CHAPTER TWO
Joseph Thamby: A Franciscan Tertiary (1932 - 1933)
Ever since Joseph Thamby left his home in Karaikal and went to Kerala, he grew up in age, in faith and in wisdom. As a grown up man, he was working as a catechist under Carmelite Missionaries in the diocese of Verapoly [Verapuzha] in Kerala. Joseph Thamby came to know from these Carmelite Missionaries about the arrival of the French Capuchin Missionaries to Kollam [Quilon] to begin a Friary and the study house.
Since Joseph Thamby had French citizenship and knew French very well, he showed great interest to meet them. Thus, Joseph Thamby met the Capuchin friars at St. Antony Friary, Kollam and spent some time with them. Joseph Thamby expressed his desire to become a Capuchin friar. As was the custom, as a postulant, he was given the habit of the Franciscan Third Order.
On 7 June 1932, Capuchin friars took up the residence in their new St Antony’s Friary at Kollam. The study house was inaugurated in 1933 with Fr. Urban of Lanarvilly as its director. Capuchins in India: (1632-2009)
Br. Roch Vengathanam of Kozhuvanal was the first Capuchin brother from Kerala. He was vested on 14 July 1930 at Monte Mariano, Mangalore where the Capuchin Novitiate was begun on 1 May 1930 shifting it from Sardhana, Uttar Pradesh. Br. Roch was posted in St. Antony’s Friary in 1932.
Joseph Thamby had to leave the Capuchins and the
friary at Kollam in 1933. Br. Roch witnessed that Joseph Thamby had to leave
the Capuchins due to filaria, and too much piety leading to ecstasy which was
suspected to be fits of epilepsy.
After leaving the Capuchins, Joseph Thamby continued to wear the Franciscan Third Order habit, as it was allowed with the permission of the bishop, if the Tertiary desired. He remained a staunch member of the Third Order and took upon himself the mission of spreading the Third Order wherever possible.
As a wandering missionary, and as a committed Tertiary, he visited villages and churches in and around Pondicherry and many other places in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to spread the Franciscan Third Order.
He also visited many families of his relatives and was staying with them for few days eating and praying with them. A close relative of Joseph Thamby, namely Mr. Joseph witnessed that Joseph Thamby was visiting his family whenever he came to Pondicherry and was staying in their house. Mr. Joseph’s mother was a very devout Christian. She always extended a warm and cordial welcome to Joseph Thamby. They used to often discuss on spiritual matters. He was conducting prayer services in the house, to which many neighbours also were attending.
Thus, wherever Joseph Thamby went, he was spreading the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi by way of promoting and establishing the Third Order units.
In Pondicherry, he was so loved by the people and considered him to be a sannyasin [a mendicant] because of his style of life. People used to call him ‘Thamby’ so affectionately.
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