TESTIMONY 53

TESTIMONY 53

Name: Fr. Joseph 

Surname: Pannikot 

Date & Place of Birth: Kerala 

Profession / Occupation: Parish Priest, Denduluru 

Address: Our Lady of Purification Church, Denduluru Village, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh State 

Relationship: Direct Witness 

Date of Written Witness: 2006 

I was parish priest in Denduluru. I heard of Brother Thamby. He was getting Stigmata. I had not seen him until then. That year Fr. Caldiraro invited me for the village feast there. That happened to be on Thursday. Then I thought of going for the feast. After the feast it was Friday. I thought and together with some other priests – parish priest of Vatluru and Eluru – who came with me, went for the feast. We went by the train and got down at Avutapally station and started walking to the house. This brother was coming to receive us at the station. How he came to know about our coming to Avutapally, we don’t know. As soon as he saw me, he began to talk in Malayalam and he introduced himself to me and we walked together to the house. We met the parish priest Caldiraro and took some tea there. Then this brother himself suggested, “Father, instead of sitting here, we shall go for a walk.” So, we started walking. There was a tank (small water pond). We went and sat on the tank-bund. There were some trees. We were sitting under a tree and speaking about ordinary things only. 

While talking a man from my parish Denduluru came there. I called him and asked what the matter was. He said, Father, you must come at once; one man is dying’. I asked, ‘Is it enough if I come tomorrow?’ But he said, ‘No Father, his condition is critical. You have to come now itself’. Then Thamby asked, “Why father, what is the matter? You came just now only. Why are you in a hurry?” I told him that a man was dying and I must go and anoint him. He told, “No, no, he will not die; you need not go.” I was not very much willing to go. I wanted to see that stigmata. Thamby again said to me, “He will not die; you need not go now.” I was all the more happy. I told the man who came, ‘I will come tomorrow, you can go home now.’ He went away. So, I stayed there. Next day there was the festal Mass and everything over. Brother had a hut near the parish priest’s house. He was there. I too went inside the house. When I went there, I was not leaving him and he was not leaving me. We were like that for some time. Generally, he wore a banyan but on that day he put on a shirt. That too was dirty. And he used a white lunky which colour already changed. There was smell. 

That day I stayed there. The next day Mass was over. After the Mass, I went to the hut and we were sitting there. Then Fr. Caldiraro came there and said, ‘Brother, there are some people from outside, you must give them some meals’. Then brother said, “That is not my work.” Caldiraro is a man of short tempered. He got wild. I know him very well. He had great respect and love for Thamby. But he never showed it out. He scolded the brother. And this brother told me in Malayalam, “This father is a big cross for me.” I said, ‘If you carry it, probably, it will be a blessing for you’. He kept quiet. Fr. Caldiraro was standing there. Brother told him in Telugu, “How many people and at what time should I feed them?” Fr. Caldiraro told him, ‘When you have meals, it is enough’. “Alright, send them by 12o clock” said Thamby. I saw in the hut, there was a rice bag; hardly half a kilo of rice was spread on that. There was also a small clay pot with a little dhal and some salt. That was the only thing I found in the hut. When brother agreed, Fr. Caldiraro went out for his business. He was no more there near the hut. He was walking up and down outside. 

There was a little portion for cooking, with a wall about three feet high. In that portion, I saw nothing except this dhal and rice. He dragged an empty sack of rice and called some elders and said, “Go to Komati (shop-keeper) and buy some tamarind, salt chilly and dhal.” He called some others and asked them to get some pots for cooking. They all brought the things. Everything was ready by 12o clock; he fed them sumptuously. 

