By Jose Kavi

New Delhi, October 14, 2019: With Mariam Theresa’s canonization on October 13, India has six natives as saints of the Catholic Church. The list also includes eight saints born overseas but closely linked to India such as Mother Teresa and Francis Xavier.

Close on the heels of them are three who have been beatified, the penultimate stage in the four-phase canonization process.

Just behind them are 15, who have been declared venerable. They include seven Indians and eight missionaries from overseas.

As many as 44 people are now “Servant of God,” the first stage in the canonization process.

The first Indian to become a saint is Gonsalo Garcia, a native of Vasai, Maharashtra, who was martyred on February 5, 1597, in Nagasaki, Japan, when he was just 46. He was beatified on September 14, 1627, and canonized on June 8, 1862.

India then waited 146 years to get its second native saint – Sister Alphonsa, a member of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation. She was the first woman of Indian origin to be canonized, and the first saint of the Syro-Malabar Church. She died on July 28, 1946, aged 35. She was beatified by John Paul II on February 8, 1986 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 12, 2008.

Two Indians were canonized on the same day – Kuriakose Elias Chavara, a member of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, and Euphrasia Eluvathingal, a member of the Congregation of Mother Carmel – on November 23, 2014. Chavara was beatified along with Sister Alphonsa where Euphrasia was declared a blessed on December 3 2006.

Saint Chavara was born on February 8, 1805, at Kainakari, Alappuzha, Kerala, and died January 3, 1871at Koonammav in Ernakulam, Kerala. Saint Euphrasia was born on October 17, 1877 at Kattoor, Irinjalakuda, Kerala, and died on August 29, 1952 at Ollur, Thrissur, Kerala.

On January 14, 2015, Pope Francis canonized Joseph Vaz, an Oratorian priest from India who served in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) when it was under the Dutch rule. He was born on April 21, 1651 at Benaulim, Goa, died on January 17, 1711 at Kandy, Sri Lanka, He was beatified on January 21, 1995.

The last Indian to become a saint is Sister Mariam Theresa, who founded the Congregation of the Holy Family, along with Father Joseph Vithayathil, who is now a Venerable. Mariam Theresa was born on April 26, 1876, at Thrissur, Kerala, and died on June 8, 1926, in Thrissur. She was beatified on April 9, 2000.

Prominent among overseas missionaries who served in India is Mother Teresa of Kolkata, a naturalized Indian and the founder the Missionaries of Charity. Pope Francis declared her a saint on September 4, 2016. The saint of gutters was born on August 26, 1910, at Skopje, Macedonia and died on September 5, 1997 in Kolkata. She was beatified on October 19, 2003.

Other saints associated with India are Thomas the Apostle, Bartholomew the Apostle, Pantaenus the philosopher, Francis Xavier, John de Britto, Maximilian Kolbe, and Mariam Baouardy.

A miracle each will take three native Indians to sainthood – Devasahayam Pillai, a layman, Father Augustinose Thevarparampil, popularly known as Kunjachan and Sister Rani Maria, a martyr belonging to the Franciscan Clarist Congregation.

Another blessed associated with India is Mary of the Passion (Helene-Marie-Philippine de Chappotin de Neuville), a native of France and founder of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. She was born on May 21, 1839 at Nantes, France, and died on November 15, 1904 in Sanremo, Italy. She was beatified on October 20, 2002. She founded the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary at Ooty in British India in 1877.

Devasahayam Pillai was Hindu convert to Catholicism, who was killed by the Travancore state for upholding his faith. He was beatified on December 2, 2012. He w3as born on April 23, 1712, at Palliyadi, Tamil Nadu, and died on January 14, 1752, at Aralvaimozhi, Tamil Nadu.

Kunjachan, a priest of Palai diocese, was beatified on June 22, 2004. He was born on April 1, 1891, in Ramapuram, Kerala, and died on December 16, 1973, in the same place.

Sister Rani Maria Vattalil died on February 25, 1995, of 54 stab wounds inflicted by an assassin hired by upper caste landlords, who were upset with her work among Dalit landless laborers, on a roadside at Dhad Devanala village, Kampel, Indore, Madhya Pradesh. She was born January 29, 1954, in Pulluvazhy in Ernakulam, Kerala. She was beatified on November 4, 2017.

India also offered martyrdom to four Franciscans from Italy in 1321 at Thane, Maharashtra. One of them has been declared a saint — Thomas of Tolentino. Others were beatified: Father James of Padua, Peter of Siena and Demetrius of Tiflis.

Five Jesuit missionaries were martyred in Cuncolim, Goa, on July 2, 1583. They were beatified on April 16, 1893. They are Rodolfo Acquaviva, Alphonsus Pacheco, Peter Berno, Anthony Francis, and Francis Aranha.

