomach. If someone comes with their children with fever, he used to pray over them and heal them.
Near Peddavutapally there is a village called Allapuram. In that village there was a man who was suffering from a wound on his leg for a long time. One day in the morning the man came to Brother Joseph Thamby. Brother called me to stay nearby. He asked me to pour water on the wound and wash it. When I saw the wound, I got frightened. White worms were coming out of the wound; blood and puss were coming out. I told Brother that I am afraid and I would not wash it. He did not tell me anything. He came forward and with his tongue he began to lick the wound of the man. Then he told the man, “Come to the Church every Sunday.” As he said the man came to the Church till he died. The man died in the presence of Brother Joseph Thamby. He called the Christians and asked them to bury the man in Peddavutapally cemetery.
One day I and Brother Joseph Thamby had our meals and were sitting near the porch. Around 40 people came from Telaprolu village. He called me and said, “We have to give meals to everybody”. I did not say anything. He asked me to go to the shop and buy Vistarakulu (plates made of leaves). I bought them. After we had eaten the meals, there was only little meal left over. Then I had doubt that around 40 people came how he would feed them. When I expressed my doubt, he told me not to talk anything. He kept the little rice, curry and pickle on the altar in the house and he raised his hands and prayed over. Then he asked me to wash the plates and I washed them. He told everyone to sit down. He fed all of them and they ate full. Then afterwards I checked the pots whether there was anything left for the evening meals. I found the same food exactly what was left after our meals.
After they ate the meals, he called all of them inside the house. Among them there was a young woman who stole something in her house. Brother called her and asked about it. She confessed that she sold a small amount of Lentils for 50 paisa without the knowledge of her aunt, because she wanted to come to Peddavutapally along with the group. Then he blessed her and told her not to steal any more. He also told her that by next year, she will have a child. As he told, in the following year she came to Peddavutapally with a child. I was with Brother Joseph Thamby. On every Friday I used to come to Brother Joseph Thamby from Manikonda village.
Fr. George, the parish priest of Vatluru used to like Brother Joseph Thamby very much. One day he came to Peddavutapally. He invited Brother Joseph Thamby to come and visit Vatluru. Thamby told him that he did not have any money for the travel. Then the priest wanted to offer him 5 rupees but he refused to take and told that he would come to Vatluru. Then he told me that we will go to Vatluru. We got ready to go. Fr. George took a bus. We both were walking but we were going ahead of the bus. He scolded me when I often looked back at the bus. I was afraid and asked him how this is possible that we are going ahead of the bus even though we are walking. Then he told this way: we prayed at home near the altar. Then two angels put their hands on our backs. That is why we are going ahead. Then we reached Vatluru village much ahead and prayed there in front of the Church. Fr. George reached very late and then called Brother Joseph Thamby, kneeling before him asked about how he reached so soon. Then he answered that he came by the power of God and we were led by the angels. We stayed in Vatluru that night.
There were sisters too in Vatluru. There was some dispute among them that night. He called those sisters and made them to reconcile. Next day we went to Eluru and prayed there and then went to Denduluru and then to Machilipatnam.
We went to the beach in Machilipatnam. Brother Joseph Thamby prayed there kneeling for a long time. I slept for some time on the beach. When I woke up, saw Brother Joseph Thamby’s face was glowing with light. It was at night 2o clock. I said to Brother that I was afraid. Then he kept the rosary around my neck and then I slept again. Next day was a Sunday and we went to the Church in Machilipatnam. We participated in the Mass. Wherever we went we were going only by walk; we did not take any bus. Wherever we went somebody was feeding us.
Then we returned to Peddavutapally. Some 5 or 6 people came and told that they saw Brother Joseph Thamby in Bezwada, Eluru, Bandar and Guntur. We were in Machilipatnam at the time. I asked Brother Joseph Thamby how he appeared in many places at the same time. He replied that it was the power of God and you should not ask and I should not tell you.
Brother Joseph Thamby took me to Royyuru village which is under Uppuluru parish. He bought 6 cents of land there with 6 rupees. Now there is a Church in that place. Later I worked there as Catechist. Many people came forward to help with finance to construct the Church. Then he took me to Vallurupalem village. He prayed there. Then he took me to Manikonda village. After praying there, he took me to Venkata Raghavapuram village. We prayed there and came back. After few days, Brother Joseph Thamby told me that my exams are nearing; go home and study. I refused to go and I cried, but he sent me to Manikonda village.
In Manikonda village, before three days of his death, he appeared to me in a dream. He said ‘I am dying, you must come immediately’. I came to him immediately. When I came he was in the house. He was well. I thought to myself that he said he is dying but he is well. He made a coffin box three months before his death. He lay down in the box and asked me to close the cover. The cover somehow got stuck and did not come and he shouted loud, ‘are you going to kill me now itself’. Mr. Madanu Showry, the cook in the parish came with sickle and removed the cover. Those last three days of Brother Joseph Thamby I stayed with him. Last day, I did not eat anything. Brother reminded me about his death and I was filled with sorrow and fear. He consoled me. He told me that he saved some money for my marriage and kept that money with Fr. John Calderaro, the parish priest of Peddavutapally. He also told me that I will have 7 children, and one of them will become a priest, and another a nun. It exactly happened as he said. Before the two hours of his death, he told me, “Your wife will die before you.” That too happened exactly as he said.
