tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6370812813972736452024-03-13T16:42:34.083+05:30Brother Joseph Thamby, Servant of GodFr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-23724941646556775102020-07-02T09:00:00.002+05:302020-07-09T18:33:09.070+05:3001. Family, Childhood and Youth<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-color: initial; border-style: none; border-width: medium; line-height: 1; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 1;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="line-height: 1;"><span style="line-height: 1.5;"><div style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #b7e1cd;"><span style="line-height: 1.5;"><h3 style="line-height: 1; text-align: center;"><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="line-height: 1;">SERVANT OF GOD</span></font></h3><h3 style="line-height: 1; text-align: center;"></h3><h3 style="line-height: 1; text-align: center;"><font face="georgia" size="3" style="line-height: 1;"><font color="#7b1fa2" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="line-height: 1;">BROTHER JOSEPH THAMBY (+ 1945)</span></font></font></h3><div><font face="georgia" size="3" style="line-height: 1;"><font color="#7b1fa2" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="line-height: 1;"><br /></span></font></font></div><h3 style="line-height: 1; text-align: center;"><font color="#b51200" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER ONE</font></h3><div style="line-height: 1;"><h3 style="line-height: 1; text-align: center;"><font face="georgia" size="3" style="line-height: 1;"><font color="#b51200" style="line-height: 1;">Family, Childhood and Youth</font></font></h3><div><font face="georgia" size="3" style="line-height: 1;"><font color="#b51200" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font></font></div></div><div style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 1.5;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: georgia; font-size: 13.524px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YgVwryKDcpg/Xv2d_TNh68I/AAAAAAAAGnM/9H3N63-TfugkSm6X4cGdM-iNN7XKcLebACK4BGAsYHg/s2330/Joseph%2Bthamby%2B1%2Bfor%2Bblog.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2330" data-original-width="1745" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YgVwryKDcpg/Xv2d_TNh68I/AAAAAAAAGnM/9H3N63-TfugkSm6X4cGdM-iNN7XKcLebACK4BGAsYHg/w154-h205/Joseph%2Bthamby%2B1%2Bfor%2Bblog.JPG" width="154" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">The parents of Joseph Thamby [popularly known as Brother Joseph Thamby] are
Thambusamy Savarimuthu and Rosamalle Maria who are natives of 'Karaikal' town
in the Union Territory of Pondicherry located on the southeast coast of India.
Pondicherry was then a French colony. They had French
citizenship. Savarimuthu was a government employ [civil servant] and
Rosamalle Maria was a house-wife.<o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font face="georgia"> </font></o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Because of his office,
Savarimuthu took his wife Rosamalle and had gone to 'Saigon', a country in
Southeast Asia. 'Saigon' [today called "Ho Chi Minh"], the
then French colony is now in present Vietnam [Official name is </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Socialist
Republic of Vietnam</i><span style="font-family: georgia;">, a country in South East Asia comprising the former
states of </span><i style="font-family: georgia;">Annam, Tonkin and Cochin-China</i><span style="font-family: georgia;">: formerly part of French
Indo-china; divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam during the Vietnam War
but now reunified].</span></p></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 13.524px;"><a name='more'></a></span><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">While Savarimuthu and Rosamalle Maria were in Saigon, Joseph Thamby
was born on 11 November 1890. The parents named him 'RAYAPPA JOSEPH
SAVARY". Today he is popularly known as Brother Joseph Thamby. <i>Thamby</i> means
"younger brother" in Tamil [native language]. But in his name, it is
exclusively used as a surname or a family name. The "Thamby" has been
a well-known family in Pondicherry. Few members of this family held government
offices at home as well as abroad.</font></p>
</span><p><span><font face="georgia">In the civil document
recorded about the birth of Joseph Thamby, it is stated that "On 12
November 1890, at 3.30 p.m. Savarimuthu aged 35, civil servant and
Rosamalle Maria aged 21, unemployed, presented the male child and declared that
the child was born on 11 November 1890 at 1.45 a.m. in their house living at
Rue Nationale 29 of the town. The declaration was made in the presence of Roch
Carabelli, Mayor of Saigon and Michel Bonjean, aged 28, Assistant civil
servant."</font></span></p></div></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b7e1cd;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I0B2THF_wys/XvyLxOjx_QI/AAAAAAAAGiA/bbZuXokHSX8AZ5FMbMzgRdNPyVFHARSIQCK4BGAsYHg/s2338/Birth%2Bcertificate%2Bof%2BBr.%2BJoseph%2BThamb2y.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PnKPB3Xlvz0/XvyLxQ3Y3vI/AAAAAAAAGiE/GkFaXs1CtF8EoMn7C2NPmCwnDQqYo6VpACK4BGAsYHg/s2338/birth%2Bcertificate%2Bof%2Bbr.%2Bjoseph%2Bthamby1.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Document stating the Birth details of Joseph Thamby" border="0" data-original-height="2338" data-original-width="1700" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PnKPB3Xlvz0/XvyLxQ3Y3vI/AAAAAAAAGiE/GkFaXs1CtF8EoMn7C2NPmCwnDQqYo6VpACK4BGAsYHg/w186-h256/birth%2Bcertificate%2Bof%2Bbr.%2Bjoseph%2Bthamby1.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" title="Document stating the Birth details of Joseph Thamby" width="186" /></a><img alt="Document stating the Birth details of Joseph Thamby" border="0" data-original-height="2338" data-original-width="1700" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I0B2THF_wys/XvyLxOjx_QI/AAAAAAAAGiA/bbZuXokHSX8AZ5FMbMzgRdNPyVFHARSIQCK4BGAsYHg/w186-h256/Birth%2Bcertificate%2Bof%2BBr.%2BJoseph%2BThamb2y.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; text-align: justify;" title="Document stating the Birth details of Joseph Thamby" width="186" /></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aL16lVQFF9k/XvyP0aguEsI/AAAAAAAAGjs/6uhq241vWD8X-ABrCA3VVYvzE2WWDr5JQCK4BGAsYHg/s2000/193A5318.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Savarimuthu and Rosamalle returning from Saigon to India with two year old Joseph Thamby" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="164" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aL16lVQFF9k/XvyP0aguEsI/AAAAAAAAGjs/6uhq241vWD8X-ABrCA3VVYvzE2WWDr5JQCK4BGAsYHg/w205-h164/193A5318.JPG" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" title="Savarimuthu and Rosamalle returning from Saigon to India with two year old Joseph Thamby" width="205" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">In 1892, Savarimuthu returned to India with his family, considering the
future of their two year old child. In 1893, Savarimuthu and
Rosamalle Maria had another male child and named Michael Dhayirian
Thamby, the younger brother of Joseph Thamby.<o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">In 1897, when Joseph Thamby was seven years old, his mother Rosamalle Mara
passed away for reasons not known. Savarimuthu married Mary Theresa so that the
two little children could be taken care of. Savarimuthu and Mary Theresa had a
daughter named Mary.</font></p>
<p><font face="georgia">Mary Theresa, the step-mother
of Joseph Thamby was proud and jealous! She did not like and take care of
Thamby well. She persecuted Joseph Thamby for no reason. She did not feed him
well. Perhaps, she had more love for her own daughter!</font></p></div></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vr4MHeJKWgQ/XvyPfOof3QI/AAAAAAAAGjY/YH6IMVpby7cOVW_kg4I8Ub9EK58rs8ruQCK4BGAsYHg/s2000/193A5321.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Mary Theresa, stepmother of Joseph Thamby ill-treating him" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="164" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vr4MHeJKWgQ/XvyPfOof3QI/AAAAAAAAGjY/YH6IMVpby7cOVW_kg4I8Ub9EK58rs8ruQCK4BGAsYHg/w205-h164/193A5321.JPG" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" title="Mary Theresa, stepmother of Joseph Thamby ill-treating him" width="205" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b7e1cd;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">As he was growing, Joseph Thamby was regular to the parish Church attending
the Holy Eucharist and other prayer services. In 1902, when Joseph Thamby was
twelve years old, he prepared to receive the sacraments of Holy Communion and
Confirmation, in spite of being strongly opposed by his step-mother. She even
objected on the day of the administering of the sacraments, but because of the
intervention of the parish priest, Joseph Thamby was administered both the Sacraments.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">This infuriated his step-mother all the more. She was indignant and refused
to give him meals. She treated Joseph Thamby so badly. Notwithstanding the
ill-treatment of the step-mother, Joseph Thamby left the house stealthily.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">From his home town Karaikal, Joseph Thamby reached Kerala the neighbouring
state. He was taken care of and educated by a pious lady in Ernakulam. He grew
in faith and devotion.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">After leaving the house of pious lady, as a young man, he was wandering
from place to place to discern God’s call. He was living by way of begging food
and alms. He used to visit often his native place but no one recognized him,
because now he had inwardly and outwardly changed. Even his father Savarimuthu did
not recognize him, and gave him alms. However, Joseph Thamby was recognized by
his paternal grandmother when he attended a funeral service of one of his relatives.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">It was the year 1916. Joseph Thamby was 26 years old. One day he visited
“Puneetha Jnana Prakashiar” monastery of sisters in Puduvai for begging. Mother
Lantharch thought to herself looking at Joseph Thamby that he was so young and
why was he going about begging and she expressed the same to the other sisters.
Joseph Thamby told them, “Do not suspect me. I come from Pondicherry and left
home when I was very small and even now they do not know about me.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">He used to often visit a god-fearing family in Katpadi. The neighbours were
jealous of this and wanted to destroy the family. They created lot of problems
to the family. One day when Joseph Thamby visited the family, he found the
woman of the house Siromani very sad and distressed. He revealed to her that
the neighbours are plotting to destroy her family through the negative use of
the <i>black magic</i> (occult). Joseph Thamby even revealed the name of the person
who did it. She immediately called the person and asked to take it away.<span lang="TE"> </span>Seeing all these events in the family, the man of
the house fell sick. Joseph Thamby prayed and made the Sign of the Cross and
the man was gradually regained his health.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">In the year 1938, Joseph
Thamby went to the monastery of the sisters at ‘Ulavar Karai’ for begging.
Sisters gave him food. He cleansed the floor, took the food from the plate and
kept on the floor and began to eat the food kneeling and folding his hands
behind his back.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">After finishing his meals, he
went to the church for prayer. While he was praying in front of the statue of
St. Francis of Assisi, he got Stigmata. He asked sisters for white cloth and
wiped the blood oozing from the wounds.</font></p>
<p><font face="georgia">Joseph
Thamby’s brother Michael Dhayirian
Thamby went to Saigon because of his job. There he married Maria Theresa and
had three sons, namely, Albert Thamby, Victor Thamby and Robert
Thamby and a
daughter, namely, Gabriel Maria Theresa.</font></p></div></span>
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<span style="background-color: #b7e1cd; font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rH1cU4gm7Io/XvyOQacN6XI/AAAAAAAAGi8/TIENfMM1Wl87tqN-EHyNsVsZqrq0-oWUwCK4BGAsYHg/s3592/3.%2Bbrothers%2Bfamily.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Joseph Thamby seated along with his brother Michael Dhayirian Thamby. Standing Dhayirian' three sons" border="0" data-original-height="3592" data-original-width="2400" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rH1cU4gm7Io/XvyOQacN6XI/AAAAAAAAGi8/TIENfMM1Wl87tqN-EHyNsVsZqrq0-oWUwCK4BGAsYHg/w214-h320/3.%2Bbrothers%2Bfamily.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" title="Joseph Thamby seated along with his brother Michael Dhayirian Thamby. Standing Dhayirian' three sons" width="214" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: #b7e1cd;"><p style="text-align: justify;"><span><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby used to visit his brothers' family in Saigon. It is said that he visited them miraculously, may be through the gift of bi-location.</font></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">When the family returned to
India, Gabriel Maria Theresa joined Carmelite Monastery in Pondicherry. She
made her profession on 14 October 1932 and Joseph Thamby was present. On this
occasion, Joseph Thamby was wearing the Third Order Franciscan habit [tertiary
habit]. Gabriel Maria Theresa passed away on 5 October 1985. Joseph Thamby’s
brother Michael Dhayirian Thamby died in
1935.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby attended the
marriage of his nephew Albert Thamby. On the day of marriage, he prophesied
that some danger would take place if the marriage took place. No one listened
to what he said. Albert became sick and bed-ridden on the day of marriage
itself and died in three weeks’ time. His wife Philomena went to paternal home
and later joined the convent and took the name Sr. Angel Mary.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Later Victor Thamby and Robert
Thamby also got married. Their marriages were blessed in Pondicherry by Fr. P. S.
