Milestones...

 

Pankiras (Pancras) Pancretius

28.01.1955 - Erayumanthurai

Second child of Mr. Arulappan Bhagavathar (son of late Mr. Vasthian Pillai of Kodimunai and late Mrs. Anthiniapillai) and Mrs. Lenamma (daughter of late Mr. Georis Pillai of Poonthura and late Mrs. Virisithaal of Kollemcode, Pozhiyoor) as the eldest child had an infant death some seven years back. In the meantime, my parents adapted one of the daughters of my eldest maternal aunt from Pozhiyoor and she was given in marriage.

Have a brother and a sister with a daughter and son for the former and three daughters and a son for the later.

I was baptized on 1st February 1955.

My school in 1960 was Govt. UPS at Poothurai and the medium switched to Tamil from Malayalam as this part of the princely state of Travancore was annexed to the state of Madras in 1956 when the states of the recently independent India were reorganized on language basis.

My first Communion was on 13.12.1965 and Confirmation was on 20.03.1966 by our first bishop Vincent V. Derera.

In 1968 for my High School went to Pius XI HS at Thoothoor, some three kilo metres away, walking, of course.

I passed SSLC (XI standard) of the Govt. of Madras in 1971 scoring 311 out of 600 with Reg. No.5292. [Here my date of birth is recorded as 10.05.1955. This is in spite of my ‘jathakam’ immediately after my birth! Those days, the head masters took every parent to be illiterate and gave a convenient date, mostly in the months of April, May and June!]

 

Not being exposed to the world and was influenced by an aunt next to our house, opted for priesthood having no clear idea of what it is. Thus I joined St. Vincent’s Seminary, Mede’s Lane, Palayam after being chosen by Bishop Peter Bernard Pereira on 31.05.1971.

In 1972 joined St. Xavier’s College, Thumba in Kerala University for Pre Degree. I passed scoring 545 out of 1000 with Reg. No: 12229. At this time stayed at St. Andrews Parochial House.

 

Thereafter went to St. Joseph’s Pontifical Institute, Carmelgiri, Alwaye for Philosophy (B.Ph) in 1974 and Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy, Mangalapuzha for Theology (B.D) in 1977.

-          Vestition by Bishop Pereira (Msgr. Louis Roch) in 1977

-          Minor Orders – Lector by Bishop Pereira in 1977

-                                  Acolyte            by Bishop Joseph Fernandez of Quilon on 23.13.1978

o   Initiation by Archbishop Joseph Kelanthara of Veraploy Archdiocese on 29.11.1979

o   Diaconate by Bishop Jacob Acharuparambil OFM Cap, new bishop of Trivandrum on 22.12.1979

§  Ordination by Bishop AB Jacob in my village, Erayumanthurai on 22.12.1980. “My foot stumbles Lord, but Thy mercy is my strength.’ Ps 94:18 [Homily by Fr. Soosa Pakiam, my prefect in the minor seminary and professor of Prophets and Wisdom literature at Mangalapuzha. Chasuble was from Carmel Convent and Alb of Rufus Pius Lean. My benefactress, Mummy Menting Polman and her son-in-law attended and were here for about a month.]

 

 

Ministry:

24.12.1980:  - Assistant to Fr. Thomas Pereira at Anjengo and in charge of Thazhampally and Arayathuruthy.

16.02.1981:  - Appointed as Parish Priest at Poothura, St. Roch’s

- 02.05.1982 In the pretext of dispersing the marching Anjengo parishners, the Police opened fire, killing Gilbert, a defenceless young man with a family… It was followed by a ceremonial Inquiry Commission… [Thomas Kochery, CSsR, a former parish priest here came on my invitation and was again falsely arrested for political reasons in the background of the on-going bye-election in Attingal… ]

25.07.1982:   - appointed parish priest of Keezharoor, St. Peter’s, presently in Neyyattinkara diocese, with Ankode, Edanji, Mannoor and Marayamuttom as sub-stations.

-          Built a Nursery School and cultivated the land.

-          People built a shrine… In order to pay for the expenses, had to dispose my motorcycle, Rajdoot, donated by my benefactress through the diocese.