In the evening, procession started. Generally in those days if procession starts, by the time they come back to the church, it would be day break. Whole night there was the procession. That evening I was not feeling well so I did not go for the procession. I took rest. There was another father who was the founder of Bishop Grassi High School, Gunadala, namely, Fr. Arlati. He was a Mangalorean. At that time he was working in Eluru. He went to the procession. When the procession returned, it was about 4o clock in the morning. Then I said to Fr. Arlati, ‘Why to go to bed now; say Mass and then go to bed’. So he went and said the Mass. While distributing the Communion on that Friday morning, he saw the brother was also coming for communion. Then from his forehead, blood was oozing out. Fr. Arlati noticed it. He gave him the communion. The Mass was over. Then at once, he took his torch and went in search of Br. Thamby. He too had never seen these stigmata. Brother was not seen in the house. So he went to the hut searching for him. People were around the hut to see it. But Brother does not like showing to anybody. So he was inside the hut, closed the door and bolted it. Fr. Arlati went and knocked the door. Brother asked from inside, “Who are you?” He said, ‘I am Fr. Arlati, please open the door’. He could not get up because of the muscle-pull. He came to the door rolling. He used to sleep on the mat only. There was a small bed. When visitors go, they used to sit on it. He opened the door. Father went inside and closed the door, so that the others may not enter it. And father saw the stigmata and blood was oozing from his forehead. Then Fr. Arlati came and woke me up. He told me, ‘Father, if you want to see go now. I have seen it’. Then I went. The door was closed from inside. Then I asked him to open it. Then he opened. I too did not allow anybody else. He asked me in the pain, “Sit on the coat.” I sat on it. He was suffering – suffering a lot. Of course, we cannot see such suffering. That time blood was oozing from the hands and side; from head it is not much. Legs too were bleeding. I noticed it. Nearly one hour I spent there. He was suffering terribly. 

It was already day-break. I did not say Mass by the time. So I said, ‘Brother, I am going to say the Mass’. He said to me, “O.K, you go and say the Mass.” Then I went and said the Mass and took breakfast with Fr. Caldiraro. I went to the hut again. By the time the people left. I went inside. He asked me to close the door. I closed the door and sat there. Then he asked me, “Father, is it from devil or from God?” I said, ‘You are the man who is suffering; so you must know it better’. For that he did not give any reply. It continued up to 7.30 or 8o clock. He said, “I feel better now.” He got up like an ordinary young boy. He was so active. No holes were seen then. Otherwise, I could see the holes from both the sides. Only blood stains were there. He took a piece of wet cloth, dusted ut and he became an ordinary man. The blood was falling in the mud only. All the Fridays, this was happening. 

I asked the brother, ‘brother, will you come to my place?’ He replied, “Surely I will come. I know Denduluru. I will come there.” Then I asked him, ‘When will you come?’ He said, “When I get time, I will come.” I said, ‘That is alright’. Of course, I had some business with him. I wanted him because there was some trouble in the village. People were quarrelling, fighting etc. This was in 1941. They were disagreeing with the priest. They said some bad words against him. The priest put them outside the Church. Such things were going on. When I took charge, it was not an exemplary village anyhow. So I was trying to set the problem as far as possible. Most of them, I could rectify. Those that could not be rectified, they were like that. Even then, there were some good families. But there was some kind of fighting between husband and wife, father and son and so on…. This was the situation in certain families. So I wanted Br. Thamby to give some advice to such people. That was my intention. I did not tell to anybody, not even to the Brother. 

When I invited Brother, Fr. George Kudilingal (he died) who came from Vatluru asked, ‘Brother, will you come to my place also?’ Brother replied, “I will come.” He asked again, ‘When will you come?’ Brother replied, “When I get time, I will come.” When Fr. George Kudilingal came to Avutapally, he told his cook about his return, day and time, asked him to come to the station with the bicycle. In Vatluru, the station is a little away from the Church. He told the cook to come to the station with the bicycle and wait there. From Avutapally, we wanted to start on Friday afternoon. Noon there was a train towards Rajahmundry. So, Fr. George Kudilingal, I and Fr. Arlati started. Fr. Caldiraro prepared meals little early and gave us lunch. Then we wished him and started from there. Brother accompanied to put us in the train. We got in the train and we were going, while the brother was walking and waving the hand to us. We saw him walking back to the house. When the train reached Vatluru, Fr. George Kudilingal got down there. His bicycle was ready there. He took the bicycle and went to the house. 