Sebastian, a relative of Brother Joseph Thamby working in the diocese of
Kumbakonam. Victor Thamby settled down in Africa and Robert Thamby with his
wife Martha settled down in France.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Robert Thamby and Martha
visited the tomb of Joseph Thamby at Avutapally in the year 1984.<o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby knew Tamil (native language),
Malayalam (native language of Kerala), English, French and Telugu (native
language of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana).</font></p></div></span>
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<span style="background-color: #b7e1cd;"><img alt="Relatives of Joseph Thamby" border="0" data-original-height="3525" data-original-width="2417" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gis5yVrsyrY/XvyQyidJHLI/AAAAAAAAGkw/KxtZbcUVKdctolDiNwOWaXeHVX1M148dACK4BGAsYHg/w140-h205/027.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px;" title="Relatives of Joseph Thamby" width="140" /><img alt="Relatives of Joseph Thamby" border="0" data-original-height="3509" data-original-width="2384" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b0ZF2U_24h0/XvyQy6lvZAI/AAAAAAAAGk0/AxlsYm-ESrIcCaDXpLdCR4qtRPc629hPQCK4BGAsYHg/w139-h205/028.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px;" title="Relatives of Joseph Thamby" width="139" /><img alt="Relatives of Joseph Thamby" border="0" data-original-height="2383" data-original-width="3576" height="136" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--6SrlO1LXPE/XvyQybkOYpI/AAAAAAAAGks/e6CKphvdieMc1QHX9qvoW0jPzIeZImASACK4BGAsYHg/w205-h136/026.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px;" title="Relatives of Joseph Thamby" width="205" /></span></div>
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Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-68625346627626860062020-06-03T09:00:00.005+05:302020-07-06T23:27:57.465+05:3002. Joseph Thamby: A Franciscan Tertiary<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font face="georgia"><span><font color="#7b1fa2" size="3">CHAPTER TWO<br /></font></span></font><font face="georgia"><font color="#7b1fa2" size="3">Joseph Thamby: A Franciscan Tertiary (1932 - 1933)</font></font></h3><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-language: TE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zbn-cpwlksc/Xv2Sp6Wdj1I/AAAAAAAAGmg/_LJoTS-tvKQTGDgMfhubiceYu7vavx_mgCK4BGAsYHg/s5379/4.%2BThird%2BOrder%2BHabit.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brother Joseph Thamby in habit of the Franciscan Third Order" border="0" data-original-height="5379" data-original-width="3791" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zbn-cpwlksc/Xv2Sp6Wdj1I/AAAAAAAAGmg/_LJoTS-tvKQTGDgMfhubiceYu7vavx_mgCK4BGAsYHg/w145-h205/4.%2BThird%2BOrder%2BHabit.jpg" title="Brother Joseph Thamby in habit of the Franciscan Third Order" width="145" /></a></div><p><font face="georgia">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<b> <a href="https://verapoly.in/about-us/" target="_blank"><font color="#7baaf7">diocese of Verapoly</font></a></b> [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.</font><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">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.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia"><span></span></font></p><a name='more'></a><font face="georgia">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. </font><b style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="http://gopuofmcap.blogspot.com/2011/11/coming-soon.html" target="_blank"><font color="#4285f4">Capuchins in India: (1632-2009)</font></a></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">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.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">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.</font><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">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.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">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.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">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.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">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.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">In Pondicherry, he was so loved by the people
and considered him to be a <i>sannyasin</i> [a mendicant] because of his style
of life. People used to call him ‘Thamby’ so affectionately.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8RHpQb29LY/Xv2TSYgmjAI/AAAAAAAAGms/z730WA9naIsvbTUoS0EoTtoS5MU4qxX-QCK4BGAsYHg/s1969/002%2B-%2BCopia.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1969" data-original-width="1469" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o8RHpQb29LY/Xv2TSYgmjAI/AAAAAAAAGms/z730WA9naIsvbTUoS0EoTtoS5MU4qxX-QCK4BGAsYHg/w153-h205/002%2B-%2BCopia.jpg" width="153" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span><p></p></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-50134814992203026232020-05-04T21:48:00.003+05:302020-07-09T22:20:27.461+05:3003. Joseph Thamby in Manathidal, Tamil Nadu<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 03<br />Joseph Thamby in Manathidal, Tamil Nadu (1933-1935)</font></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">In 1933, Joseph Thamby left
Pondicherry and came to Manathidal village in the diocese of Kumbakonam. It was
a sub-station to Michaelpatty parish. Msgr. A. Gnanadickam (+ 1953) was the
parish priest. He was also the Vicar General of Kumbakonam.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FV_VW1zNWy0/Xv4C-75scoI/AAAAAAAAGn4/a0wbnweJIEskFrtTUBgI0Z15r73mAwIaQCK4BGAsYHg/s4801/008.1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><font color="#3367d6"><img alt="Joseph Thamby with Msgr. A. Gnanadickam, parish priest of Michaelpatty" border="0" data-original-height="3244" data-original-width="4801" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FV_VW1zNWy0/Xv4C-75scoI/AAAAAAAAGn4/a0wbnweJIEskFrtTUBgI0Z15r73mAwIaQCK4BGAsYHg/w320-h216/008.1.jpg" title="Joseph Thamby with Msgr. A. Gnanadickam, parish priest of Michaelpatty" width="320" /></font></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><font color="#3367d6">Joseph Thamby with Msgr. A. Gnanadickam, parish priest of Michaelpatty</font></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby faced lot of
challenges as he arrived in Manathidal. Some people at Manathidal suspected him
and thought that he was from a low caste and planned to beat him up and send
him away, but gradually they realized that he was a ‘Brother’ and a <i>sannyasin</i>
and they had tolerated with him.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia"><span></span></font></p><a name='more'></a><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby told them that
he comes from Pondicherry and belongs to <i>Vellala</i> caste and requested
them to give him shelter. They offered him a tin shed near the church. He used
to conduct prayer services in the church. He used to treat sick people with
country medicine using some kind of leaves. He used to pray over them, make the
Sign of the Cross and used to cure the illness. Soon he became friendly with
the people. People also were taken up with his simple life style, way of
talking and prayer life.</font><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">He was teaching catechism to
children whom he loved so dearly. When they were disobedient, he used to kneel
down before them and plead them. He was establishing peace among the people. He
was gathering people to Michaelpatty parish to attend Mass on Sundays and on
first Fridays. He also was preparing them for the celebrations of the locality.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby built an altar
in the village church dedicated to St. Stephen. He knew the art of making
statues. While he was there, he made the statues of St. Francis of Assisi, St.
Antony of Padua and Sacred Heart of Jesus and placed them in the church. When people
asked him to paint those statutes, he destroyed them saying that he would be
remembered afterwards, which he did not want to.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby also established
the Franciscan Third Order (also known as Secular Franciscan Order) there in
1934. The first members to join the unit were the mother of Mr. S. Hanaswamy
and another woman. Later many joined as members. Even today people in
Manathidal remember Joseph Thamby as the founder of the Franciscan Third Order there.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Completing the 50 years of the
foundation of SFO in Manathidal, Fr. S. Soosai, the parish priest of Manathidal
organized the Jubilee celebration in the parish on 26 January 1984. On this
occasion, the SFO members from many parishes of Trichy [Tiruchirapalli], Thanjavur and
Kumbakonam dioceses were invited for a day’s seminar. The three main topics
chosen for the seminar were: evangelical life of St. Francis of Assisi,
evangelical life of Brother Joseph Thamby and evangelical life of the members
of the Third Order.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">While Thamby was in Manathidal
from 1933-1935, Mr. A. Arogyaswamy a teacher cum catechist rendering his
services in Manathidal<span lang="TE"> </span>was a great support to Joseph Thamby helping in his
ministry there. Mr. A. Arogyaswamy visited the tomb of Joseph Thamby at
Avutapally in 1985.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby played a great
role in making Manathidal a parish. He took great efforts to go to Most Rev.
Peter Francis (+ 1973) the then bishop of the diocese of Kumbakonam and requested
for a priest to stay in Manathidal to cater to the spiritual needs of the
people. As a result, Fr. P. S. Ignatius (+ 1944) arrived there. The effort of
Joseph Thamby towards getting the priest for Manathidal is recorded by Fr. P. S.
Ignatius on 1 September 1935.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dzsVCSJQosw/Xv4D9IAVRcI/AAAAAAAAGoY/0oE57_dvWisLJKhLHCoHVHQD3dQ7m5JuwCK4BGAsYHg/s2331/088.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Joseph Thamby (Right) with Fr. P. S. Ignatius (Left) and Msgr. A. Gnanadickam (Middle)" border="0" data-original-height="1869" data-original-width="2331" height="257" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dzsVCSJQosw/Xv4D9IAVRcI/AAAAAAAAGoY/0oE57_dvWisLJKhLHCoHVHQD3dQ7m5JuwCK4BGAsYHg/w320-h257/088.jpg" title="Joseph Thamby (Right) with Fr. P. S. Ignatius (Left) and Msgr. A. Gnanadickam (Middle)" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><font color="#3367d6">Joseph Thamby (Right) with Fr. P. S. Ignatius (Left) and Msgr. A. Gnanadickam (Middle)<br /></font></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">When the people of Manathidal
had their own priest to take care of them, Joseph Thamby left the village
saying, “There is a priest now to take care of you. So I go away now to some
other place.” The whole village requested him to stay back with them but Joseph
Thamby went away from there.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Manathidal was formally
established parish on 26 January 1942 when separated from Michaelpatty parish.
Fr. P. M. Stephen (+ 1953) was the first parish priest of Manathidal on the
records.</font></p></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-45718673096836803672020-04-03T21:56:00.006+05:302020-07-06T23:28:54.689+05:3004. Joseph Thamby in Pacchamalai, Tamil Nadu<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#7b1fa2"><font face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 04<br /></font><font face="georgia" size="3">Joseph Thamby in Pacchamalai, Tamil Nadu (1936)</font></font></h3><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">With the arrival of Fr. P. S.
Ignatius to Manathidal to look after the spiritual needs of the people there,
Joseph Thamby left the village and moved towards <i>Pachamalai</i> [Green Hills] to
begin his mission and ministry among the people of indigenous tribes.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">On his way to <i>Pachamalai</i>, he
went to Kottaipalayam parish. Fr. J. Adiroupan (+ 1978) was the parish priest.
Joseph Thamby stayed there for ten days. Within a short time, Joseph Thamby
became very friendly with Fr. Adiroupan. They became very good friends.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">From Kottaipalayam, he went to
Thondanmanthurai parish and from there he went to <i>Pachamalai</i>, 8 kilo meters
from Kottaipalayam parish. <i>Pachamalai</i> is a hill station in the district of
Tiruchirapalli in the diocese of Kumbakonam.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby stayed there in
a small hut. In the beginning, the people looked at him very strangely. As time
passed, they became very close and friendly with him. He was living
one among them sharing their food.</font></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s6ZF6SxfBL8/Xv9wmKXvzQI/AAAAAAAAGpg/2n11iDO1_HIo7mrjVrYb3c08YTWgAvHywCK4BGAsYHg/s2000/193A5307.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Joseph Thamby collecting clothes in Pondicherry and distributing them to the people in Pachamalai" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s6ZF6SxfBL8/Xv9wmKXvzQI/AAAAAAAAGpg/2n11iDO1_HIo7mrjVrYb3c08YTWgAvHywCK4BGAsYHg/w320-h256/193A5307.JPG" title="Joseph Thamby collecting clothes in Pondicherry and distributing them to the people in Pachamalai" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font color="#3367d6">Joseph Thamby collecting clothes in Pondicherry<br />and distributing them to the people in Pachamalai</font></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a>He used to provide them food,
clothes and money that he received by begging. He often used to go to
Pondicherry to collect clothes and money to help these people. But chieftain threw
away clothes and money as the use of them was not in their life style.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Slowly he also began to talk
about Jesus and share about God’s love and glory. He used to advise them to
help one another.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">He also helped them in their sickness
with the country medication known to him and by praying and making the Sign of
the Cross over them.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">He also sought a small piece
of land for the construction of a small church there. As he informed to some of
the priests about it, they came to see the place. Fr. J. Adiroupan, the friend
of Joseph Thamby also was one of them. Finally, they decided not to construct
the church as it was not convenient looking at the culture, life style and
attitude of the people there.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby also was
convinced of this and he left <i>Pachamalai.</i></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">It is noteworthy to mention
the following incident. While Joseph Thamby was with the people in <i>Pachamala</i>i,
he used to confront the forest officers who used to exploit the tribal people
there. Once the forest officer turned against Joseph Thamby and manhandled him
because he opposed the exploitation done to the people there. Joseph Thamby
informed to his friend Fr. J. Adiroupan, who in turn informed to the higher
officials, who suspended the officer.</font><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B1Uni4Hh0v0/Xv9xKndvfOI/AAAAAAAAGp0/9A877hPHwdARPpSHX1dK1KGofmILqJrQgCK4BGAsYHg/s2000/193A5292.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The forest officer manhandling Joseph Thamby" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B1Uni4Hh0v0/Xv9xKndvfOI/AAAAAAAAGp0/9A877hPHwdARPpSHX1dK1KGofmILqJrQgCK4BGAsYHg/w320-h256/193A5292.JPG" title="The forest officer manhandling Joseph Thamby" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font color="#3367d6">The forest officer manhandling Joseph Thamby</font><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><font face="georgia"><br /></font><p></p><font color="#7b1fa2"><font face="georgia" size="3"></font></font></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-81446006669374626362020-03-02T21:58:00.014+05:302020-07-09T19:57:53.244+05:3005. Joseph Thamby in Kerala<p style="height: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><font face="georgia" size="3"><span style="color: #7b1fa2;"><b>CHAPTER: 05<br /></b></span><span style="color: #7b1fa2;"><b>Joseph Thamby in Kerala (1936 - 1937, 1939)</b></span></font></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Urged by the missionary zeal, leaving
<i>Pachamalai</i>, Joseph Thamby moved from place to place as a mendicant,
especially in Kumbakonam and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. From Tamil Nadu, he left
for Kerala.</font></p><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">For some time, his activities
were centered in Ernakulam. He was talking to the people about St. Francis of
Assisi, who left a deep impression on his whole life and about the Franciscan Third
Order. He worked in the fields as a daily labourer with the people and begged
in the streets and shared with the poor what he earned. The police in Ernakulam
were suspicious of Joseph Thamby. They objected him wandering in the streets begging.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby went away from
there and met the archbishop, Joseph Attipetty (+ 1970) of Verapoly archdiocese.