-          Learned ‘Kalari’ from Selvaraj, the catechist at Marayamuttom and Thabala from Soman, Nellimood/

-          17.05.1983: – Elected to the Senate of Priests

o   Member of Senate Committee on ‘Social Action, Family and Lay Apostolate.’

-          Editorial Board member of ORA (Organ for Radical Action), a monthly in Malayalam.

-           06.09.1983: – in-charge of Paliode (Kottackal), St. Joseph’s in the absence of G. Christudas.

17.02.1985:   - appointed as the parish priest at Chinnathurai, St. Jude’s as it was requested by the ‘Island Priests’ with the hope of settling the strife between Thoothoor and Chinnathurai on the Pius XI HSS appointments…

                        - Left the parish as there was some misunderstanding and humiliating gesture from someone over the fight with Eraviputhenthurai over a foot ball tournament and following properties abductions…

15.07.1985:   - asked to be in charge of Vallavilai, St. Mary’s as Gerald Silva, the parish priest had to be absent due to a seeming court summons for witnessing in a murder case… In the meant time there was a fight between the Hindus/RSS in the neigbouring Kannanagam area and   people of Vallavila on some rumours, resulting in a brutal fight and police firing and someone from the other side found missing… I was implicated in that incident and had to go rather underground due to threat to my life and arrest…

 

08.08.1985: Parish Priest at Kochuthrua, St. Antony’s.

- Manager at St. Antony’s LP School there. Disqualified in a suit against appointing a rather junior teacher of our parish against another senior, but non-Catholic…

                        - Did my B.A in Philosophy as a private student in the University of Kerala

- My interview to Deshabhimani on ONV contesting Parliament election from Trivandrum was published in box new in the first page…

- Learning Bharatha Natyam…

- Tried Ganja…

- Affair with Jessy…

- Thomas Netto, the seminarian…

24.04.1986: Three weeks course on Social Analysis at ISI, Bangalore (Stan Lourdesamy SJ).

06.06.1986: Priest-in-charge at Karumkulam, St. Andrews (John D’ Bosco’s visit to Rome).

01.02.1987: PG in Philosophy as a regular student at the University College, Trivandrum [Admission N0:7228, Reg. No: 22752/2001 and 95/1995]

Core Team member for the Living-in-together for the Golden Jubilee of the diocese.

07.08.1989: Priest-in-charge at Puthiyathura, St. Nicholas

01.02.1990: Parish Priest at Vattavila, St. James and Thirupuram, St. Francis Xavier

                        02.02.1990: Fr. Soosa Pakiam consecrated as Bishop of Trivandrum

                        19.03.1990: Priest-in-charge at Pathanavila, St. Joseph’s

19.08.1990: Ashram life at Kurishumala, Wagamon with Francis Acharya, after frequenting fr. Mariadas at Thirumala, Chunkankadai, Nagercoil. Helped in teaching philosophy for the aspirants there and in preparing a calendar of saints, including the non-Christian ones…

None other than the bishop knew of this. Somehow, my parents came with my sister and child, Frs. Rajan, Xavier Alexander, Sr. Luchella Xavier and Gladin etc. and with the permission of the acharya at the Caritas Hospital, Ettumanoor, came home.

While meeting the bishop, he asked my help to open the closed church and presbytery at Thoothoor, after the failed few attempts, which I obliged. Somehow, I could succeed and so I was asked to be in charge from 15.01.1991.

15.01.1991: Parish Priest at Thoothoor, St. Thomas’ Forane Church.

                        Stopped receiving Mass stipend as well as allowance since January 1992

02.02.1993: Manager/Correspondent at Pius XI HSS, where I did my high school, after almost ten years of receivership.

                        - Labour, Justice and Peace Commission Secretary of the TSSS.

                        - Mary P

- 25.09.1993: Priest in charge at Eraviputhenthurai, St. Catherine’s after Fr. Maria Dominic had to leave the parish.

05.02.1994: Fight between Chinnathurai and Thoothoor on appointments at the school. Six people of the former parish were killed, followed by arrests and exile…

                        - Kept away for some two months, in spite of the appointment at Ammanimala.

