TESTIMONY 30

TESTIMONY 30

Name: Antony 

Surname: Pulleli 

Date of Birth: 6 February 1933 

Address: Kesarapally Village, Gannavaram, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh State 

Relationship: Direct Witness 

Date of Written Witness: 01-01-1968 – Interviewed by Fr. Avito Pottukulam OFM Cap who wrote the first biography, “A Short Biography of Brother Joseph Thamby” in 1971. He was interviewed a second time on 23 March 1998 by Fr. Cherian Chemplany OFM Cap.

My name is Antony Pulleli from Kesarapally village. My father’s name is Rayappa and mother is Mariamma. I am now 65 years old now. I was 10 years old when I met Brother Joseph Thamby in Kesarapally. I was studying 5th standard. Whatever happened from that time I remember very well. He was very close with my family as if he was one of my family members. Ours was a big family and Brother Joseph Thamby used to eat in our house. He lived in a small hut built by my father in our compound, just opposite to the Church. My father used to see Brother often kneeling and praying even in the night. He liked my father very much. My father was also one of the village elders. He also liked small children as well as elders. He used to go to work in our fields along with my father. He was very close with my family that he himself served food to us sometimes. Now and then he himself cooked for us. Once prepared coconut chutney and asked us to taste. All of us said that it was very nice and ate it. 

Now everybody loved him; I felt a liking for him and one kind of attraction towards him. He used to give sweets to all, especially children, ladies, gentlemen and old ones who came into the Church on Fridays, Sundays and Wednesdays. He invited some people to listen to his talks. I saw with my own eyes that when he was giving talks, blood came out from his forehead, hands and feet. He wiped it with his hanky. He used to wear lungi, lalchi and always very simple dress. 

On a Friday evening I came to Avutapally for taking part in the Adoration. During the Adoration, Brother Joseph Thamby and I were sitting close by on the floor. At a point I saw Brother Joseph Thamby writhing in agony, leaning on to me. I did not understand what was happening to him; but looking keenly, I saw blood that appeared on his forehead. Then Brother Joseph Thamby wiped the blood on his forehead with the towel I gave and he gave it back. When I put it on his shoulder I noticed that the color of blood was no more seen on the towel, but was white as before. I asked him what that was that, to which he replied: ‘This is the miracle of St. Francis of Assisi’. 

In the school, Mr. Nayala Samuelu was my master. I was active and monitor in my class. My master liked me more than others. One morning when classes were going on, Brother Joseph Thamby came to our school and spoke to the Head Master. He was a close friend of Brother Joseph Thamby. That morning at about 9oclock, Brother Joseph Thamby called all the children and asked: ‘Boys and girls ask your parents’ permission and bring some cement if you have in your home’. Specially he called me and asked me to get some cement. I went and asked my mother. She said: ‘No’. I came back and reported what my mother told me. Really he did not know that there was cement in my house, he didn’t even see it. He again told me that there was cement in your house in a small pot; go and get it. My mother was surprised when I told her about it. She said that I kept the cement in a place where nobody could see it. How did Brother Joseph Thamby come to know? She gave it to me and I gave it him. He said ‘I knew it’. The cement which the children brought might be 4 or 5 Manikalu. He himself mixed it with sand and water and applied it to the crack which was from top to bottom of the altar in the Church. 

Brother Joseph Thamby had the special gift of knowing the secrets of peoples’ hearts. One day when I was near the Church he called me and said “get scissors from your uncle.” I ran and asked my uncle ‘scissors’. He asked: ‘Who said that we got scissors, we don’t have at all’. (Now he is no more). I said the same thing to Brother Joseph Thamby. He again sent me back to get scissors which was in the parapet (edges of the thatched house). I came and said the same thing to my uncle. He surprisingly said ‘How did he know about scissors?’ Uncle gave it to me and I gave it to Brother Joseph Thamby. He laughed and said “From where it came now? 

Once Brother Joseph Thamby asked me and another boy called Jojappa, ‘Anthony, I am going to Avutapally; will you accompany me till Gannavaram?’ Both of us accompanied him till a huge banyan tree, which was between Kesarapally and Gannavaram. Now it is not there. Both of us reached near the tree. It was evening. Under the tree an old leprosy patient was sitting. When he saw us he greeted the Brother, joining his hands. He had no clothes except the truss (goci). At once Joseph Thamby took his lungi and covered him with kindness. Immediately another lungi appeared and it covered Brother Joseph Thamby. I was surprised from where it came. I thought he might have been wearing two lungies. But usually he used to wear only one. I could not ask him about that. After walking for a while he asked us to go back. He alone had gone to Avutapally. I ran and told my father and mother what had happened. I wrote exactly what had happened. The figure of the leper is stamped in my mind even now. Whenever this incident comes to my mind, I feel proud of myself because I got the opportunity to speak to that saintly man. I never forget this incident in my life. 