Archbishop was impressed with the attire and attitude of Joseph Thamby living
as a mendicant, going to the fields to work as a daily labourer, begging food
and helping the poor. Knowing the sincere life of Joseph Thamby, archbishop
encouraged him to live the way he was living.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia"></font></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="georgia"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DUSpvrIFE6Y/Xwcmw6x5ABI/AAAAAAAAGv4/rbn5awYbbbcvArt3bwTcWU2-dMYIGL-4ACK4BGAsYHg/s300/Archbishop%2BJoseph%2BAttipetty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Archbishop Joseph Attipetty" border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="210" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DUSpvrIFE6Y/Xwcmw6x5ABI/AAAAAAAAGv4/rbn5awYbbbcvArt3bwTcWU2-dMYIGL-4ACK4BGAsYHg/w134-h192/Archbishop%2BJoseph%2BAttipetty.jpg" title="Archbishop Joseph Attipetty" width="134" /></a></font></div><font face="georgia">By then, Archbishop Joseph
Attipetty started ‘Theresian Brothers’, an archdiocesan congregation for taking
care of the institutions and to render services in the parishes. They were very
few and lacked proper formation. Archbishop felt that Joseph Thamby was the
right person to give formation or training to the Theresian Brothers. When archbishop
asked, Joseph Thamby joyfully accepted it.</font><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Hence, the archbishop commissioned
Joseph Thamby to go to Puthur Latin Mission Church of the Verapoly archdiocese.
Two Theresian Brothers were staying there and engaged in mission work under the
direction of the Archbishop. Archbishop asked Joseph Thamby to give formation
to those two brothers.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia"><span></span></font></p><a name='more'></a><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby was staying with
the Brothers at Puthur and helping them in their formation. He used to go to the
Latin Church in Thrissur to attend the Mass every day without fail. Now and
then, he also used to attend Syro-Malabar <i>Qurbana</i> [Mass] at Puthur Syrian
Church celebrated by the priests from Nadathara of Thrissur diocese.</font><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Mathew Muringathery (+
1994) was the parish priest and the chaplain of Nadathara Convent. Fr. Joseph
Chungath (Senior + 2000) was the assistant parish priest at Nadathara and the
parish priest of Puthur Syrian Church. Joseph Thamby was well acquainted with
Fr. Joseph Chungath. Their meeting brought lot of spiritual enlightenment in
the life of Joseph Thamby.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">While staying and guiding the
Theresian brothers at Puthur, Joseph Thamby was carrying out his mission and
ministry in different parts of Malabar in his own usual way. There also Joseph
Thamby faced many problems and objections from the police.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby could not
continue his stay and giving formation to those two Theresian Brothers for a
long time. The Brothers disliked and considered him a <i>mad</i> man. He was
said to be <i>mad</i> because he had his own peculiar ways of living; like
eating leaves and grass [probably the medicinal], lying down under the shades
of trees on the boundaries of the compound. His life in the midst of others was
as if on the bush of thorns. He faced lot of criticism so much so his <i>Stigmata</i>
were attributed to something other than the divine.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">He might have continued his
ministry there till the end of 1936 or the beginning of 1937 after which he
moved to another southern state, namely Andhra Pradesh.</font></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia">Joseph
Thamby moved to Andhra Pradesh in the year 1937 [January]. He was at Bitragunta
in Nellore diocese for few months [probably eight months]. From there, he came
to a village called Kesarapalli [in October] near Vijayawada where he stayed
for a year. From 1939 onwards, he took his residence at Peddavutapalli parish
church premises. From Peddavutapalli, Joseph Thamby made visits to Kerala,
Tamil Nadu and as far as Jhansi and other places in the northern part of India.</font></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">In the year 1939, when Joseph
Thamby went to Puthur [certainly from Peddavutapally], where he was helping the
Theresian Brothers, he met Fr. Joseph Chungath at Nadathara and was with him
for three days. He also met Fr. Paul Chazoor at Ambarakhad. Fr. Joseph Chungath
and Fr. Paul Chazoor are classmates and ordained together in 1937.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eXKK2lcB9lo/XwcnYY3mGqI/AAAAAAAAGwM/n43E6JgzNf8In_XCZ2C2ntfBE7ekxyMSACK4BGAsYHg/s2996/005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fr. Joseph Chungath (Senior)" border="0" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="2053" height="164" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eXKK2lcB9lo/XwcnYY3mGqI/AAAAAAAAGwM/n43E6JgzNf8In_XCZ2C2ntfBE7ekxyMSACK4BGAsYHg/w112-h164/005.jpg" title="Fr. Joseph Chungath (Senior)" width="112" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ps5TqrWtNIY/Xwcnn-wp4jI/AAAAAAAAGww/85Jqif3FaX8xRqAAAmQPRDyMuEoFrhBeQCK4BGAsYHg/s3320/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fr. Paul Chazoor" border="0" data-original-height="3320" data-original-width="2040" height="164" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ps5TqrWtNIY/Xwcnn-wp4jI/AAAAAAAAGww/85Jqif3FaX8xRqAAAmQPRDyMuEoFrhBeQCK4BGAsYHg/w101-h164/001.jpg" title="Fr. Paul Chazoor" width="101" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">It was on 28 January 1939 that
Joseph Thamby attended the Syro-Malabar <i>Qurbana</i> celebrated by Fr. Joseph
Chungath at Puthur Syrian Church. Later when Joseph Thamby visited Nadathara,
he recognized Fr. Joseph Chungath.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">It was a Lenten Friday of 1939
[22 February 1939 was Ash Wednesday and 9 April 1939 was Easter Sunday], Joseph
Thamby was urged in his ecstasy to go to Nadathara and thus he reached there at
one o’clock in the afternoon. Fr. Joseph Chungath received him, took him to the
parlour of the Convent and gave him lunch.<o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Soon after lunch, Joseph
Thamby hurriedly took Fr. Joseph Chungath to the residence of Fr. Chungath and
was seated on the bench. Fr. Joseph Chungath was seated in his chair and
between them was a table on which there was a Crucifix.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Then Fr. Chungath was keenly
observing Joseph Thamby who was in agony for 20 minutes. He suffered a lot as
he was bleeding and fell on the floor. Fr. Chungath was willingly keeping
silence owing to his indifference to what was happening and he wanted to test
Joseph Thamby.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">After a while, Joseph Thamby requested for a
piece of cloth and Fr. Joseph Chungath gave him some old cloth with which he
wiped the wounds. He returned the blood stained cloth to Fr. Joseph Chungath.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Joseph Chungath later took the blood stained
cloth to Thrissur Civil Hospital laboratory for a test. He contacted the
Carmelite sisters who were working in the hospital [from 19 December 1925]. Mother
Mary Agnes, the then mother superior of the hospital convent tested the cloth
in the hospital laboratory and found that it was a genuine human blood. Fr.
Chungath did not take the tested cloth back.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">But later on, Fr. Joseph
Chungath had the chance of witnessing Joseph Thamby’s agony of getting Stigmata
for about six times. On those occasions Joseph Thamby wiped the wounds with the
handkerchiefs of Fr. Joseph Chungath who preserved them with him.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">After his death in 1945, Fr.
Joseph Chungath also received a bead of the Rosary used by Joseph Thamby
through one of his friends who was a military man stationed at Jhansi in north
India [Joseph Thamby was seen at Jhansi in 1944]. Fr. Joseph Chungath covered
the bead with the blood stained handkerchief and kept with him as a relic.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">After this, Joseph Thamby returned
to Puthur requesting Fr. Joseph Chungath to prepare some money in order that he
may return and help the poor in Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh). Later Joseph
Thamby came again to Nadathara and narrated many things about his mission to
Fr. Joseph Chungath.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Then he asked Fr. Joseph
Chungath whether he got anything for his journey back to Vijayawada. Fr. Joseph
Chungath told him that he did not get any Mass stipend those days.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Immediately Joseph Thamby
asked Fr. Joseph Chungath whether he was ready to visit some houses for <i>begging</i>.
He agreed and both of them began the visit.<o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">First, they went to the northern
side of the parish and went to a rich man’s house. When they were about to
reach the gate of the house, Joseph Thamby was very reluctant to proceed
further. He told the priest that they would return without entering the house.
But Fr. Joseph Chungath entered the house and received one rupee, while Joseph
Thamby was waiting at the gate.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">On their return, Joseph Thamby
told that the house did not deserve our visit. Perhaps, Joseph Thamby could
read the mind of that person. Then, they began to visit the eastern side of the
parish. They visited a house named Parayil. The owner of the house was old and sick.
His daughter, namely, Annamma who was a widow was consulting Fr. Chungath about
her joining a Congregation in which widows were received to become nuns.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Since the man was not well,
Fr. Joseph Chungath advised him to make his confession, but the man was
unwilling to make the confession and was promising to make on another day.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby requested Fr.
Joseph Chungath that he would talk with the man. Fr. Joseph Chungath was
surprised to hear the zealous words which he spoke very convincingly. Joseph
Thamby told the man that he had something to do the restitution to the church.
As a result of the advice of Joseph Thamby, the man immediately moved to make
his confession at that very moment. While Fr. Joseph Chungath heard his
confession, Joseph Thamby prayed for the man.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">As they were going to
Kizhuppillikkara two miles east of Nadathara, they met some people who were
begging alms and Joseph Thamby gave them what he had.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">In the evening, they went to
the cemetery of the Church at Nadathara and spent some time in prayer. At that
juncture, Joseph Thamby shared one of his experiences to Fr. Joseph Chungath: “one
day, as usual, I visited a village to talk to the people and advise them, but
that day nobody came as it was harvesting time. I was very sad. Then I went to
the nearby cemetery and prayed to the souls, ‘My dear souls in purgatory, you
come to hear my words, as my people had not come to hear me’. Then suddenly a
few white dressed people appeared and I thanked them for their presence.”</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">On their return from the
cemetery, they went to the convent chapel to visit the Blessed Sacrament. They
met Mother Ursula on the veranda. Joseph Thamby told Fr. Joseph Chungath that he
should console Sr. Ursula as she is sincere and pious and take care of her
spiritual life. Fr. Joseph Chungath was surprised at the knowledge of Sr.
Ursula.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Chungath decided to visit Fr.
Paul Chazoor (+ 1993) his classmate, who was at Ambazhakad parish, from whom to
get some money to help Joseph Thamby. Fr. Paul was an assistant vicar there.
Later he was transferred to Nadathara. Fr. Joseph Chungath told Joseph Thamby
to go alone next day morning and he promised to reach there by evening.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">On that night before going to
bed, Joseph Thamby was seated on the bench and he had Stigmata again. Fr.