List of Venerables:

1. Joseph Alois Hartmann (Anastasius of Altwis), OFM. Cap., Apostolic vicar of Patna, from Switzerland, died in Patna on April 24, 1866, aged 63. Declared venerable on December 21, 1998
2. Veronica of the Passion (Sophia Leeves). Founder of the Sisters of the Apostolic Carmel, born in Constantinople on October 1, 1823, died on July 16, 1999, aged 93, in Bangalore, Declared venerable on July 8, 2014
3. Mary Jane Wilson (Maria of Saint Francis), Founder of the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Victory, Born in Harihara, Karnataka and died in 1916 aged 76, at Madeira, Portugal. Declared venerable on October 9, 2013
4. Thomas Kurialacherry, Archbishop of Changanacherry and founder of the Sisters of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Born in Champakulam, Changanacherry on January 14, 1873; died on June 2, 1925, at Rome. Declared venerable on April 2, 2011
5. Agnelo Gustavo Adolfo de Souza, priest of the Missionary Society of Saint Francis Xavier of Pilar, Goa, Born on June 21, 186 at Anjuna, Goa, died on November 20, 1927. Declared venerable on November 10, 1986
6. Varghese Payapilly Palakkappilly, Founder of the Sisters of the Destitute. Born on August 8, 1876 at Konthuruthy, Ernakulam, Kerala. Died on October 5, 1929, at Ernakulam. Declared venerable on March 3, 2016
7. Mathew Kadalikattil, founder of the Sacred Heart Congregation, Born on April 25, 1872, Edappady, Kerala. Died on May 23, 1935. Declared venerable on June 27, 2011
8. Fr. John Vincent, OCD, Born on July 19, 1862, in Spain. Died on February 27,1943. Declared venerable on January 12, 1996
9. Fernanda Riva, member of the Canossian Daughters of Charity. Born on April 17, 192 at Monza, Milan. Died on January 22, 1956, at Bombay. Declared venerable on June 28, 2012
10. Augustine John Ukken, Founder of the Sisters of Charity of Trichur, Born on Dec 19, 1880 at Thrissur, Kerala. Died on October 13, 1956. Declared venerable on December 22, 2018
11. Zacarias Salterain Bizkarra (Zacarias of Saint Teresa), OCD, Born on November 5, 1887, in Spain. Died on May 23, 1957. Declared venerable on January 27, 2014
12. Pedro Landeta Azcueta (Aureliano of the Blessed Sacrament), OCD, Born on June 27, 1887, in Spain. Died on November 16, 1963 at Aluva, Kerala, Declared venerable on March 26, 1999.
13. Joseph Vithayathil, Co-founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family. Born on July 23, 1865 at at Puthenpally, Kerala. Died June 8, 1964, at Kuzhikkattussery. Declared venerable on December 14, 2015
14. Francesco Convertini, SDB, Born on August 29, 1898, at Marinelli, Italy. Died on February 11, 1976 at Krishnagar, West Bengal. Declared venerable on January 20, 2017
15. Stefano Ferrando, SDB, Bishop of Shillong and founder of the Missionary Sisters of Mary, Help of Christians. Born on September 28, 1895in Rossiglione, Genova, Italy. Died on June 20, 1978, in Genova, Italy. Declared venerable on March 3, 2016.

Servants of God

1. Fr. Nicolas-Michel Krick, MEP
2. Fr. Augustin-Etienne Bourry, MEP
3. Fr. Louis Savinien Dupuis, MEP
4. Thatipatri Gnanamma
5. Annammal Selvanayagam Pillai
6. Constant Lievens, SJ
7. Msgr. Francis Xavier Kroot, MHM
8. Mary Grace D’Lima (Teresa of Saint Rose of Lima)
9. Sr. Marie Gertrude Gros, SMMI
10. Augustine Pereira
11. Sr. Eliswa Vakayil
12. Mathew Makil
13. Fr. Silvio Pasquali, PIME
14. George Vakayil (Vakayilachan
15. Sebastian Lawrence Casimir Presentation Valiyathayil
16. Adelrich Benziger (Aloysius of Saint Mary)
17. Thomas Poothathil
18. Joseph Thamby, OFS
19. Joseph Panjikaran
20. Geevarghese Mar Ivanios (Geevarghese Thomas Panickerveetil)
21. Constantine Vendrame, SDB
22. Sr. Dr. Mary Glowrey, JMJ (Mary of the Sacred Heart
23. Sr. Maria Celine Kannanaikal, UMI
24. Peter Reddy OFS, (Paul Chenappan Reddy or Peter Paradesi
25. Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas
26. Lawrence Puliyanath
27. Mary Bernadette Prasad Kispotta
28. Fr. Antony Thachuparambil
29. Fr. Michael Koodalloor (Theophane of Kottappuram), OFM Cap
30. Fr. Antony Soosainather, CR
31. Fr. Adeodatus (Muthiyavila Valiyachan
32. Thommachan Puthenparampil
33. Mathew Kavukatt
34. Msgr. George Fernandes
35. Fr. Lourdu Xavier Savarirayan
36. Fr. Louis Marie Leveil, SJ
37. Paula Monnigmann (Petra) [Dinadassi)
38. Reynolds Purackal
39. Bishop Jerome Fernandez
40. Mary Celine Payyappilly
41. Fr. Ouseph Thekkekara (Canisius of Saint Teresa), CMI
42. Bishop Oreste Marengo, SDB
43. Bernhard Thanhauser (Fortunatus)
44. Marian Zelazek, SVD