Once when I was in school, Brother Joseph Thamby compelled me and a few other children and told us: ‘You all go and proclaim that Brother Joseph Thamby has prepared a medicine which cures all kinds of diseases. Those who want that medicine might offer one Ana and take that medicine’. We went and said to everybody. I went home and said the same thing to my mother. My younger brother Abraham was suffering from Malaria. He used to get fever on alternate days. I have heard him saying ‘I am going to die with this disease’. My mother brought him to Brother Joseph Thamby and offered one Ana. Brother Joseph Thamby was sitting at the door of the Church with water and medicine. This medicine was made up of various kinds of leaves. I was there when he gave it to my brother and to a few others. From that day to this day my brother has been enjoying good health. After giving medicine he reverentially showed the cross to the boy to kiss. Like this he cured all kinds of diseases. 

Joseph Thamby did not consider himself superior to others. His dealing with us was as though we were equals. In my family and in our neighborhood everybody loved him. He was a devout man and used to speak in a gentle, polite and calm manner. The people noticed in him some divine power that endeared all. He was prompt in forgiving his offenders. 

He had great respect for elders and the priests. Joseph Thamby was docile to the guidance of the Church. With the permission of the parish priest, he used to give talks on spiritual matters, and invited the people to listen to the talks. 

He had premonition about the day and time of his death. At his last visit to us he did not enter my house; but standing in front of the house, he blessed my home and said: ‘I will not be able to visit your home any longer’. Then my parents asked him why he spoke that way. He replied: ‘I am going to the presence of God. This is my last visit; I shall bless you, your home, this village and all the people here who have asked for my prayer’. It was just a few weeks before his death. 

Brother Joseph Thamby manifested love for neighbor in a heroic manner. He was compassionate to the poor, the suffering ones and the lepers, as I mentioned above. His charity was not an expression of mere instinct, but deliberate and well thought out beforehand. 

He was prudent in asking us to bring cement from home for the repair of the altar. He told us to ask our parents and get their permission for it. Joseph Thamby had profound sense of justice and respected the rights of others. He enquired about our psychological feeling before sending us boys alone back to home at night. 

He was grateful to my Daddy and all my family members who did a lot of good to him. He expressed his gratitude to us by visiting us now and then, and preparing food for us in our home. 

He never enjoyed luxury; on the contrary, he gave to the naked leper the necessities of his own life. Conveniences of life were not a concern for him. Always he lived in a poor little hut, with minimum of facilities. Indeed, he was really a poor man and practiced poverty with determination. As regards the necessities of life, he was satisfied with the minimum and earned them by the labor of his hands. Though he appeared to be a religious wearing the habit of the Franciscan Tertiary, he was not ashamed to make himself one among the poor workers in the field. 

I have witnessed a lot about the life of prayer of the Servant of God Joseph Thamby. As a curious boy at times I watched inside the little hut where he was living and have seen him lying prostrate on the ground and praying. 

I know that he possessed several charismatic gifts and supernatural traits. Extraordinary phenomena were quite common about his life and actions. He made use of his gift of healing to bring comfort to the sick. Once I became ill and my mother took me to him. Brother Joseph Thamby prayed over me and I was healed. 

From Kesarapally, he went to Avutapally and lived there, but used to often visit our village. He must have been between 45-50 years when he left to Avutapally. There is some kind of attraction on his face. He had some divine power in him. 

Once, Brother Joseph Thamby wanted to go to a village along with Fr. J. B. Calderaro who refused to take with him. Before Fr. Calderaro reached the village, Brother Joseph Thamby had reached there. He asked the catechist to open the Church to pray. He prayed for almost 25 minutes and came out of the Church, when Fr. Calderaro was coming by his motor bike. Fr. Calderaro was surprised to see Brother Joseph Thamby there, because no vehicle came there before him. Then Fr. Calderaro asked Brother Joseph Thamby, ‘how did you come here?’ He replied, ‘the hand of God lifted me and brought me here’. 

Brother Joseph Thamby came to my house and blessed it before he died in Avutapally. 

Mr. Antony Pulleli 

Dated: 1/1/1968