Joseph Chungath used his handkerchief to wipe the blood on his palms. After the
stigmata, in their talk, Joseph Thamby revealed that he was often getting Stigmata
on Fridays. After talking to each other for a while, they went to bed.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Next day morning, both of them
went to the Chapel where Sr. Ursula and other sisters were having their
meditation after reciting morning prayers. Fr. Joseph Chungath and Joseph
Thamby were in sacristy for prayer and meditation before the Mass. At that
time, Joseph Thamby was in ecstasy and received the Stigmata. This was observed
by sisters too. After the meditation, Fr. Joseph Chungath celebrated Mass in
which Joseph Thamby and sisters participated and received the Holy Communion.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">After the breakfast in the
convent, they went to see Fr. Mathew Muringathery, the Vicar who was in
Thrissur. Fr. Chungath informed him of his programme with Joseph Thamby. From Thrissur,
Fr. Chungath asked Joseph Thamby to go alone to Ambazhakad and he himself would
reach there by evening after hearing confessions of sisters in Irinjalakuda.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby reached Ambazhakad
alone and introduced himself to Fr. Paul Chazoor. As he reached, Joseph Thamby
asked him some water to drink. Fr. Paul went to get water that was placed
outside of his room. As he came with water, he found Joseph Thamby in ecstasy
and received Stigmata.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">First, Fr. Paul thought that he
was having some rheumatic convulsion and touched his feet to give him some
massage. The feet were inseparably stuck together as if they were nailed. When
Fr. Paul touched his feet, it gave immense pain; he was whiling and swinging as
if he was on the cross. After few minutes, the Stigmata vanished and he began
to speak normally. He accepted the water he had asked for. He showed his palms
and feet which were wet with blood and asked for a towel with which he wiped
the wounds. After wiping the blood, he gave back the towel to Fr. Paul.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">It was about 7.30 p.m. when
Fr. Joseph Chungath reached Ambazhakad. Both the priests spent some time
together in the room discussing various things. After supper at 9 p.m. three of
them talked about the next day’s programme. Fr. Joseph Chungath suggested that
he would say Mass early morning at 6 a.m. Then Fr. Joseph Chungath soon went to
bed arranged for him in a room.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Paul arranged a bed for
Joseph Thamby in his room so that he might study him further. Joseph Thamby
began to pray kneeling before the Sacred Heart picture. After that they
conversed for some time and went to sleep. Generally, Fr. Paul would not sleep
at night well, but that night he slept so well that he could not notice
anything about Joseph Thamby. When he woke up at 5.30 in the morning, Joseph
Thamby already woke up.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Meanwhile, Fr. Joseph Chungath
got up at 3 a.m. and to his surprise, Joseph Thamby came to him and said that
they should leave from there before 6 a.m. So, Fr. Joseph Chungath dropped the
idea of celebrating Mass at 6 a.m. They went to Puliyilakannu from where they
got into a bus to Pudukad. At Pudukad convent chapel, Fr. Joseph Chungath heard
the confessions and celebrated Mass.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Then they went to Chowka where
Fr. Joseph Chungath heard the confessions of sisters. While Fr. Joseph Chungath
was hearing confessions Joseph Thamby was taking rest on a bench in the school
veranda. At that time, a young man, namely, Jacob N. J. came to see Fr. Joseph
Chungath. Jacob saw Joseph Thamby sitting on a bench, went to him just to talk
to him. At that time, Joseph Thamby received Stigmata. After that, he told Jacob
that he did not make a good confession before he received the sacrament of
Confirmation. He also revealed all the sins that Jacob committed. At this,
Jacob was sorrowful and he made a very good confession to Fr. Joseph Chungath.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">They came to Thrissur from
where they returned to their respective places. At that night, Fr. Joseph
Chungath had a dream in which Joseph Thamby asked him to come immediately to
Thrissur Latin Church. He woke up and at 4 a.m. he was looking for a rickshaw.
He asked the help of one of his friends, namely, Mr. Pylee who told him, “It is
difficult to call a rickshaw at 4 a.m. and we shall walk to Thrissur.” Mr.
Pylee also accompanied Fr. Joseph Chungath to Thrissur and they went to the
Latin Church. They reached there at 6 a.m. Fr. Joseph Chungath met the parish
priest there and met Joseph Thamby. Thereafter, Joseph Thamby stayed one more
day with Fr. Joseph Chungath at Nadathara and left for Vijayawada in Andhra
Pradesh.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">First time when Joseph Thamby
came to Fr. Joseph Chungath and after the Stigmata experience, Joseph Thamby
said to him, “You should be careful that when you take Chalice [during the
Mass], you should keep your hands pure.”</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">While Joseph Thamby was in Puthur,
he built a small chapel with clay and dedicated to St. Antony of Padua.
Archbishop, Joseph Attipetty visited this small chapel, celebrated Mass and
baptized a Hindu family that was already instructed by Joseph Thamby. Fr. Paul
Chazoor was present on this occasion, who testified that this small chapel is
located in a place where Joseph Thamby had a vision of the Holy Cross on 14
September 1939.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Though Joseph Thamby stayed
just one night with Fr. Paul Chazoor along with Fr. Joseph Chungath, he had
great regard to Fr. Paul. Joseph Thamby wrote letters to Fr. Paul until 1945. He
was more a penfriend to Fr. Paul than an intimately lived friend.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Paul testified that Joseph
Thamby wrote to him four letters: in the first letter he requested Fr. Paul to
make a statue of St. Francis of Assisi [today it is seen in Boyapati house in
Avutapalli where Joseph Thamby built an altar dedicated to St. Francis of
Assisi and where he breathed his last breathe].</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">In the second letter, Joseph
Thamby asked Fr. Paul to pray for a town. In the third letter, he wrote that he
was praying for Fr. Paul so that he may become bishop and asked him to send
some of his photos. Fr. Paul testified that he did not send any photo saying
that he was not worthy to become a bishop.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">In the fourth letter received
when Fr. Paul was in Chowannur, Joseph Thamby prophesied about the death of Fr.
Paul saying that he would face lots of troubles and difficulties before his
death. He wrote, “Father you are to suffer too much and die … but in the end
you are to be a saint.” Joseph Thamby promised his constant prayer support to
Fr. Paul till the last breath of his life.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">In fact, even as a young priest,
Fr. Paul Chazoor (Ordained in 1937) wanted to join the Capuchin Order and
requested his Bishop Mar Francis Vazhapilly (1921-1942) who allowed him to make
the arrangements. He even expressed his desire to join the Order to French Capuchin
Friar Fr. Guido who was then in Alwaye. He later became the bishop of Ajmer
(1939-1946). On the day when Fr. Paul had determined to ask his Bishop’s permission
to go to Alwaye and to remain there a month to settle his vocation according to
the direction of Fr. Guido, he saw his bishop unconscious and dying [died on 12
May 1942]. Then, Fr. Paul gave up the idea of joining the Capuchin Order. The
next bishop was nominated on 11 March 1944 and consecrated on 1 May 1944 in the
person of Mar George Alapatt (+ 1973).</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">At that time, Fr. Paul was in
Chowannur as a residing priest. The vicar was Fr. Augustine John Ukken (+ 1956)
who on 21 November 1944 founded the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity
(CSC) with the approval of Mar George Alapatt. Fr. Paul was helping Fr. Augustine
in forming the Congregation.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Paul testified that it was
one of the desires of Joseph Thamby, expressed to Fr. Joseph Chungath, that a
Congregation for the uneducated girls was to be founded and this was realized
in Chowannur.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">After 1939 Lent, Fr. Joseph
Chungath met Joseph Thamby again in Royapuram in Madras in the year 1941.
Before that Fr. Chungath was receiving letters written by Joseph Thamby from
Jhansi and Andhra Pradesh (Vijayawada).</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Joseph Chungath came to
Madras General Hospital to take back his sick mother. On that day, he arrived
at Egmore at 9.30 a.m. and went to Royapuram to celebrate Mass in the Church
there. He reached there at 10 a.m. hoping to get the sacristan of the Church to
arrange for Mass. As soon as he reached there, to his surprise, Joseph Thamby
came out of the Church and greeted him, “FATHER” and said that there was no
Mass on that day as the parish priest had gone for retreat.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby immediately
asked Fr. Chungath to hear his confession. Fr. Chungath testified, “Really on
that day I heard a saint’s confession.” Fr. Chungath celebrated Mass and Joseph
Thamby and some men received Communion.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">From there, both of them went
to the Madras General Hospital and visited the sick mother. Joseph Thamby
promised his prayers for her and went out to the corridor and sat there for a
while praying.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Next day morning, when Fr. Chungath
visited the chapel of Park Town, Joseph Thamby was praying sitting on the first
row of the bench. Mr. Lonappan P.D. a medical student who accompanied Fr.
Chungath made confession.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Joseph Chungath returned
to the hospital alone. Mr. Lonappan took Joseph Thamby to the medical college.
Seeing Joseph Thamby, the students including Lonappan laughed at him. Later Mr.
Lonappan realized his mistake and was very sorry for it.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Joseph Chungath used to
send money at times to Joseph Thamby, especially while he was in Jhansi. Once
he wrote to his brother, namely, C. V. Varghese who was in Ceylon, who used to
help Joseph Thamby.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Joseph Chungath received
letters from Joseph Thamby till 1944. When Fr. Joseph Chungath visited
Vijayawada in 1945, he went to St. Ann’s Hospital and inquired about Joseph
Thamby who by then went to his eternal abode.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="georgia">Fr. Joseph Chungath testified
that Joseph Thamby visited him several times and he witnessed the Stigmata for about
6 times. He also testified that Joseph Thamby had been to so many places like Jhansi
and other places in northern India.</font></p>
<p><font face="georgia">Fr.
Paul Chazoor testified that there was divine power in the words and actions of
Joseph Thamby who promised him to pray for him till his last breath. Through
the intercessory prayers of Joseph Thamby, he was experiencing some
extraordinary spiritual power in his words and actions. For example, with the
short notice, when he preached a retreat in his parish Wadakkanchery, people
were astonished hearing him. The following week when he preached a 10 day
retreat to sisters at Chilakara, sisters shed their tears upon hearing the Word
of God. Fr. Paul testified that it was possible only because of the prayers of
Joseph Thamby who had received Stigmata.</font></p></div><div><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3"></font></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-51366645560472260002020-02-04T22:00:00.004+05:302020-07-09T22:06:31.276+05:3006. Joseph Thamby in Jhansi, North India<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 06<br /></font><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3">In Jhansi, North India</font></h3><div><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3"><br /></font></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Fr. Joseph Chungath has
testified that Joseph Thamby had been to different places in India and he was
receiving letters from Jhansi (North India) written by Joseph Thamby.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">There was already an unknown
oral tradition that Joseph Thamby, as a young man, joined the military in
Northern India and was discharged after some time.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby was in Jhansi in
the year 1944. It was in a military Church on a Sunday; Joseph Thamby was
participating in the Mass. During the Mass, Mr. Thomas M. Kurisinkal noticed
Joseph Thamby as he was collecting the alms. Joseph Thamby was wearing dirty
clothes and looked like a <i>Hindu sanyasi</i>. He was holding a big book.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia"></font></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><font face="georgia"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CY_7WbQMbJQ/XwdHdu0b5SI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/KSfN_IEWaCAmDqA0HAGZrTf5Sf-_H95ZgCK4BGAsYHg/s640/080%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mr. Thomas M. Kurisinkal" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="442" height="205" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CY_7WbQMbJQ/XwdHdu0b5SI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/KSfN_IEWaCAmDqA0HAGZrTf5Sf-_H95ZgCK4BGAsYHg/w142-h205/080%2B-%2BCopy.jpg" title="Mr. Thomas M. Kurisinkal" width="142" /></a></font></div><font face="georgia">Soon after the Mass, Mr.
Thomas rushed to the main door to find out who he was. Joseph Thamby came out
with the book in his hand and a bag on his shoulders. Taking the book into his
hands, Mr. Thomas opened and found that the book was half in Latin and half in
English. Mr. Thomas asked, ‘Do you know to read?’ Joseph Thamby replied,
“Though you do not know, I know.” Since then both of them became friends.</font><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Joseph Thamby used to beg in
military barracks for his living. He also used to bring dry <i>Chapattis</i>
that he begged and share with Mr. Thomas. One day, as Mr. Thomas was reading a
spiritual book, Joseph Thamby was beside him. Suddenly Joseph Thamby fell down
and blood was oozing from his hands and side. Mr. Thomas wiped the blood with
cotton. Joseph Thamby uttered in pain, “Our Lord is suffering. Expiation is
needed”.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">One day after the conversation
with Joseph Thamby, Mr. Thomas was going to a church by cycle for 13 day
adoration. When Mr. Thomas reached there, Joseph Thamby was found already in
the middle of the Church. Mr. Thomas asked, ‘How did you come?’ Joseph Thamby
answered, “I just came. When I want to go anywhere, somebody comes and taps on
the shoulder and lifts me up and bring me to the place.” Joseph Thamby had the
gift of bilocation / instant location.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Mr. Thomas Kurisinkal had correspondence
with Fr. Joseph Chungath who knew Joseph Thamby very well. It was from a
military man that he got the address of Fr. Chungath. He wrote to Fr. Chungath narrating
his experience with Joseph Thamby. Fr. Joseph Chungath replied writing, “After
the death of a man you can tell all that you know about him.” Mr. Thomas
visited the tomb of Joseph Thamby in 1949 and in 1983.<o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Mr. Thomas Kurisinkal
testified that he had received letters from Guntur written by Joseph Thamby.
