By Matters India Reporter
Guwahati, April 21, 2020: Church leaders in Assam on April 21 mourned the death of Father Varghese Kizhakkevelil, who had played a key role in nurturing Guwahati archdiocese and other dioceses in the northeastern Indian state.
“The Archdiocese of Guwahati is what it is because of him,” Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil, the archdiocese’s first prelate, told Matters India mourning the death of his former vicar general.
Father Kizhakkevelil died at 6.00 am at the Green Garden Hospital in Cherthala town of Alapuzha district of Kerala. He was 62.
The priest had undergone surgery a few months ago for cancer of the colon and was undergoing treatment since last December.
A message from Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati said the archdiocese conducted a requiem Mass in the Archbishop’s House at 6:30 pm on April 21.
“The archdiocese owes him a large debt of gratitude especially in finding resources to build up the infrastructure,” Archbishop Moolachira said in his condolence message.
He recalled the priest assiduously undertaking regular journeys to Europe to visit prospective donors and successfully persuaded them to support various projects of the archdiocese.
As a result most of our parishes now have presbyteries, convents, parish churches, schools, dispensaries and boarding houses for boys and girls
“He also persuaded several congregations of women and men to come and serve in the Guwahati archdiocese,” Archbishop Moolachira said.
Father Kizhakkevelil was born on October 10, 1957, and was ordained a priest on December 8, 1984.
Archbishop Menamparampil says Father Kizhakkevelil had done “much of the organizational and structural work” of the Guwahati archdiocese that was erected in 1992.
“I will miss him a great deal. He was a pillar of support for the Archdiocese of Guwahati. It is a premature death,” said the 84-year-old Salesian prelate, who has worked in northeastern Indian more than six decades.
“We have now five hospitals, 50 hostels, 50 schools, and a number of churches and developmental centers, all because of his hard work,” Archbishop Menamparampil explained.
It was Father Kizhakkevelil, who often met aid agencies to explain about the needs of local poor.
“Although he raised resources, he was detached from his accomplishments. He was humble and practical,” Archbishop Menamparampil said recalling the priest’s selfless service. “He had also helped neighboring dioceses and the northeastern region as a whole,” he added.
When the Guwahati archdiocese was erected Father Kizhakkevelil served as its secretary, then as procurator and later as vicar general. He worked closed with Archbishop Menamparampil until the prelate’s retirement in 2012.
The priest then continued as the vicar general under Archbishop Moolachira. He was also the chaplain of the Missionaries of Charity community in Guwahati.
Archbishop Menamparampil credited Father Kizhakkevelil for suggesting a Mission Exposure for young people in formation and supervising it for 12 years until his death.
It started with a small group of postulants, novices and juniors. Some 800 people from various religious congregations of men and women attended the 2019 program that helps young people get a close experience of village life. The entire team lives in a village throughout the program.
Sister Betsy Devasia, the director of the Women’s Development Centre, Kharghuli, Guwahati, recalls Father Kizhakkevelil’s special desire to reach out to the poor in villages. “When we were new he would take us to different places to show how the social work was being done,” said Sister Devasia, former delegate superior of the Holy Cross Sisters who has served in Assam for 22 years.
Father John Paul, director the Minor Seminary in Guwahati, hailed Father Kizhakkevelil as a man with a heart.
“He appeared to be a disciplinarian. So, he also wanted everyone else to be orderly and disciplined. Only those who knew him closely experienced his loving heart,” John Paul, former secretary of Archbishop Moolachira, told Matters India.
Allen Brooks, a lay leader in Guwahati, termed Father Kizhakkevelil as a dynamic and able administrator. According to him, the Archdiocese of Guwahati has lost “its tallest” flag bearer.
“A man with a mission, he made sure every assignment given to him was meticulously planned and executed to the last details. “It will be almost impossible to fill the vacuum and void he has left, Brooks told Matters India.