By Fr. Varghese Paul, SJ
Ahmedabad: An era in journalism, especially in the Catholic Church, came to an end when Fr. George Veliparambil, former Managing Editor of the Kerala Times and president of the Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA), died on May 15.
According to reports and obituary write ups, Father Veliparambil was on the forefront in modernizing Malayalam language and journalistic style of reporting and writing. As Kerala Times Managing Editor, he revived ‘Satya Nadam’ (True Voice), one of the oldest periodicals in Malayalam.
An editor with social conscience, Father Veliparambil voiced the problems of the poor fisherfolks in the coastal region and championed their cause. During his three decades of service as the Kerala Times Managing Editor he researched on various topics of public interest. He then shared his views and idea using public forums and writings.
“Professionalize or perish,” was Fr. Valiparambil’s call to journalists and writers in print media.
I have known Fr. George Veliparambil for the last 40 years since I joined the ICPA in 1977.
A fellow Jesuit Fr. Francis MacFarland, then the secretary of CBCI Commission for Social Communications, took me into confidence with a few letters marked ‘for your own eyes only.’ He did not want to be in the limelight but as a visionary he saw the need of revitalizing the ICPA which was then inactive.
ICPA was started with the initiative of another fellow Jesuit of Patna Province Fr. John Barrett in 1963 with its first meeting held at Delhi in August 1964. Fr. Barrett called eight editors such as Fathers D’Souza of The New Leader, Aguiar of The Examiner, Veliparambil of Kerala Times, Rozario of The Calcutta Herald, Valdar of Racknno, Mangalore.
Fr. D’Souza was the first ICPA President and Fr. Barrett Secretary. While the presidents changed from time to time, Fr. Barrett remained as the secretary and provided the backbone for the association. Similarly, Fr. Veliparambil too stood with the association through thick and thin, especially after Father Barrett left India and the ICPA fell into disrepute. But when ICPA was revived the three veterans who lent a hand, so to say, were Fathers Rozario, Aguiar and Veliparambil.
When ICPA was revived the Catholic editors extended its membership to writers and journalists in 1978. Fr. Rozario was elected as the president and Mr. Dominic Azavedo the secretary.
Subsequently Fr. John Vallamattom and Fr. Valiparambil also led ICPA as its elected presidents. ICPA was registered as a Charitable Trust while Fr. Veliparambil was its president; and he lent his office address (Kerala Times Buildings, Banerji Road, Cochin, Kerala 682018) as the official registered address of ICPA.
Fr Veliparambil was born as the third child of Perio and Mary in Veliparambil family at Cheranellur in Ernakulum in 1930. George graduated in Mathematics from Madras University and then joined the Mangalapuzha Pontifical Seminary for his priestly studies. He was ordained a priest of Verapoly Archdiocese in 1961. Fr. Veliparambil started his priestly ministry as assistant vicar in St. Francis Assisi Cathedral. He also taught for a short while in St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary.
Then, after his studies in Rome George was appointed to work in Kerala Times daily in 1962. In the appointment Archbishop Joseph Attipetty of Verapoly recognized and appreciated his journalistic skills and literary talents. Within a short time of 3 years he was appointed as the Managing Editor of Kerala Times on March 31, 1965.
As a frequent visitor to his office I was enriched by Father Veliparambi’s sharing and his books. He has written books on the History of Kerala Newspaper (Kerala Patracharitram), History of Satya Nadam, and Christian Heritage of Kerala. His news paper columns published on Sunday supplements of Kerala Times have been collected and published.
I treasure his signed gift of his collected articles entitled “Aadarsha Chintakal” (Ideal Thoughts). I am equally if not more impressed by the simply life style of George. For, as they say, words make noise but examples thunder.
Fr. Veliparambil was also active and rendered his services in various press media organizations in Kerala, in India and in International level. At all India level he was elected first as the general secretary of ICPA in 1983 and then he was president from 1992 to 1995. At International level he was the president of the South Asian Catholic Press Association (SACPA) and a member of the International Catholic Union of the Press (UCIP). With him, I have participated in the meetings and the world Congresses of SACPA and UCIP.
Father Veliparambil’s popularity was manifested in the huge number of people who flocked to his family home to pay homage to him as well as in the crowd gathered in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church at Cheranellur, where the Mass and funeral rites were held.
Archbishop Joseph Kalathilparambil of Verapoly led the concelebrated Holy Mass together with Bishop Joseph Karikkassery of Kottapuram, Dr. Peter Parapullil of Jhansi and Mar Jose Puthanveettil, Auxiliary Bishop of Ernakulum. There were also nearly a 100 priests concelebrated in Mass vestments and a few like me only in cassocks. Sisters and the well-wishers of Father Veliparambil filled the church and its compound.
ICPA paid homage to its former president by laying wreath by Vice President Ignatius Gonsalves and Secretary Jose Vincent. The Treasure Father Jayan Nagapuzha and Executive Body Member Sebastian Kallarackal attended the funeral service together with this writer.
In the current socio-religio-political situation a question, which Msgr. George Veliparambil often asked, is very relevant. In his message published in ICPA Golden Jubilee Souvenir he posed the question. Today every journalist in India should ask the same question to himself/herself: “where does the very profession of journalists stand?”
[Father Varghese Paul, SJ, is the Director of Catholic Information Service Society at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He was the first Executive Editor of South Asian Religious News agency started by the Indian Catholic Press Association.]