While in Jhansi, he had also received a big Rosary and a Crucifix from Joseph
Thamby.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><font face="georgia">Once Joseph Thamby advised him
to read 1 Peter 1: 24-25:</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia"><b>“For All flesh is like grass and all its glory like
the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of
the Lord endures forever. That word is the good news that was announced to
you.”</b></font><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3"></font></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-50401696908160827972020-01-02T22:04:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:56:20.330+05:3007. Joseph Thamby in Andhra Pradesh<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font face="georgia" size="3"><font color="#7b1fa2">CHAPTER: 07<br /></font><font color="#7b1fa2">Joseph Thamby in Andhra Pradesh</font></font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-31157887113716279812019-12-02T22:14:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:55:57.498+05:3008. Joseph Thamby: Holy man of Avutapally<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#3367d6" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 08<br />Joseph Thamby: Holy man of Avutapally</font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-33302848277498652892019-11-04T22:17:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:55:36.206+05:3009. Joseph Thamby - Boyapati Family<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#0b8043" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 09<br />Joseph Thamby - Boyapati Family</font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-7591541945212283602019-10-02T22:19:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:55:13.362+05:3010. Joseph Thamby: Mission and Ministry<h3 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #7b1fa2; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">CHAPTER: 10</span></div><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3"><div style="text-align: center;">Joseph Thamby: Mission and Ministry</div></font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-86152065895635966072019-09-02T22:21:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:54:50.234+05:3011. Joseph Thamby: Miracles in Avutapally<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#f57c00" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 11<br />Joseph Thamby: Miracles in Avutapally</font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-62276899239506460662019-08-02T22:24:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:54:21.615+05:3012. Joseph Thamby: Journey to Heaven<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 12<br />Joseph Thamby: Journey to Heaven</font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-34797799520419077132019-07-02T22:25:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:53:34.764+05:3013. Joseph Thamby: Stigmata<h3 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #b51200; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">CHAPTER: 13</span></div><font color="#b51200" face="georgia" size="3"><div style="text-align: center;">Joseph Thamby: Stigmata</div></font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-4779913348744450642019-06-03T22:27:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:53:08.584+05:3014. Joseph Thamby: Bi-location/Instant location<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font face="georgia" size="3"><font color="#4285f4">CHAPTER: 14<br /></font><font color="#4285f4">Joseph Thamby: Bi-location/Instant location</font></font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-73988410279667283872019-05-02T22:29:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:53:47.742+05:3015. Joseph Thamby: Heroic Virtues<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#f57c00" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 15<br />Joseph Thamby: Heroic Virtues</font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-31852891429262880122019-04-02T22:30:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:52:12.927+05:3016. Joseph Thamby: Fame<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 16<br />Fame</font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-90340704623313790982019-03-04T22:32:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:51:28.726+05:3017. Joseph Thamby: Shrine<h3 style="text-align: center;"><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3">CHAPTER: 17<br />Shrine</font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-35101249348630144502019-02-04T22:34:00.000+05:302020-07-02T21:50:19.696+05:3018. Joseph Thamby: Servant of God - Beatification<h3 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #7b1fa2; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">CHAPTER: 18</span></div><font color="#7b1fa2" face="georgia" size="3"><div style="text-align: center;">Joseph Thamby: Servant of God - Beatification</div></font></h3>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-3454662647514481182018-12-31T10:03:00.010+05:302020-07-21T22:33:19.158+05:30TESTIMONY 1<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><font color="#800180">TESTIMONY 1</font></b></span></div><font face="verdana"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></font><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><font color="#2b00fe"><font face="verdana"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Name:</b> Fr. Joseph Surname: Chungath</div></font><font face="verdana"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Date & Place of Birth: </b>21 June 1904 (79 years old)</div></font><font face="verdana"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Profession / Occupation:</b> Priest </div></font><font face="verdana"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Address:</b> Parish Church, Puthur, Trichur Diocese, Kerala</div></font><font face="verdana"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Relationship:</b> Direct Witness</div></font><font face="verdana"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Date of Interview: </b>19 August 1983 </div></font></font></blockquote><font face="verdana"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Brother Joseph Thamby was sent by Archbishop Attipetty to Nadathara Church where I was an assistant priest to Rev. Msgr. Mathew Murigathery (1939), the chaplain of Nadathara convent and parish priest of Nadathara Church. However, I was at that time, not only the assistant priest to Nadathara parish Church but also I was the parish priest of Puthur Church near which there was a Latin Church where two lay brothers under archbishop Joseph Attipetty of Varapoly were living in connection with the mission work of the archbishop. Brother Joseph Thamby was often staying with them after his journey here and there in northern and central Kerala. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is how I came to know Joseph Thamby for the first time. Only reluctantly did he say anything about his family or relatives. On meeting me, in a polite manner he asked me to be his spiritual director and I agreed to it. As I went on enquiring his whereabouts, he shared with me many experiences and happenings of his life from childhood onwards. He told me that he had a very hard time at home in Pondicherry, particularly after the death of his mother. His daddy married a second time and the step-mother disliked him. She even persecuted him, and denied food to him several times. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At the age of 12 he fled from home, and reached Ernakulam in Kerala, where he was taken care of and educated by a motherly woman. At the age of 25, he was inspired to leave all, including that devout woman, that house where he lived for many years, and embarked on a life of the hermit, devoting himself completely to prayer, searching for life’s meaning. As he was traveling he begged food for his life, and spent his time in reading good books. Once thus he came across the biography of St. Francis of Assisi, read it and was inspired to live the Franciscan ideals. Within a few years he advanced in his prayer life and was taken to fervent devotion to Jesus Christ Crucified. Some good person gave him the prayer to the five wounds of Christ, and he used it for his prayer. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>Brother Joseph Thamby told me that he had evangelized for some time in Pondicherry and extended his mission to Andhra Pradesh to give a helping hand to the Bishop of Vijayawada. In this connection, he came to Ernakulam again with the aim of gathering funds for the mission. But as he was going about at Ernakulam begging for money for the mission, the policemen in Ernakulam suspected him to be a cheat and started troubling him. He then took refuge in the presence of Archbishop Joseph Attipetty who had started a little mission in Puthur in Thrissur district. After consoling him, the saintly Archbishop asked him to go to Puthur mission where there was a chapel built in honor of St. Antony and two brothers of his Congregation were living there. Brother Joseph Thamby was expected to give a helping hand to them. He also told me that very often he was scolded by the Bishop of Vijayawada as the money he collected was often spent on the way giving to the poor and hungry beggars. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Brother Joseph Thamby used to sleep at night in the Mission Church at Puthur (Ponnukara) from where he used to go to Trichur Latin Church to hear Mass and to receive Holy Communion. It was only to me that he at times came to hear Mass, as I am a Syrian priest. On 28th January 1939, he told me he had the chance of hearing my Mass at Puthur Church and he had caught sight of my face. So he could recognize me at Nadathara. Brother Joseph Thamby told me that he was urged in his ecstasy to come to Nadathara and thus he came to me on a Friday in the lent of 1939 at 1 p.m. I took him to the parlour of the convent and gave him the lunch. Soon after lunch he was busy to take me to Bungalow where he was seated on the bench and I in the chair in front of my table on which there a was a crucifix which is still in my room. Then I was keenly observing him as he was in agony about 20 minutes. And he suffered a lot as he was bending, fell on the floor. I was willingly keeping silence owing to my indifference because I wanted to test him. After a while he requested me a piece of cloth and I gave him some old cloth with which he wiped the wounds and he returned the blood stained cloth to me. I took the same cloth to Trichur civil hospital after wards to be tested through Rev. Mother Mary Agnes, mother superior of hospital convent of Carmelite sisters at Trichur where those sisters were serving in the civil hospital, Trichur. Mother Agnes tested it in the hospital laboratory and found it to be genuine human blood. I did not take the tested cloth back because I did not take much care to get it from the hospital laboratory, thus I lost it. I did not ask the sisters, about it. Later on more than five times I had the chance to witness his agony and get my handkerchiefs wiped with the blood. Now those kerchiefs though faded in colour are with me. I have got a Bead of Brother Joseph Thamby’s Rosary, after his death through my friend a military man who was at Jancy at the period in which Brother Joseph Thamby had passed away. I don’t know who sent it to me perhaps it may be a bead of a rosary which Brother Joseph Thamby had given to somebody who came to know that desired to get it as a relic. I covered that bead with the bloodstained cloth; I keep it now as a relic. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I may narrate some secret things, which was connected with his mission and me. In the first ecstasy, he had told me that I would be prepared to accept some favours from our Lord such as suffering some pain in His Name. Then I, in a soft way, rebuked him thinking it as his flattery and he took it in good sense and changed the talk promising me his prayers. Then he went to Ponnukara after asking me to prepare some money in order that he may return to Vijayawada. After a few days he came to Nadathara and he narrated his mission works. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In my remembrance, Brother Joseph Thamby had interest in as he was moved by some urge which he felt to execute through my instrumentality. For example, on the day after his first visit when he came, he requested whether I got anything for his journey to Vijayawada. In accordance with my promise I told him that I did not get any Mass stipend in those days. So he immediately told me whether I would be ready to visit some houses for begging for his help. I readily admitted and we started the visit. First I went to the North side of the parish and went to a rich person’s house. And when we were about to reach the gate of the house, Brother Joseph Thamby was very reluctant to proceed and asked me that we may return without entering that house as if he had some difficulty to enter there. Yet I entered the house as he was waiting at the gate and I received one rupee from the owner of the house. On returning Brother Joseph Thamby told me, “That house does not deserve our visit.” From this I now infer that Brother Joseph Thamby could read the mind of that person. Then we started to visit the eastern side of the parish. About two miles away there is a house named Parayil. The owner of that house was sick. His daughter, Annamma, a widow, was consulting with me to join a congregation in which widows to be received as nuns. I had also intention to see that sick man and to beg money as well. As soon as I entered the house the sick man was not willing to make confession though he was unwell. I advised him to prepare for confession while he was promising to make it on another day. In the meantime, Brother Joseph Thamby approaching me requested my consent to talk a few words to the old man. I was surprised to hear his zealous words, which he uttered very convincingly and imposingly. Of course the language was Malayalam mixed with Tamil. Suddenly old man was moved to make confession at that same moment. Then Brother Joseph Thamby began to pray for that old man. Brother Joseph Thamby in his talk had reminded the old man that he had something to restitute to the Church. As a result of the advice of Brother Joseph Thamby, the old man decided to make confession and I heard his confession. From this I conclude that the old man’s change of mind was due to the zealous advice of Brother Joseph Thamby. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here I like to mention an important experience with Brother Joseph Thamby. On the first day soon after the word he had predicted concerning me such as the favour from our Lord, I was ready to accept it but I softly rebuked about which he took no consideration. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While we were going to Kozhukillikara, two miles east of Nadathara, on the way some Kumbakarans were waiting for Brother Joseph Thamby to beg some money. Brother Joseph Thamby was standing and giving some alms with conversation in Telugu to the Kumbakarans. For example “Akkada” (there), “Ikkada” (here) etc., the two Telugu language words that I know, were learned from my loving Brother Joseph Thamby. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On that evening we went to the cemetery of the Church at Nadathara and spent some time in prayer. Then we sat on the steps of the cemetery altar. He then began to narrate an incident, which he had experienced a little time ago. In a certain place he had met some converts who used to attend his advice and prayers especially on Sundays. One day he had gone for his usual program to talk to them and to give them his advice. On that day nobody had come there and he was very sorrowful. He told its reason, as it was the harvest season they might have gone for reaping. So he immediately went to the cemetery; and prayed to the souls, “My dear souls in purgatory you come to hear my words as my people had not come to hear me.” Suddenly a few white dressed people appeared and he just thanked them for their presence. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On our returning from the cemetery we went to the chapel for visit. Then we met Mother Ursula on the veranda of the convent chapel and Brother Joseph Thamby told me that Mother Ursula should be consoled by me, as she was sincere and pious. Brother Joseph Thamby asked me to take care of her spiritual life. I was surprised to know about Brother Joseph Thamby’s knowledge about Sr. Ursula. Moreover he instructed me that she can be relied and be confided to write about relations between Brother Joseph Thamby and myself. And from that day onwards I began to dictate about Brother Joseph Thamby in a book and unfortunately I lost that book when my bungalow and room were rearranged, transferred. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the very first day when Brother Joseph Thamby came, I had told him that I would seek financial help from Rev. Paul Chazoor who was my classmate. Now I think that it was divine plan that forced me to go to Fr. Chazhoor because I did not get any remuneration for my services at Nadathara Church. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, my benefactor in Holland had sent some money as Christmas gift in 1936. I had put that money in the savings A/c. Although the money was in the bank I did not think of drawing any money from the bank to give to Brother Joseph Thamby. So I made up my mind the next morning to get sanction from my Vicar Fr. Murigathery to go to Ampazhakad to meet Fr. Chazhoor together with Brother Joseph Thamby. In that situation I sent Brother Joseph Thamby alone to Ampazhakad and I promised to reach Ampazhakad by evening. I could get a little money from the bank for bus charge. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I should mention a few words about previous night before going to Ampazhakad when Brother Joseph Thamby was seated on the bench and he had the second ecstasy at which I used my washed kerchief to wipe the blood clotted in the palm. The same kerchief is still with me. At the close of “stigmata” I asked him a question “Brother why did you make these signs and tests for me.” Then he answered “Father, it is not for you but for those who hear you”. That means I had my strong faith and confidence in the power of God even without sings or miracles. He also admitted perhaps my internal thought in questioning about his mission of coming to me. Moreover it was not a Friday although from his talk I heard that he had often ecstasy on Friday. Thus after his ecstasy and talk were over, we went to bed. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next morning at Nadathara we both went to the chapel where the time of meditation before Mass started as it was on the opposite side. Rev. Sisters of the convent were making their meditation while we both making our meditation in the sacristy where I knelt on the kneeler which was arranged in such a way that there was a hanging crucifix on the wall on which Brother Joseph Thamby and myself were looking at the crucifix which is still with me. I have kept it covered with the blood stained kerchief. Alas the brother was in ecstasy at that time. Sr. Ursula and other sisters were observing the ecstasy from the other side. Now as I did not give my kerchief, he managed with his own kerchief. After meditation, I said Mass in which both Brother Joseph Thamby and sisters received communion from me. It was with difficulty that distributed communion, as my right hand was paralyzed. Soon after the Mass, the sisters went from the prayer hall and Brother Joseph Thamby locked the tabernacle which was done without my request but by his own accord. As he had known that my hand was paralyzed in accordance with his prediction at the first ecstasy of course it happened when I was in the chapel of the hospital convent at Trichur at the time when finished hearing confession of a few Carmelite sisters (C.M.C). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After breakfast at the convent we went to Fr. Vicar who was at Trichur then, as he was also the Director of St. Mary’s Orphanage, Trichur. He gave me the sanction to go for all my affairs I asked. Thus I asked Brother Joseph Thamby to go Ampazhakad alone while I promised to reach the place after my journey to a convent at Irinjalakuda to hear confession. This time I can very well say that Brother Joseph Thamby had advised me to continue my work of going to hear confession of those who will request for the same even with difficulties. Still I continue the same Mission although I am now 79 years old. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I reached Ampazhakad, it was about 7.30 p.m. Rev. Fr. Paul Chazhoor was talking with Brother Joseph Thamby who had the “Stigmata.” He might have told him also that it was owing to my direction that he went to him instead of coming together with me. However that night many a time, Brother Joseph Thamby had visions and experiences of stigmata. I told Brother Joseph Thamby about Fr. Paul’s readiness to help with money as he used to hear my suggestions to help the poor. After supper at 9 p.m., we three talked about my program of next morning. In the program I suggested that I would say Mass at the morning and asked the help of sacristan for early Mass at which Fr. Paul Chazhoor consented to arrange for the same and I fixed my program to say Mass at 6 a.m. I went to bed in the veranda. I prayed and slept when Brother Joseph Thamby and Paul Chazhoor were conversing. To my surprise, at 3 a.m., I woke up and I saw Brother Joseph Thamby coming towards me telling, we must start before 6 a.m. So I dropped the idea of saying mass at Ampazhakad and started to Puliyilakunnu through where Bus will come from Puliyilakunnu to Pudukad. From Puliyilakunnu we traveled upto Pudukad and said Mass at convent chapel. I had a plan to hear confession at Pudukad and Chowka. After Mass Brother Joseph Thamby shut the doors of Tabernacle as I had difficulty on my hand. Brother Joseph Thamby followed me to Chowka from Pudukad. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When we reached the Chowka convent I heard confession of sisters while Thamby was taking rest on a bench in the school. At that time a young man Jacob N.J. came to see me. Then Jacob went to Brother Joseph Thamby. Soon Brother Joseph Thamby had the “stigmata.” He revealed to Jacob about the sins, which Jacob had not properly confessed while he was waiting for receiving confirmation. Brother Joseph Thamby revealed his hidden sins. At this N.J. Jacob was sorrowful and he made true confession weeping that evening with Brother Joseph Thamby. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We returned to Trichur and parted with him. At that night I had a dream in which Brother Joseph Thamby asked me to come soon to Trichur Latin Church. I woke up from the dream and in the dream I had the directions to Latin Church at Trichur. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wanted a rickshaw and asked the help of Mr. Pylee who was a communist and my friend. Pylee told “It is difficult to call a rickshaw at 4 a.m. and we shall walk to Trichur.” The secret is that Mr. Pylee also had agreed to come with and we went to Trichur Latin Church. When we reached at Trichur Latin Church it was 6 a.m. When I enquired about Brother Joseph Thamby, I was introduced by the parish priest to him and one day more he stayed with me at Nadathara. After that he had strongly advised to make a treatment in order to cure my disease on my hand, the paralysis due to which Brother Joseph Thamby helped me to close the tabernacle. Not less than 3 times, those 3 days when he was with me, it was he who shut the door of the Tabernacle. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After returning from cemetery as it was said before, Brother Joseph Thamby had “stigmata” at Nadathara; one special thought I had in my mind to confirm about the genuineness of the stigmata that I wanted and extraordinary occurrence. I prayed to Jesus that he should not get his legs separated from the nail or the tie of the legs, which were as if nailed at the time of stigmata until I would say satisfied or convinced. I had not examined this upto that time. Alas! I had not used to look curiously because I had more faith and belief in those occurrences of genuine. I thought that Brother Joseph Thamby himself will ask for my help to get rid of the nail position of the two legs which were not separated until my words. Alas! Thamby was in extreme pain and he told me that “my legs are not getting free”. I asked, Is it? All right, very soon, I replied. In the mean time I prayed to God, and then I was convinced about the stigmata. And after the vision he consoled me that I will be bold to administer the sacrament of confession without carrying the criticism. One thing is certain that his words are always remembered and I do remember the first time when he came and the Stigmata was revealed to me. At that time he said to me that “at least I should be careful when I take my chalice that I should keep my hands very pure. I did not ever forget that advice. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After 1939 lent, I met Brother Joseph Thamby at 10:40 in Madras. Before that I had received some letters from (Jancy, Vijayawada etc.,) Brother Joseph Thamby but my letters were all lost. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story of our meeting Brother Joseph Thamby at Royapuram in Madras was a wonderful event. When I started from Trichur, I went first to Trichinapally to see some sisters of Holy Cross convent and then I went to Madras to take back my sick mother from the Hospital. As I was late when the train reached at Egmore in Madras at 9:30 a.m., I was ashamed to ask the help of general hospital sisters to say my Mass as it was late. So also I refused to go to park town chapel near General hospital. I resolved to go Royapuram side where there was chapel, where I thought of requesting the help of the sacristan though a bit late such 10 a.m. However I was having the hope of getting the help of the sacristan of the Church. As soon as I reached the Church Brother Joseph Thamby came out of the Church greeting me “A C H A N O” i.e. is it father? And he told me that they had no Mass at that Church as the parish priest had gone for retreat. My joy knew no bounds, because Brother Joseph Thamby was my friend and I could see him in Madras. He immediately asked me to hear his confession. Soon I said Mass and Brother Joseph Thamby and some men received communion from me. From there, he followed me and we went to the general hospital, Madras and I went to my mother who was sick and Brother Joseph Thamby told her “Mother Dolours is lying seeing his son (myself)” while I was seeing my mother Brother Joseph Thamby promised his prayers and he went to the corridor of the hospital and he sat for a while. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That evening I said to my mother that I would take her by that evening train to Trichur and Brother Joseph Thamby and I started to the chapel of “Park Town” where I had previously said Mass. There happened a wonder. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When I went to the chapel, Brother Joseph Thamby was praying and there he was sitting on the first row of the bench. I was followed by one Mr. Ionappan P.D. a medical student of Trichur Diocese, Kerala. Ionappan wanted to make his confession with me when I looked to Brother Thamby who gave me sign that I might hear the confession of Ionappan just like Brother Joseph Thamby had once told me to hear the confession of N.J. Jacob. Now remember that man had a complicated affair for which my advice was needed. That advice changed his life in Madras medical college, where he had fallen in love with a medical student a Hindu girl, of 3rd year course in MBBS. I advised him to make a test such as the proposed girl might enter Catholic Church and he left the girl and returned to his native place without completing the course. When I went to my mother after leaving Brother Joseph Thamby with Ionappan, he took Brother Joseph Thamby to medical college hostel. Then Ionappan told me that he had the mishap of seeing Brother Thamby being laughed at by the medical students who did not take seriously the piety of Brother Thamby. Ionappan in the evening told me that he caused unsatisfactory event (being laughed at) to Brother Thamby and he wanted to make confession at the door at the train on as showing signs of restlessness or craziness. It was only after a few months treatment that he was cured. However he became a high school Teacher and got married living in his native place at Engandiyoor in Trichur Diocese. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his last talk at Nadathara he told about his stay at Pondicherry and ‘Malia Peninsula’. He had also gone different places in India i.e. Jancy and other northern places. He had received letters from his friends or converts of those places. Always he was in need of money and by his request wrote to my brother in Ceylon namely C.V. Varghese who also used to send money to him. In his talk one day Brother Joseph Thamby told that one day he saw my brother C.V. Varghese who is at Ceylon at the same time. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Brother Joseph Thamby used to tell about his stigmata in a humble way explaining it as a disease to hide it from other. His signature was in English. I had letters from him till 1944. I used to send him money at times especially while he was at Jancy. After 1944, I had no letters from him. In 1944 when I went to Vijayawada at St. Ann’s hospital, I enquired about Brother Joseph Thamby to the mother superior of the hospital. She asked me how I know that he is a good man. Immediately, I told her that he was saintly and a friend of mine, many a time he came to me and talked with me and I have seen his stigmata about 6 times. Immediately mother superior knelt down and prayed for the soul. He did not say anything about his family further and that he was in so many places in India. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This extravagant love for Christ crucified drove this hermit Joseph Thamby into ardent contemplation on the sufferings of Christ for long hours on end, especially at night. This passionate love for Christ in his Passion and his prayer gazing at the crucifix caused an unusual anguish in this holy man and the shedding of blood. I believe that he had profound mystic experience and almost effortlessly he could live in the actual presence of God and relish the spiritual joy. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">N.B: Rev. Brother Joseph Thamby had met Fr. Chungath in 1939 and both of them were in contact here and there. Fr. Chungath had some important experience with Brother Joseph Thamby who is now popular with many pious people. Fr. Chungath also had met him in 1941 at Madras. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b><font color="#2b00fe">Fr. Joseph Chungath </font></b></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b><font color="#2b00fe">Dated: August 1983</font></b></div></font><p></p>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-12851343103847749592018-12-29T10:21:00.003+05:302020-07-21T22:35:15.199+05:30TESTIMONY 2<h3 style="text-align: center;"><b><font color="#800180" face="verdana" size="3">TESTIMONY 2</font></b></h3><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Name</span></b><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><font face="">: Fr. Paul<br /></font></span></font></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Surname</span></b><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><font face="">: Chazhoor <br /></font></span></font></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Date & Place of Birth</span></b><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><font face="">: 14
September 1905, Kerala<br /></font></span></font></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Profession / Occupation</span></b><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><font face="">: Parish
Priest</font></span></font></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b style="text-indent: 48px;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Address</span></b><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 48px;">: Parish Church, </span><span style="text-indent: 36pt;">Ampazhakad, </span><span style="text-indent: 36pt;">Trichur District, Kerala - 680 562</span></font></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><span style="font-weight: bold; text-indent: 48px;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Relationship: </span></span><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 48px;"><font face="">Direct Witness<br /></font></span></font></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Date of </span></b><b style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Interview: </span></b><span lang="" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 48px;">20 August 1983</span></font></div></blockquote></blockquote><font face="verdana"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> </span>I knew Brother Joseph Thamby from the year 1939. He came alone one day to me. He was acquainted with Fr. Joseph Chungath, who is my classmate, from whom he got the information of the Church of Ambarakhad where I was only an assistant vicar. He asked me some water to drink. Since there was no servant at that time, I myself went to bring the water, which was placed, outside my room. While coming back I saw him in a stigmatic situation. I thought he was having some rheumatic convulsion and I touched his feet to give him a massage. The feet were inseparably stuck together as if they were nailed and my touch gave him immense pain and he was whiling and swinging as if he was on the cross. The biting of his teeth was so tremendous and after a few minutes the fit vanished and he began to speak. He accepted the water from me. He showed me his palms and feet, which are wet with blood and asked for a towel to wipe the wounds. After wiping the blood, he gave back the towel to me and I kept it in my room. But unfortunately after few months the worms ate the towel. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> <span><a name='more'></a></span></span>I think Fr. Joseph Chungath and Brother Joseph Thamby might have started together to see me but Thamby reached my place two hours earlier than Fr. Chungath. We both priests spent the remaining time together in my room discussing various things. After the meals, I gave Brother Joseph Thamby a bed just near to mine so that I may study him further. He began to pray kneeling before the Sacred Heart picture enthroned in my room. After the prayer he asked about the place Kalloor, where I had gathered all the families who, everyday night join together for adoration in a serial adjustment of their homes according to the date of the month. Then I asked him to be in the bed just near to that of mine. Generally I will have no sleep at night. But that day I slept so well that I could not notice anything about him. When I woke up at 5:30 in the morning, I could not see Brother Joseph Thamby in my room. He had gone out and was praying somewhere. He left me before the Mass and hurried to some other place where he had to visit another person. He asked me for some money to go to Avutapally for which I gave him six rupees. The name Avutapally was not new to me. I had sent a statue of St. Francis of Assisi made by me to Avutapally by railway parcel. So much I remember. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> </span>During the period in which Brother Joseph Thamby visited me, he was at Ponnukara within the parish limits of Puthur near Trichur. He was there with the Brothers of a congregation, Little Flower of Brothers founded by Rt. Rev. Dr. Attipetty. Brother Joseph Thamby was commissioned by the Bishop to give a formation to the congregation. But the effect was on the contrary. The brothers disliked him and considered him a mad man, a liar etc. Very soon I got transferred to that place and I have seen the small Church built by Brother Joseph Thamby. It was built with clay and was dedicated to St. Antony. A light in Indian-Kerala style was also there. Before my arrival, Brother Joseph Thamby had already left the place. Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Attipetty visited this small chapel and I think he said Mass and baptized a Hindu family, which was already instructed for the baptism. I had been present for the function. The Church was located in a place where he had a vision of the Holy Cross on the 14th September 1939. Brother Joseph Thamby was called mad because he had his own way of living, eating grass, lying down under the shade of the trees, on the boundaries of the compound. His life in the midst of others was as if on the bush of thorns and criticism so much so his Stigmata was attributed to something other than divine. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> </span>Brother Joseph Thamby was not a close friend of mine. He spent only one night along with me. He had much regard towards me and sympathizing and praying for me. He wrote letters to me until 1945 and his last letter was ending like this: ‘Father you are to suffer too much and die but in the end you are to be saint’. I couldn’t understand the meaning of these words in the beginning. But in course of time, I could understand what he did say to me. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> </span>In the letter he wrote to me in 1940 he was mentioning that he was praying so that I may become a bishop. During that time our bishop died accidentally. I had requested our then bishop to join the Capuchin Order. He had allowed me to make the arrangements for that. I had already expressed my desire to join the order to Fr. Guido (now a bishop) who was then at Alwaye. The day when I had determined to ask the bishop permission to go to Alwaye to remain there a month to settle my vocation according to the direction of father Guido, I saw him unconscious and dying. It was during this time that Brother Joseph Thamby asked me to send any photo. Brother Joseph Thamby had some influence with the Nuncio. But I did not send the photo saying that I am not worthy to become a bishop. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> </span>During three years, I was experiencing some extraordinary spiritual powers in my words and actions. The very day previous of the retreat to be preached at my parish Wadakkanchery, my vicar asked me to preach a retreat and I spoke very well and powerfully. The people were astonished. The next week I was asked to preach a ten-day retreat for the sisters in Chilakara. It was also wonderful and sisters were melted into tears. It is a secret thing, which I have not disclosed to anybody. The Holy Spirit was hovering on my heart by perceptible force and I can’t explain it better than that. I say all these because those extraordinary experiences were come to me by the stigmatic prayers of Brother Joseph Thamby. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span> </span><span> </span>The new bishop was elected on 11 March in 1942. I was then at Chowannur where the Sisters of Charity Congregation was born. I was there the residing priest to help my Vicar to form the congregation. It was one of the desires of Brother Joseph Thamby as he had expressed to my classmate that a congregation for the uneducated girls was an object of Brother Joseph Thamby. Thus that was realized at Chowannur. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: right;"><b><font color="#2b00fe">Fr. Paul Chazoor </font></b></div><div style="text-align: right;"><b><font color="#2b00fe">Dated August 1983</font></b></div></font>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-19175633702103133012018-12-28T10:43:00.001+05:302020-07-21T10:51:00.720+05:30TESTIMONY 3<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><font color="#800180" face="verdana"><b>TESTIMONY 3</b></font></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><font color="#2b00fe"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Name:</span></b><span lang="" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"> Thomas<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Surname: </span></b><span lang="" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Kurisinkal<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Date of Birth: </span></b><span lang="" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">25 October 1918<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Profession / Occupation: </span></b><span lang="" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Estate Officer – Retired, XLRL, Jamshedpur<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Age: </span></b><span lang="" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">83 years<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Address: </span></b><span lang="" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">House No: 4/534, </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">Oliyappuram Post, 686 679, </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">(Via) Koothattukulam, Ernakulam District, </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">Kerala, India.<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Phone: </span></b><span lang="" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">0485-252256.<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Relationship: </span></b><span lang="" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Direct Witness<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;">Date of Interview: </span></b><span lang="" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">27 May 2001</span></font></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">I was born on 25
October 1918. At the age of 9, I worked as sacristan. After passing 4<sup>th</sup>
class in 1929, I joined Jhansi Brothers (Diocesan congregation known as
Franciscan Missionary Brothers of the Blessed Sacrament). I received the habit
of O.R.S.T. on 29 October 1941 form Fr. Francis Xavier Fenech O.C, Superior
Regular (OFM Cap.) I entered Novitiate on 1 November 1941 and left on 10 April
1942.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">It was in the Catholic
Church in Jhansi that I met Brother Joseph Thamby for the first time in
December 1943. He was wearing dirty clothes and had filaria. It was a military
Church. Thamby looked like a Hindu <i>sanyasi</i>. He was reading a big book. I
asked him: “Do you know to read?” “Though you do not Know, I know”, was the
reply. I was stunned by those words. That book was in half Latin and half
English. It was his first visit to that Sacred Heart Church. From then on, we
became friends.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><font face="verdana"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><span></span></span></font></p><a name='more'></a><font face="verdana">Brother Joseph Thamby
used to visit me in the Church’s sacristy, where I was living. I did not know
where he was living. He used to beg in the military barracks kitchen during the
day. He used to bring dry <i>Chapattis</i> to store them and to take with him.
He never took alms in cash.</font><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">During
one of our conversations, he told me that he was with the Franciscan Capuchin
Order. He had to leave because of the incurable disease elephantiasis (filaria)
on his right leg.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">It was on a Friday
afternoon, while I was reading life of a saint, Brother Joseph Thamby visited
me. He sat on the ground and was listening to me. Suddenly he fell down. He was
unconscious and I tried to wake him up. Then I saw blood was oozing from his
hands, feet and side. Initially, I thought he was just bluffing me. But
immediately, I realized that he was not cheating. I wiped the blood with cotton
and that was recently handed over to the Capuchin Provincial Minister of St.
Joseph Province, Kerala.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">When he came to
consciousness, I asked him, “What is happening to you?” I insisted so much to
tell. When I took a pledge that I will not tell anyone, then he told, “Every
Friday at 3<sup>o</sup> clock, I get the pain of Crucifixion and shedding of
blood.” Brother Joseph Thamby shared his feelings with me: “Our Lord is
suffering. Expiation is needed”. Thamby used to get stigmata on Fridays. I had
written down 6 to 8 pages about his spirituality in <i>Malayalam</i> (local
language of Kerala State), but I destroyed later on fearing somebody will see
it and the pledge I made to him be broken.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">On a Sunday, after the
morning Mass, I had a conversation with Brother Joseph Thamby. I left him at
the Church and went to a convent to attend adoration. The Convent is 5 kms from
the Church and I went by a bicycle. When I reached the convent, to my surprise,
Brother Joseph Thamby was already in the middle of the chapel. I asked him:
“How did you come?” Thamby answered: “I just came. When I want to go anywhere
somebody comes and taps on the shoulder and lifts me up and brings me to the
place.” He had the power of bilocation. Later when I visited Avutapally, Fr.
Rasi, the assistant parish priest there also shared the same to me.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">I gave him one of my <i>khaki</i>
colour cassocks along with a black cord which is still preserved in Avutapally.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">While in Jhansi, I had
received a big rosary and a cross from Brother Joseph Thamby. After about a
month, he left Jhansi without saying where he was going.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">A few weeks later, I
received a letter signed by Brother Joseph Thamby in <i>Malayalam</i> from
Guntur. After a few weeks he sent me another letter with spiritual advice. He
told me to read and follow 1 Peter 1:24-25 (<i>For all humanity is grass, and
all its beauty like the wild flowers. As grass withers, the flower fades, but
the Word of the lord remains forever</i>). He wrote, “And this Word is the Good
News that has been brought to you.”</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">Afterwards, I could not
be in touch with him since he has not given me his address in his letters.
Sometime in 1947 or 1948, while visiting the soldiers, I came across a soldier
who had heard about Brother Joseph Thamby at Trichur, Kerala and he told me to
write to Fr. Joseph Chungath of Trichur diocese. I wrote to him regarding my
acquaintance with Brother Joseph Thamby. He wrote to me with all the
information about Brother Joseph Thamby and that he died on 15 January 1945 and
was buried at Sacred Heart Church in Avutapally. Fr. Joseph Chungath also said
“After the death of a man you can tell all what you know about him. You can
reveal the secrets to all about his holy life.”</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">I visited the tomb of
Brother Joseph Thamby at Avutapally in September 1949. I met the parish priest
Fr. J. B. Calderaro. Fr. Rasi, an Italian, assistant parish priest, advisor and
confessor of Brother Joseph Thamby spoke to me very highly about him. He sent
me to Boyapati’s family that accepted Christ because of Brother Joseph Thamby.
Some 30 families were converted by Brother Joseph Thamby before he died. I also
visited a second time in 1983.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">I left the diocesan congregation
of Jhansi Brothers on leave on 7 December 1952. I wrote my resignation letter
on 21 January 1953. On 31 January 1953, I received the reply from the
provincial who accepted my resignation. Then I joined the Irish Christian
Brothers after one year of break during which I also worked in the backwaters
of Murikan. I was driving the tractor in the paddy field. Then I got a post in
Mar Ivanios Collage and worked in the office as a peon for two weeks. In the
year 1954, I left for Kurseong to join the Irish Christian Brothers. After one
year of novitiate I took first vows on 25 December 1965.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">Then I worked in the
press. After that, I was transferred back to the school. Eight years I worked
in the school at Kurseong in Darjeeling district. As a Christian Brother, I was
known as Thomas Mark. Some problems with the superiors made me feel bad. My
mother died on 21 October 1963. I got a transfer to Patna in 1964. Fr. George
Murikan S. J. was a close friend of mine. He helped me in drafting the letter
for dispensation in 1965. Later I wrote a second and a third letter for
dispensation. Another Jesuit priest arranged for me a job in Sr. Xavier’s
Delhi. I was offered Rs.100, boarding and lodging. Another offer was a job in
the estate in Jamshedpur with a monthly salary of Rs. 300, boarding and
lodging. I accepted the second offer. It was the post of a post-graduate. My
marriage took place in Jamshedpur on 26 March 1967. After 18 years of
successful work, I retired from the Estate Officer’s post in XLRI (Xavier Labour
Relation Institute) on 25 October 1983. Then I settled down in Vadakara.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">I was helped by Brother
Joseph Thamby many a time. I had fallen 24 times. Whenever I fainted Brother
Joseph Thamby helped me. I sold my car and gave up the affluence. In my will
50% of the income is set apart for the M.S.T. Brother Joseph Thamby continues
to help me even today.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><span lang="" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">I
saw that he was very much interested in reading spiritual books. He was very
charitable and generous. He would give his belongings without expecting to get
them back. He bore difficulties and suffering with patience and magnanimity.
Joseph Thamby was a very detached man. He truly lived the spirit of evangelical
poverty. He was a trustworthy person. He never betrayed the confidence I placed
in him. I also found him a man of modesty. He never spoke a vulgar word for
joke. He was not at all interested in such matters. He loved purity of life and
intense prayer to be united to God and Jesus Christ. His life of prayer was
accompanied by extraordinary supernatural phenomena.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-76846387346921959852018-12-27T10:51:00.000+05:302020-07-21T10:54:32.813+05:30TESTIMONY 4<div style="text-align: center;"><b><font color="#800180" face="verdana">TESTIMONY 4</font></b></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><font color="#2b00fe"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Name: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Fr. George<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Surname: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Kudilingal<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Date & Place of Birth: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">81
years old, Kerala<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Profession / Occupation: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Parish
Priest, Vatluru<br /></span><font face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Address: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Vatluru Village, Eluru, </span></font><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">West
Godavari District, </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">Andhra Pradesh State<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Relationship:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"> Witness</span></font></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><font color="#2b00fe"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Date of </span></b><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Interview: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">2006</span></font></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">I am the parish priest
of Vatluru parish, Eluru. Every month, I used to go to Avutapally for the
Teachers Meeting there. The parish priest, Italian, Fr. J. B. Calderaro used to
call me since Vatluru is not much far from there. Often he invited me for
hearing the confession of the teachers, catechists and the faithful. I used to
see Brother Joseph Thamby there and often we had conversation.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">Brother Joseph Thamby
excelled in the virtue of humility and charity. On two occasions, I saw the
parish priest, Fr. J. B. Calderaro looking angrily at Brother Joseph Thamby,
because of his shabby appearance and behaviour and contemptuously telling him
to get out of the place. Sometimes, Fr. J. B. Calderaro ill-treated Brother
Joseph Thamby but he humbly endured all that without any complaint and never
showed any impatience. It surprised me that he did not take offence at the
words or actions of the priest. He was a holy man.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana"><span></span></font></span></p><a name='more'></a><font face="verdana">Once I asked him: “Why
are you staying here all the time” don’t you go anywhere else? Why don’t you
one day come to see me in Vatluru?” That was a Friday and he used to get
Stigmata on Fridays. With my eyes, I have seen him getting Stigmata, and in
agony. Blood was oozing from the two hands, feet and the forehead. I was aware
that our Lord Jesus was crowned with the thorns. Similarly, drops of blood were
falling. Brother Joseph Thamby was bit of a dark man; in appearance, he was not
an attractive personality. But at the time of Stigmata, he appeared to be
shining, handsome and with much grace on his face.</font><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">On another occasion
when I came for the feast in Avutapally, I invited Brother Joseph Thamby to
come to my parish, Vatluru. But he replied that he would come, but not then,
since he was suffering from the pain of the wounds. If he had agreed, I would
have taken him with me that evening. Fr. Andrade and I went to the railway
station, purchased tickets to return to our respective parishes and boarded on
train around 10.30 a.m. I reached my place in Vatluru at 11.30 a.m. and went to
the parish church riding on the bicycle that my servant had brought to the
station. When I reached home I found Brother Joseph Thamby sitting on the steps
in front of the door. Surprised to see him there, I asked: ‘How did you reach
here before me’? He began to weep and said: ‘If you promise not to reveal it to
anyone I shall say’. I promised and then he said: ‘Whenever I want to go
somewhere, a hand would touch my back and lift me up and then drop me where I
wanted’. After this, I went to the school and asked the teacher whether he had
seen that man. He replied that the man had come there half an hour ago, and was
chased away because he appeared to be a stranger. I have not told this to
anybody. This is the first time I am giving my testimony about his gift of
bi-location.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">I also came to know
that Brother Joseph Thamby used to work miraculous healings. A certain man had
vomiting and motions. Due to exhaustion, he lay tired and did not open his
eyes. People thought that he was dead and carried the body for the burial.