10.04.1994: Parish Priest at Ammanimala, Christ the King’s and Thumbottukonam, St. Joseph’s

- After some three months left the parish for PG at DVK, Bangalore, though not sent by the diocese.

04.07.1994: PG in Biblical Theology at Dharmaram Vidya Kshethra, Bangalore. Reg. No: 94501

                        - Diploma in Word Processing from Christ College, Bangalore.

13.03.1995: Ayyah passed away…

- 13.03.1995: Priest in charge at Vettuthrua, St. Sebastian’s and Shanthipuram, St. Joseph’s as Fr. Justin Peter had to leave the parish…

19.05.1996: Parish Priest at Pallithura, St. Mary Magdalene’s

                        - CPCI –Catholic Priests Conference of India – national treasurer

                        - General Secretary, Senate of Priests

                        - 02.10.1996: Convenor, Study Forum of the diocese

- Produced a documentary on monsoon fishing, “Thirayil thakarunna swapnangal” with Fr. William Cyril, Michael Peter and Elias John.

1996: Neyyattinkara diocese was bifurcated from Trivandrum

01.07.1998: Parish Priest at Marianad, Assumption Churh

18.01.1999: Director, Board of Education.

                        - Prepared list for appointments

- 28.09.2000: International Organization for Human Rights Protection, Life Member A Category and Executive Council Member [Reg. No: 308/99 under UN Charter] No: 420/1013

01.11.2000: Collapsed after speech getting not clear… happened to be a hartal day… rushed to the hospital… diagnosed as a stroke… on MRI scanning, a tumor was identified in brain (meningioma)…

02.11.2000: admitted at SCT Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology with Reg. No: 187942 dt 02.11.2000 (09.11.2000).

16.11.2000: Surgery… Discharged on 23.11.2000… Priests’ Home, Kumarapuram..

03.06.2001: Parish Priest at Cheriathura, Assumption Church

- 29.09.2001: on the invitation and sponsorship of Gladin visited Rome, Italy for a month and helped him to edit and finalize his dissertation…

- Golden Jubilee of the Church – composed the Jubilee song in Tamil, set to music by Fr. Rajasekaran and choreography by Shanthini Lawrence…

- Computerized the office…

01.12.2002: opted for Nuh Mission in Haryana in the Archdiocese of Delhi to save Churchil, a new priest, IVD from our village and to facilitate a parish for Santhappan who was not given any appointment. [No.12-972002/480 dt 14.11.2002]

                        - Mass stipend and allowance resumed for sustenance…

- 14.10.2003: Director, Catholic Mission, Nuh, Archdiocese of Delhi [Ref. No. 0957/2003] and Manager, Maria Manzil School, Nuh [Ref. No. 0958/2003]

SCJM Sisters…

- Seminarians/Regents: Binu Joseph, Pran Stanly, Paul Sunny, Solomon Elias, Jibu Jajin and Fr. Lazar Antony

- Trivandrum hands over the mission to Delhi Archdiocese.

2004: Trivandrum diocese elevated into an Archdiocese with Alappuzha, Kollam, Neyyattinkara and Punalur as suffragon dioceses.

27.08.2004: Visited Lawrence, my brother-in-law having serious financial problems there at Sharjah, on the invitation and Visa by Jerome of Kochuthura.

30.09.2004: Priest in charge at Thazhampally, St. James

03.01.2005: Senate of Priests and KRLCC

            - Agenda Committee of the Senate

            - Central Working Committee of the Senate

10.01.2005: Pastoral Council

            - Standing Committee of the Pastoral Council

May 2005 in residence at Pettah with Fr. Stephen Methassery for the processing of the US visit/mission

            Pettah celebrated my Silver Jubilee of priesthood…

14.09.2005: USA in-residence at St. Lawrence Church, Lindenwold, NJ of Camden Diocese with assignment at John F. Kennedy Hospital, Stratford as Chaplain… Member of the hospital Ethics Committee

19.06.2006: Canada for mission appeal for the diocese… Raju’s father passed away as we were driving together… Sent him back to attend the funeral…