At that time, there was no house in Vatluru. Priest was staying in the sacristy. When Fr. George went there, he saw Br. Thamby sitting there. The room was locked, so he was sitting outside. Fr. George was surprised and asked him, ‘How did you come?’ Brother replied, “Why do you ask such a question? You asked me to come and I have come.” For some time he stayed there. I don’t know whether he had some business. 

I went to Denduluru and since the villagers were there, I took special interest to rectify their problem. Every evening I used to light a petrol max and go to the village to each and every house. I used to take my catechist along with me. He is now in Gunturu district. His name is Kutumbarao. He is younger than me and very sincere worker. So, every evening, we both went to the village after the meals. We used to teach the catechism and prepare the children for First Communion. I was teaching the girls and he was teaching the boys. On that day, Br. Thamby appeared there all of a sudden. I asked him, ‘How is that you have come now?’ He said, “I am just now coming.” I asked, ‘Did you have meals?’ He said, “No, I did not get anything.” Then I wanted to send away all the people. But Brother said, “Let them be there father, I will talk to them.” He volunteered himself to talk to them. I said, ‘Alright.’ I asked the servant boy, whether there was meals. He said, ‘Nothing is left there.’ There was some bread, jam and fruits. Brother said, “So much is here, why rice now?” He took. I gave him a glass of milk also. Then I gave him a room to sleep. He was sleeping. I was in my room, from where I could hear his snoring. Generally I got up by 3 or 4o clock in the morning. That day also I got up, had bath and everything. Meantime, sisters rang the Church bell and I went to the Church. While going to the Church I had to pass through his room. I heard him snoring very loudly. I thought, ‘Poor man, I don’t know how he came; may be too tired; let him sleep; why to wake him up. So without waking up, I went to the Church. Then it was time for Mass. When I went there, to my surprise, I saw him in the Church praying then after the Mass, I came for the breakfast, which I used to take soon after the Mass. The sisters knew it and sent the breakfast early. Brother was still in the Church. I sent a boy to call Brother for breakfast. We both together took breakfast and were walking there outside. There was cool breeze outside. 

Then I broke open my subject. ‘Brother, I asked you to come and I am very happy that you have come earlier than I expected. Now I have got some business with you. Some families in the village are always fighting – between father and son, husband and wife. Kindly go and give them some advice. I will give you a guide to show the houses. I will not come with you. The guide will show you the houses where there is trouble’. Then Brother said, “Oh! There is not trouble here, I know it. You are simply saying. All things are amicably settled.” I said twice or thrice that there is some problem in some families. Every time he repeated the same thing saying, “There is no trouble.” I got a little vexed. I said, ‘Brother, I am here for more than two years now. You came only last night. You say you know. Don’t you think that I know the situation better than you’. He said, “No, father, you are simply saying.” One of my teachers, by name Samuel and his father were always quarrelling. I called him and he came. I said, ‘This is Brother Thamby from Peddavutapally. I got him here. You take him to your house and call your father also. Say all your difficulties to him. He will give you necessary advice and you live accordingly’. Then Samuel said, ‘Early in the morning, Brother Thamby came to my house and called both of us and settled everything’. Then I was wondering what about the other houses. There are some more houses with problems. Samuel said, ‘He has gone to all the houses’. I never told him about these houses. I was really wondering about this. Of course, I was happy. He stayed with me for 10 days. 