Brother Joseph Thamby prayed and that man came back to life.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">People have told me
that Brother Joseph Thamby worked the miracle of the multiplication of food;
but I have not personally seen it. When the poor people or visitors come to
him, Brother Joseph Thamby used to welcome them. They used to bring leafs to
serve food for him and take them back as relics.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">I can remember that
Brother Joseph Thamby often visited the <i>Kamma</i> family of Boyapati Francis
and Claramma. Once, I was talking with him in Avutapally and along with him
visited that house. He had no illness and always looked healthy.</font></span></p><b><font color="#800180"></font></b></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-83110655572731125422018-12-26T10:55:00.000+05:302020-07-21T10:58:51.600+05:30TESTIMONY 5<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><font color="#800180">TESTIMONY 5</font></b></div><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><font color="#2b00fe"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Name: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Fr. Vincenzo<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Surname: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Pagano<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Date & Place of Birth: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Italy<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Diocese / Congregation: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">PIME <br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Profession / Occupation: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Assistant
Parish Priest, Avutapalli<br /></span><font face="verdana" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Address: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Avutapalli Post, Sacred Heart Church, </span></font><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh State<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Relationship: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Direct Witness, Assistant Parish
Priest, Confessor</span></font></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><font color="#2b00fe"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Date of </span></b><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Interview: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">8 August 2009</span></font></blockquote><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><o:p><font face="verdana"> </font></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: 36pt;">In the afternoon
(1940-1944), the day of my transfer to Pedda Avutapalli </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: 36pt;">(Avutapalli), I was reading something in the large room allotted to me, which
is used at present as Sacristy, when the Church door slowly opened and I saw
Brother Joseph Thamby for the first time. He was visibly in great pain, as his
short hairs were straight up, the eyes blank, the body hunched, almost crushed
and barely able to walk. I was wondering who he was and why he had come that
way, when I noticed fresh blood stains in his hands, on his feet and on his
heart…. Feigning surprise I asked him what that was: ‘Disease has come, Swami
(priest). I beg you to let me wash here’ was the answer. ‘You should not be
careless with razor blades or nails,’ I rebuked him while leading him to my
bathroom, knowing very well that a mystery was there. I tried to apply water on
his hands, but the pain grew and I stopped.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: 36pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: 36pt;">Suddenly, after a few minutes, Brother Joseph Thamby brightened up and
smiling: ‘The disease has passed’ – said washing his hands and feet briskly.
Not a sign of the inch-long wound appeared on his hands. It was Friday and the
good Brother confided to me that the ‘Disease’ came every Friday at 3 p.m. and
lasted for a full hour. Next time, not to fall prey to any delusion, I prepared
some cotton and when he appeared again to wash his wounds, I applied cotton,
which soon was soaked with fresh blood; and so remained after he washed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana"><span></span></font></span></p><a name='more'></a><font face="verdana">As his Confessor, and
because he asked me what to do to prevent these five wounds, I asked him back
when exactly they appeared. ‘After I say the prayer of the Five Holy Wounds on
Fridays’ – he admitted. <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">‘Well, stop saying that prayer and pray God to relieve you of this
pain’.</span>But the following Fridays the wounds appeared as usual, though he
assured me of not saying that prayer. He was not pleased because those wounds,
he told me, prevented him touring villages and he was terribly afraid of being
discovered by people at large. After a few months I started noticing, beside
the five wounds, even a score of red drops shining, rubin-like, all around his
head. On Good Fridays he simply locked his room the whole day, and God only
knows how he suffered along with our Saviour.</font><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">Brother Joseph Thamby
was otherwise a very hearty, jolly, laughing man, who cooked his own tea and
rice, very happy to share with any passing patient of the Dispensary run, in
those days, by Fr. J. Calderaro himself. As he was not paid in any way by the
Mission, I was sure that his rich disciples of the Kamma community (Boyapati
family and others) were giving him rice and money, to make so many charities,
but what was my surprise when, after his death, they assured me that he would
never accept anything, except some cooked rice when he happened to be teaching
them in their houses, and that grudgingly.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">He spoke of the ASS of
his body and made many penance, going without meals for days on end. Once in a
while he came to ask me some half a Rupee on debt, but in a couple of days he
came to drop a handful of change on my table, and ran away laughing when I
shouted that it was ten times more his debt. He kept always calm and smiling,
but before a wrong, a lie or an endured sinner he could scold, raise his voice
and protest strongly, ready to fall down, after a few minutes, catch the feet
and ask forgiveness for his anger. Usually he tendered advice by quoting verses
of the Bible so apt and to the point that I was sure he could see the state of
any soul.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">After Mass on a first
Friday he, who had been kneeling or, usually, bent face-down near the door,
came to reprimand me for the many distractions I had during that celebration. I
had to confess it was true because, new to <i>Telugu</i>, I had been all the
time searching for key words like sword, pierce, knees, breaking etc. in order
to preach before Holy Communion. I was simply astounded how he knew and from
that day, I was very careful.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">Then suddenly, one day,
he came to ask me to come along to the Church and pray, because he was seeing
awful things happening somewhere: many hundreds of boys were dropping from aero
planes with huge ‘umbrellas’ while soldiers were shooting them in the air…Jesus,
bleeding on His Cross-, told him: ‘I see how my children kill each other… Pray
for peace and call also Father to pray for one hour’. It was wartime but news
was scarce and the newspaper reported little fighting anywhere. I understood
that something new had started. I prayed, but he, by my side was actually
seeing the battle going on and was trembling and crying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the hour of prayers we came out and I
asked him where was this happening!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
drew with his finger the shape of an island and pin-pointed the exact place on
the northern tip of it. Next day the paper reported the German air-borne
assault on the island of Crete and the raining of para-troupers on the airport
on Malemi, the northern tip of it, defended by Australians and neo-Zelandese soldiers…While
I was reading the paper sitting on my easy-chair he squatted down, asking for
news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, suddenly, he went blank into
a trance. Though his eyes were open, they had no shine. He sat upright staring
vacantly. I called, I shook him, but he did not change. I burned a match before
his eyes, then under his hand. He did not move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I waited. After some twenty minutes he came to life again and told
me what he had seen the airport had been conquered and the fight moved now
inland. I told him to tell me whatever he saw in future, as he was better than
any newspaper or Radio. But the following days he came to ask news of the war
as before, compelling me to buy the paper again…</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">On Wednesday of the
Holy Week, Fr. Calderaro, he and myself were talking outside when Boyapati
Francis, the first Kamma convert of Brother Joseph Thamby, came to say that the
Swiss Sisters of the St. Anne’s Hospital had told him to take away his child,
as he would die soon because he had vomited blood and they could not save him.
The poor man started crying, while saying this. We fathers were very sorry for
him, but Brother Joseph Thamby started laughing and said that the child would
not die; it was a passing cloud…I could not help scolding him for this
behaviour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did he know more than
Sisters? And was this the way to comfort a very distressed man...’But I know
that the baby will be all right, if only the Sisters keep him two days more’
was his smiling answer. Well, Francis could convince Sisters to keep the baby
two days more. And it happened. On Saturday morning, while the Pascal bells
were ringing, the baby opened his eyes and drank half a bottle of milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was cured and was brought home safe and
sound. These are the main experiences that I had personally with Brother Joseph
Thamby, besides other things that I heard from other people.</font></span></p><br /></div></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-38080039095815806342018-12-25T11:04:00.003+05:302020-07-21T12:18:17.453+05:30TESTIMONY 6<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;"><font color="#800180">TESTIMONY 6</font></b></div><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b>Name: </b>Fr. John B. </font></div><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b>Surname: </b>Calderaro</font></div><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b>Profession/Occupation:</b> Parish Priest, Avutapally</font></div><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b>Address:</b> Sacred Heart Church, Avutapally, Krishna Dist., Andhra Pradesh</font></div><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b>Relationship:</b> Parish Priest</font></div><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><b>Date of Testimony: </b>1960 [fifteen years after the death of Br. Thamby]</font></div></blockquote><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="verdana"><span> </span>"In 1939 a certain Brother Joseph Thamby arrived in the Parish fixing his residence at Kesarapalli. His poor life and sincerity captivated the Catholics of that village. One still remembers him going in the evening from house to house to recite the Rosary with the villagers. After eight months he was allowed to stay in the Avutapalli Sudras. Almost all the villages were visited by him. At that time a lot of whispering was going on about his stigmata. Some Fathers witnessed that fact. Three months before his death he got a coffin ready and kept it in his room. He foresaw that in spite of the three Priests [Fr. Calderaro himself, Fr. A. Rasi and the third one must have been Fr. Vincenzo Pagano] at Avutapalli, he would die without the last Sacraments. Really Extreme Unction was given <i>sub conditione</i> in the house of the first person converted by him. He died on 15th Jan. 1945 and a big tomb conserves the remains of this mysterious Brother."</font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><span> </span><span> </span>This Testimony of Fr. J. B. Calderaro, the parish priest of Br. Joseph Thamby at Avutapalli is taken from "A History of the Catholic Diocese of Vijayawada: Published on the occasion of the Diocesan Golden Jubilee 1937-1987" by Fr. John Leoncini PIME (1988).</font></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div><font color="#2b00fe" face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div><br /></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-637081281397273645.post-19398573883322465162018-12-24T12:11:00.000+05:302020-07-21T12:16:51.153+05:30TESTIMONY 7<div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #800180; font-family: verdana;">TESTIMONY 7</b></div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><font color="#2b00fe"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%;"><b>Name:</b> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%;">Fr. Joseph<br /></span><font face="verdana" size="3"><b>Surname:</b> </font><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%;"><font size="3">Nellikunnam<br /></font></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Date
& Place of Birth: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">89 years old, Pondicherry<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Date
& Place of Birth: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">89 years old, Pondicherry<br /></span><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Profession / Occupation:<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Retired
Priest<br /></span><font face="verdana" size="3" style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><b>Address:</b> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Emmaus Old Age Home, </span></font><font face="verdana" size="3" style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;">Pondicherry (Puducherry)</font> </font></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><font color="#2b00fe"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Relationship: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">Direct Witness</span></font></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><font color="#2b00fe"><b style="font-family: verdana; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;">Date of Interview: </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">24 September 2009</span></font></blockquote><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">Servant of God, Brother Joseph Thamby had great love and
respect for priests. In 1941, I saw Brother Joseph Thamby for the first time at
T.R. Pattanam, one of the sub-stations of Pondicherry parish. He had come there
to attend Holy Mass. The people knew him earlier and were talking about him
that he was an extra-ordinary person. Out of curiosity, I went and spoke with
him. He spoke to me many remarkable things, but due to my old age and poor memory,
now I can’t remember them.</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 150%;"><font face="verdana">Moved by divine spirit, Brother Joseph Thamby used to give
spiritual advice. I am happy to mention one thing that impressed me very much;
that is quite fresh in my memory even today. He told me: ‘A priest should never
talk worldly matters; should be careful not to be distracted with mundane
things; a holy priest will pray at least 15 minutes as preparation for
celebrating the Holy Mass’. His words are fresh and alive in my heart and my
life. This is why I love Brother Joseph Thamby very much.</font></span></p><br /></div>Fr. Praveen Gopu OFM Caphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17947235281589103899noreply@blogger.com0