25.05.2009: Parish Priest at Thycaud, Assumption Church [No.12-97/2009/287 Dt. 16.05.2009]

                        Corporate Manager of RC Schools, Vellayambalam [No.2009/418 Dt.25.05.2009]

                        Director, Board of Education

            LL.B at Kerala Law Academy Law College, Peroorkada Reg. No. 454/May 2012

09.09.2012: Enrolled as an Advocate at the Bar Council of Kerala No. K/791/2012, Ernakulam

10.09.2012: Started Practice under Senior Adv. Celine Wilfred, a leading criminal advocate and three terms Public Prosecutor consecutively…

01.11.2012: Membership at Trivandrum Bar Association Reg. No.682/1978

01.06.2013: Certificate of Practice from Bar Council of India No. AIBE/04/K/0322 [COP/2013/12807, New Delhi]

19.07.2012: Parish Priest at Malamukal, St. Sebastian’s and Kachani, St. Jude’s (St. Martin de Pores) No.12-97/2012/577 dt16.07.2012

                        Nepal visit…

April 2014: PG in Law from MG University – Correspondence Course

                        Taken leave from ministry… Residence at Priests’ Home, Kumarapuram

08.06.2014: Appointed ‘to monitor the Parish records and develop training module to train the responsible persons in the parishes for effective Pastoral Management.’

No.12-97/2014/AB/290-19 dt.03.06.2014

19.08.2014: PWF, Priests Welfare Fund, member No.2014/AB/441 dt. 25.08.2014

01.01.2015: Senate of Priests No.2015/AB/001/dt.3.1.2015

21.06.2015: Bylaw Constitution/Composition Committee No.2015/AB/395 dt.21.06.2015

22.08.2015: Amma leaves us for ever  at the Jubilee Hospital…

03.04.2016: Fr. Christudas R ordained auxiliary bishop…

21.05.2016: Vicar Forane of Pettah Vicariate [N0.12-97/2016/AB/201 dt.05.05.2016

                   Parish Priest at Monvila, Little Flower Church with Pullukad, as sub-station

                      The newly constructed church at Monvila was completed and inaugurated…

19.04.2017: Holy Land Pilgrimage as a guest of Thycaud Parish [Jordan, Israel, Palestine and Egypt]

                                           Forane Sri Lanka tour…

11.06.2017: Parish Priest of Pettah, St. Anne’s Church (oldest church in the city) No.12-97/2017/AB/280 dt.25.05.2017 with Anayara, St. Jude’s and Karali, St. Joseph’s.

                     The dilapidated Karali church was rebuilt

                      Member, Institutional Ethics Committee of the Govt Ayurveda College, Trivandrum

                     01.01.2019: Senate of Priests No.2018/AB/001 dt.02.01.2019

                     01.12.2019: UAE visit for Thoothoor Welfare Association Silver Jubilee celebrations

                        Covid-19

                        February 2020 – Sri Lanka

10.07.2020: Vicar of Kovalam Vicariate No.2020/AB/015/EO-038/P1 dt.04.07.2020

                    Parochial Administrator, Nelliyode, O. L. of Immaculate Conception No.2020/AB/015/EO-014/P1 dt.04.07.2020

31.12.2020: Got relieved as a protest against the about to resign archbishop not ready to present the accounts of his tenure in the Senate or in a team of three from the Senate along with his Finance Council and College of Consultors, the later two his pick and choose…

                        Residence at the Priests’ Home, Kumarapuram

19.07.2021: joined SUT Academy of Medical Sciences, Medical College at Vencode, Vattappara as its Men’s Hostel warden with a monthly salary of Rs.21500/- with food and stay….

30.12.2021: resigned from SUTAMS at the request of the archbishop in the Presbyterium…

19.03.2022: Fr. Thomas Netto is ordained archbishop

                        27.05.2022: Member in Kerala Advocates Welfare Fund Trust Committee [Reg. No: BCK/000014/81/025633 with effect from 09.09.2012, enrolment…

06.06.2022: Manager at St. Jacob’s Training (B. Ed) College and Marian College of Arts and Science, Menamkulam [n. 2022/AB/075/EO-71/P1 dt.21.05.2022