By F. M. Britto

Raipur, Oct. 8, 2021: October 16 is the feast of Blessed Kunjachan, who had made himself a fool for the outcastes.

He had spent most of his life as an assistant pastor in his home parish Ramapuram in Kerala’s Palai diocese. Today pilgrims from far and wide visit his tomb to seek his intercession.

Blessed Kunjachan was born as Augustine Thevarparampil on April 1, 1891, at Ramapuram to Itty Iype Mani and Eliswa (Elizabeth). He was the youngest of five children. Although his father was an ordinary farmer, villagers respected him.

After his primary schooling at the traditional ‘kalari’ village school (a sort of kindergarten), he did his secondary education at St. Ephrem’s School in Mannanam, 30 km southwest of Ramapuram. He stayed at St. Aloysius’ boarding attached to the school, both managed by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate congregation. Kunjachan was an average student.

Wishing to become a priest like many in his family and parish, he joined St Thomas Minor Seminary at Changanacherry in 1913 when he was 22, walking 33 km from home. After his priestly formation at the Puthenpally Major Seminary managed by the Carmelites in Varapuzha, he was ordained priest on December 17, 1921, in the seminary chapel for Palai diocese.

After some pastoral training in his home parish for two years, Father Augustine was appointed the assistant vicar at the nearby St. Sebastian’s Church in Kadanad. Because of his short stature of five feet, people affectionately called him Kunjachan, (small father, in Malayalam.)

An illness forced him to return to his home parish Ramapuram in March 1926. During a parish retreat he encountered the Pulaya and Paraya caste people, who were branded untouchables then. They are now called Harijans, or Dalits. These ‘outcastes’ were deprived of human dignity and basic necessities of life for generations by the higher caste Hindus. Their landlords treated them like slaves. Even Catholics despised them.

Kunjachan was pained to see their plight.

He visited daily their huts, walking long distances. He learned their names and problems, befriended their children and ate in their huts. To treat their sick, he learned the inexpensive herbal medicines, which he would give them after praying over them. The Dalits were not admitted in public schools, because the caste Hindus feared of getting polluted. This forced Father Augustine to open schools for them. He also persuaded them to avoid superstitious practices and social evils like drinking.

The men wore only loin clothes and women only some chains of shells and stones around their bare breasts. The young priest made the men to wear at least towels and women to wear ‘chatta’ (a kind of blouse) and to be neat and tidy. Starting cooperatives for their self-reliance, he made them to elect their members as office-bearers. This brought unity among them.

As a missionary, Kunjachan led the Dalit to accept Christ, baptizing some 5,000, much to the opposition of the Hindus and some Dalits, who abused him. Some relapsed from the faith. He however kept good relationship with the caste Hindus and those Dalits and Catholics who reviled against him.

Even the high caste Brahmins approached him for prayers and blessings. Many sough his blessings on their agricultural yield. He would often sprinkle holy water on crops, ensuring a plentiful harvest.

Maintaining a register about the status of each Catholic family, he took keen interest in catechizing them. Demanding them to come to church on Sundays, he himself said Mass for them, after hearing their confessions. Organizing retreats for them, he encouraged religious vocations, making the ancient Christian-center parish, a nursery of religious vocations.

The annual meetings of the Dalit Christian Organization became an occasion to foster their varied talents. When his neophytes came to the parish for any special occasions, he offered them simple food or money to return. He called them “my children” and they referred to him, “our father.” All his successive bishops encouraged and supported his work.

He got his spiritual strength from spending a long time praying before the Blessed Sacrament in the church, presenting to the Lord the people’s problems. He also had a great devotion to Our Lady of the Perpetual Help, Mount Carmel and to saints like Therese of Lisieux.

Kunjachan lived as one of the three assistant priests in Ramapuram for nearly 47 years. He had devoted his entire life to the material and spiritual liberation of the Dalits. He did this, not by preaching eloquent sermons or organizing big meetings, but by his practical charity to them. Leading a simple life, he spent all he had on his people.

At the end, after being a priest for 52 years, he wrote, “I do not possess anything either as landed property or as cash account… After my death, my funeral must be conducted in the simplest way. Ever since 1926, I had been staying with the Harijan Christians. Even after death, I would like to be with them. Therefore my dead body should be buried where the Harijan Christians are buried.”

His weakening health forced his family members to take him home, against his will. Kunjachan died Oct 16, 1973, aged 82. In the absence of Bishop Sebastian Vayalil of Palai, the funeral Mass was officiated by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Pallikaparampil, who had been baptized by Kunjachan, and a relative from his maternal side.

Preaching at his funeral, Carmelite Father Valerian hailed Kunjachan’s holiness, apostolic zeal, kindness of heart and love for the poor. At the end he said, “We are participating in the funeral of a saint. We have one more mediator in heaven.”

Though he had willed to be buried amid the Dalit Christians, they buried him under the altar in the old St. Augustine’s Church, Ramapuram, where he used to say the daily Mass.

Even while he was alive, he had the reputation of a holy man. People, irrespective of caste and religion, approached him and through his prayers and blessings, received their favors. Immediately after his death, his tomb at Ramapuram became a center of pilgrimage as people flocked there from far and wide.

Kunjachan was not known for his intellectual caliber, or any of his human abilities, but he had a heart for the socially outcastes.

The process of his beatification began on August 11, 1987, at Ramapuram, 14 years after his death. Pope John Paul II declared him a Venerable on June 22, 2004. Following the miraculous cure of the clubfoot of Gilson Kalathil, son of Varghese and Elsy of Adimaly, Pope Benedict XVI approved his beatification.

Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, who was then the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, beatified him on April 30, 2006, nearly 33 years after his death at Ramapuram, where he was born, ministered, died and buried.

Cardinal Vithayathil remarked, “Unknown and unsung in his own days, seeking no recognition or applause, he was quietly conscious of his mission to be a good shepherd to the unknown and economically marginalized.”

Bishop Sebastian Vayalil, the first bishop of Palai who knew Kunjachan for about 40 years, remarked, “The words of the Lord that ‘the service done to anyone of these little ones will be considered as something done to me’ were imprinted deeply in his heart. By accepting the service to the poor as his own life motive, he became a genuine follower and representative of Jesus Christ.”

The present Palai prelate, Bishop Joseph Kallarangattu, says “Though Kunjachan never possessed any charisma usually associated with great and successful personalities, people found in his words, deeds and even in his movements some sparks of divinity, and naturally, even when he was alive, he was considered a saintly person.”

Father Kurian Mathothu, the vice-postulator, says: “Kunjachan experienced the presence of God in the Dalits, who were living in spiritual, physical, social and communal depression. He dedicated his life to uplift them.”

Kunjachan is regarded as one of the foremost pioneer missionaries among the Dalits in India.