There were some big geese belonging to my predecessor. Brother saw them and asked me, “Can you spare one pair form me?” They were entrusted with the sisters. So, I was in a dilemma. What-to-do situation! I did not like to say no to him. I said, ‘I will try’. And went to Superior sister and asked her, ‘Sister, can you spare one pair of these geese?’ She replied, ‘No difficulty father’. I said to sisters that I don’t want to put them into trouble as they belonged to another father. Sister said, ‘No father, after his going, many were given away. No problem. I can give’. Then I said, ‘please give me one male and one female’. I told Brother, ‘O.K brother, you can have it’. He was there 10 days and above, going about, talking with the people and so on. Then when he was going away, I packed his birds in a big basket and he was to go by train. That particular time, I could not find anybody to carry the basket to the station. He said, “I don’t need anyone to carry. I can easily carry it.” He put the basket on his head and got ready to go. Then he said, “I have no money to go.” He is a man who has helped for the marriages of so many people. I know that he spent thousands of rupees; even jewels, silver and gold ornaments also he has given to several people. I gave him 5 rupees. I asked him ‘Is it enough?’ That time the train charge was 0.75 paisa. That time anas were existing. So, twelve anas was the ticket fare. He said, “Why so much. I don’t want this much. I want only one rupee.” I said, ‘No problem Brother, it will be useful for something. Keep with you’. He took and went away. He was wearing an ordinary shirt and lunky, generally white one. 

There was a congregation. That was annihilated. This is what I heard from others. I don’t remember the source of this information. After the congregation was annihilated, they got dispensation from Rome. They were allowed to go home. This brother did not go home. He is from Karaikal near Pondicherry. It seems he was from a rich family according to what I heard. He spent many years in Kerala. 

Bishop Grassi was ordained in Rome. When he was coming back to the diocese, they made a big feast of it. They wanted to give a big reception. Thamby was collecting funds in Kerala. From Kerala, somebody wrote to Vijayawada, ‘A man by Joseph Thamby is making collections. What kind of a man he is, we want to know’. Then from here fathers wrote, ‘He is not a bad man’. He collected a good amount and gave everything to Vijayawada diocese. 

Another thing happened during my time but I had not seen, only heard about it. Once, Brother went to a village near Avutapally parish. They were planning to kill someone. So, they were preparing axes and spears. Everything they were sharpening. The catechist there did not know what to do. So immediately he sent a message to Fr. Caldiraro. If the people come to know that the news reached to Fr. Caldiraro, they would get frightened. That is why Fr. Caldiraro was known as ‘big tiger’. All were afraid of him. They sent a messenger by bicycle with a letter to Fr. Caldiraro, who sent back the messenger saying, ‘Tell the people to wait till I come. I have no time now. I will come when I get time. Let them stop everything till then. I will settle the case’. Fr. Caldiraro, if he says once, that is over. Then the man was returning by bicycle. He saw the brother just near the church compound. Immediately the man got down from the bicycle and wished him and asked, ‘Brother, where are you going?’ Then brother replied, “Why do you want to know where am I going?” The man was bit offended and went away. He went by bicycle and the Brother by walking. And when the man reached the village, Brother was there already sitting on a stone. I don’t remember now which the village was. 

I don’t remember whether his tight leg or left leg, but I am sure that one of his legs had filaria. All the same he was walking with both the legs, only it was fat. He was very cheerful person. 

He was in Siripuram village in Guntur district. He was getting stigmata there also. But it was not known to the people there. It was known to people in Avutapally. That is why he did not want to show it to anyone. When he visited Siripuram village, nobody knew Thamby there and so nobody cared for him. Some were calling him ‘mad man’. Children were throwing stones at him while he was walking in the streets and calling him ‘mad man’. But he used to come to the Church compound by evening begging for his food. He eats there and sleeps under the neem trees there. The parish priest, seeing that said to Brother, ‘You can sleep in veranda of the school there’. 

From that time he was sleeping thee. He had a gold chain on his neck. This is what I heard only. At night somebody came and took the chain. It seems he was attacked by some. When I met him he looked to be about fifty or fifty five. But he was actually sixty years. He was very dark. He had no stammering when I spoke to him. 

I was ordained in 1939 and except those three or four years in Denduluru, all the other years, I was here in this diocese of Guntur. During the war when the Italian fathers returned, there were no priests in West Godavari. Therefore, all the neighbouring dioceses helped. From each diocese, two priests each helped. This Narasaraopet was at first my out-station. It was in 1960’s. Afterwards I was the parish priest. The hospital and convent were started by me. After that Denduluru experience, I had no touch with Joseph Thamby. He never came to me also. 

Fr. Joseph Pannikot 

2006