By T S Jenny
Imphal, July 16, 2022: Monsignor Joseph Kachiramattam, the first diocesan priest to be posted in Manipur, died July 16 because of old age related illness. He was 96.
Monsignor Kachiramattam’s death came five days after the passing away of his close associate, Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Mittathany of Imphal.
The funeral service will be held on July 18 at the cathedral.
Monsignor Kachiramattam has been living in Manipur for the past 60 years, serving the people of Manipur.
He was 32 years old when he volunteered to be posted in Manipur after one of the three Italians priests serving in Manipur had to leave because he had not acquired the Indian citizenship.
Father Mattam, as he was fondly called, was based at Don Bosco, Chingmeirong, and he extensively toured Sugnu and Churachandpur. He set up parishes and schools in the remote areas. They include St. Joseph’s Parish in Sugnu. He was later appointed its parish priest at Archbishop Mittathany.
During his stay in Sugnu, he suffered from pleurisy and had to leave the parish to get treatment in Imphal. Two months later, he recovered from the disease but had to go to his native place in Kerala to get further treatment.
After six months stay in Kerala, he was recalled and posted at Bishop’s House in Dibrugarh. He worked there as spiritual director for six months before requesting to be sent to Manipur.
He was then appointed as the pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Churachandpur. He also worked as the principal Don Bosco Higher Secondary School there. After eight years in Churachandpur, he came back to Imphal and worked at the Pastoral Training Centre.
Manipur became a diocese in 1980 with Mittathany as the bishop. In 1984, Father Mattam was appointed by the diocesan vicar general, a post he held for 25 years.
From 1999 to 2002, he was appointed the parish priest of Imphal’s St. Joseph’s Cathedral Parish. From 2002 to 2008 he was the rector of Archbishop’s House, from when he retired at Priests Home, Mantripukhri, Imphal.