Then Thamby felt weariness. With that weariness, he went to the house of Boyapati Claramma. He went and sat in her lap. He called me near to him and told, “My time has come; there the angels are coming down; they are bringing the flowered litter; I will go away.” Then he told, “Do not be afraid; pray for me always; I will help you always in all the ways whenever you ask.” I experience Brother Joseph Thamby’s help in my life. He is with me and my family always. He is helping us in many ways. For my elder son’s ordination, I received Rs. 6, 000/- by money order. I do not know from where that came. For my younger son’s ordination I received Rs. 4, 000/- by money order. He said the last words to Claramma, “I am dying. The angels have come. They brought flowered litter. I am going away.” As he was saying these words, he breathed his last in the house of Boyapati Claramma and Francis.
Brother Joseph thamby used to be normal and balanced always. He used to smile always. When he gets angry he used to tell me ‘you, satan’. That too he used to tell with a big smile. He never used to shout aloud. When he laughs, he used to laugh whole heartedly for a long time. He used to lift me up and kiss me. He used to be so happy. I have never seen him getting angry in those 5 years lived with him. He took care of me well like a real father. He used to wash my clothes and make me ready. He often used to hear music. He used to ask me whether I too heard, but I never heard. He used to hear the music.
On Friday when he gets stigmata, he was not eating anything. Last three days, he did not eat anything. He used to drink only a glass of water. I asked him why he was not eating anything. He told, “I am filled with the holy spirit. Why should I eat? The Lord is in me. Mother Mary is with me. Jesus and Mary are with me. Why should I need food? I am receiving communion every day. Why should I need food?”
I never forget this. Fr. John Calderaro, the parish priest of Peddavutapally did not like Brother Joseph Thamby very much. Fr. Calderaro used to tell that Thamby was a magician and you are healing people with some kind of leaves…etc. But Fr. Raja and Fr. Showry used to trust and believe Brother Joseph Thamby. There was a big worry tree in front of the house of Brother Joseph Thamby. There was a well too. We were sitting under the tree. Then Fr. Calderaro came with stick and beat Brother Joseph Thamby. He was bleeding. Fr. Calderaro threw the stick on the steps as he went inside. He took the Rosary and as he was coming out, that stick turned into a snake. He did not allow Fr. Calderaro to come out. He called the cook Showry and told him to bring the gun that there is a snake. The snake did not allow him too to go inside. As he turned away the snake was becoming stick and as he turned this side, the stick was turning into a snake. Fr. Showry too was there and called Brother Joseph Thamby and said that there is a snake. Brother said that he will not go there because Fr. Calderaro beat him. It was almost for one hour, the snake blocked them. Finally, I called Brother Joseph Thamby and then he came and removed the stick and then they could go.
After 7 days of beating Brother Thamby with stick, Fr. Calderaro had severe toothache. He was not able to open his mouth and eat even. He went to American Hospital in Vijayawada. Doctor said that all the teeth have to be removed because they have turned into poison. Unless they are removed he shall not live. I pleaded with Brother Joseph Thamby to forgive Fr. Calderaro. Fr. Raja and Fr. Showry took Brother Joseph Thamby by hand and led him to Fr. Calderaro. Brother caught hold of Fr. Calderaro’s legs and asked pardon and said that he was praying for him. He prayed for a long time for almost 2 hours. Then he put the sign of the Cross on the face and teeth of Fr. Calderaro. Fr. Calderaro could open his mouth and speak freely. Then Brother Joseph Thamby told him to wash his face. He called Mr. Showry and asked for coffee. We all stayed there till he drank coffee. That day evening, Fr. Calderaro came to the house of Thamby and asked if he needed anything. Thamby told that he needed nothing but I am happy that you are healthy again. Fr. Calderaro only built the house and gave shelter to Brother Joseph thamby but he never visited his house till now. That time onwards, Fr. Calderaro also believed what Brother Joseph Thamby was doing. He used to call Brother wherever he went. They both used to walk in the ground and recite rosary in the evening. I never forget the incidents of snake and removing the toothache.
After the death of Brother Joseph Thamby, Fr. Calderaro wanted to build an Ashram in the name of Brother Joseph Thamby. I and my wife were working here in Peddavutapally as teachers. He consulted us regarding the construction of the Ashram, but there was no money. For two months, I went to different villages and collected some money and gave to Fr. Calderaro. One day Fr. Calderaro received Rs. 60, 000 /- by post. Then there appeared a sack full of money on his table. No one knows from where the money had come. He asked me whether I brought or I know something about it. I told him that I did not know anything about this. With that money only, old age home was built; hospital was built; Brother Joseph Thamby’s tomb was half built; I believe that this miracle was done by Brother Joseph Thamby.
Thelagathoti Prabhudas
Kankipadu Village
1997
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