Founder
Venerable Fr.Varghese Payapilly
Our Founder
Venerable Fr.Varghese Payapilly
“God wills you all to be holy” (1 Thess 4:3). Thus, as Christians we all are called to strive constantly for perfection in response to God’s gift, by doing the will of God, devoting ourselves to the service of our neighbours. There is a great tendency to imitate the virtue in which one sees another excel. For that reason, the Church proposes the saints as models for us to imitate.
Venerable Fr. Varghese Payapilly was born and brought up in an exemplary and pious Catholic family, deeply rooted in Christian faith and charity. In his family itself he learned to have great respect for all individuals irrespective of their physical or mental soundness. He continued to live this value throughout his life and tried to instill it later in those under his charge.
Varghese Payapilly spent his childhood and schooling at Perumanur. In 1895 he joined the St. Joseph’s Seminary, Puthenpally. Being convinced of his intellectual calibre and good conduct, the Vicar Apostolic Louis Pazheparambil sent him to Kandy Papal Seminary for sound theological training and priestly formation in 1897. He received there an excellent priestly formation under the Belgian Jesuits. An intense desire to consecrate himself to God for the welfare of the downtrodden sprouted in him from those days itself. Under the able guidance and spiritual direction of the Jesuits he grew up in fervor and discipline and became a zealous seminarian filled with the spirit of prayer, simplicity, hard work and asceticism. He was ordained on 21 December 1907 in Kandy.
His first parish ministry started at Kadamakudy, a very remote village. Though young, a priest for only a year, he was well appreciated not only for his efficiency, but also for his selfless service. He generously spent himself for the integral development of the parishioners. After one and a half years of service there he was transferred to Alangad as the vicar of St. Mary’s Church (1910-1913). He visited the families in the parish enquiring about their spiritual and material welfare with great concern. He tried to deepen the parishioners in a life rooted in the Catholic faith.
In January 1913 he was appointed Manager of St. Mary’s School, Aluva (1913-1918), the distinguished and prominent institution of the Diocese of Ernakulam at that time. When he assumed the office of the Manager, there was some problem with regard to the state recognition of the school. He encountered the challenging problems with meekness and fortitude and all his endeavors were crowned with success. He was committed to cater to the spiritual needs of the students along with their academic excellence. On every Sunday he travelled all the way from Aluva to Shornur to celebrate Holy Mass for railway employees. A free pass was allotted to him for this journey which took around eight hours to and from. He was a role model for the students and teachers of St. Mary’s school.
From Aluva he was asked to manage Alangad parish also. In 1918 he was transferred from St. Mary’s School to Alangad parish. While encouraging the parishioners to lead a prayerful and sacramental life, his paternal attention turned to all people irrespective of religion and caste. He used to help the sick in whatever way possible. He was very much loved and respected by the parishioners. He kept all the official documents of the parish in order. In all respects, he was a good model for the parishioners and the priests of his generation.
In 1920 he was appointed vicar of Arakuzha Forane church (1920-1922). By discharging the duty of a trustworthy pastor there, he visited the homes as a merciful shepherd and helped the parishioners to lead a truly spiritual life. One of the important steps he took was to conduct an annual retreat in the parish which brought very many blessings to the parishioners. The retreat was an occasion for reconciliation to many. While he was at Arakuzha, he bought about 12 acres of land to construct a new church at Meenkunnam. His life proclaimed the dignity of every person. During this period, he lived with his fellow priests with one heart and soul, sharing all resources together.
In 1922 he was transferred from Arakuzha to Aluva as the manager of St. Mary’s School. This second term in the school (1922-1929) was the most significant period in his life. He generously utilized all his talents infused by God along with his natural abilities, for the welfare and integral development of the students and the boarders. He set an example par excellence in academics, soundness in discipline and of harmony in interpersonal relationship. It is remarkable that he trained the students to become instruments of love and mercy for the people around them. In his time, the school was a seed bed of priestly vocations.
In 1924 when he was returning from Trivandrum to Aluva, he reached the Kollam boat jetty in the evening. Due to the unusual crowd he did not board the boat ‘Redeemer’ though it was to sail first. That particular boat was drowned and many people died. It is said as a providential intervention of God that kept him alive for the magnificent task he was to undertake beginning from that year. While serving as the manager, he had many opportunities to stoop down to the poor and the destitute in the society sharing the merciful and caring love of God. The disastrous flood at Aluva and the surrounding areas in 1924 caused vast destruction of personnel and materials. Fr. Varghese vacated St. Mary’s School and made it open to accommodate the people who lost their houses and huts. In collaboration with the eminent citizens of Aluva, he extended help and comfort to the flood-stricken people. Risking his life set out in a small country craft to rescue the flood-stricken people and distributed rice and tapioca to the hungry ones who saved themselves in house-tops.
Fr. Varghese was inspired by the Holy Spirit to start an old age home for the aged poor people and the forsaken ones by their dear ones in their own homes or driven to the street. It was at this juncture that five young ladies from the village of Kizhakkambalam desirous of dedicating themselves to the Lord approached Archbishop Augustine Kandathil, requesting to get a convent started for them in the locality. These young ladies were sent by His Grace to Fr. Varghese, with whom they shared their desire. Fr. Varghese considered this extraordinary spiritual encounter as a providential intervention of God and divine approval for his deep desire to start an old age home and a congregation to look after the poor. The dedicated life of the ‘Little Sisters of the Poor’ commenced informally on 2 February1926. The ‘Home for the Aged’ was established officially on 8 September 1926. He had the courage to send the postulants to visit nearby houses to take care of the sick at home, irrespective of religion, caste and creed.
Fr. Varghese believed that more could be done for the destitute if he could organize people to collaborate with him. Thus, he summoned a public meeting to discuss ways and means for the management of the Home for the Aged, which he started without any source of income, but trusting only in God’s providence. According to the decision of the meeting, the very next day, Fr. Varghese and few eminent persons of Aluva along with four sisters went to Aluva market for begging alms for the poor. Fr. Varghese taught the sisters to accept joyfully anything offered to them. The congregation of the ‘Little Sisters of the Poor’ was officially started on 19 March 1927 with the vestition of the pioneer members. He used to visit the place of service of the sisters in person, and exhorted them that they should serve the poor with love and affection.
Catholic families were very few at Chunangamvely, and transportation facilities were minimal. Fr. Varghese was contented with these inconveniences. In the actual life situations, he manifested his faith in God, leaving everything to the providence of God and being cheerful in adverse life situations. He lived the virtues of faith, hope and love with unfailing excellence. The people who lived with him highly esteemed his exemplary life. He sacrificed his health, wealth, time, and life for the growth and development of the people under his care, especially the poor destitute.
Throughout his life, Fr. Varghese led an upright, honourable, and honest life. He was a good spiritual guide not only for the students and teachers, but also to priests and sisters who approached him.
Fr.Varghese was a priest who grew in faith, hope and charity, amidst the trials and challenges of his ministry and especially with the difficulties in the early days of the congregation. Without losing trust and hope in the providence of God and with heroic courage and prudence, he assisted the new congregation in overcoming its growing pains. He had a great devotion to St. Joseph who was a dear father to him and encouraged the students and sisters to pray to this saint in their dire needs. The destitute and poor could approach him freely at any time and experience the flame of divine love and compassion that emanated from him. Throughout his pastoral ministry he was an ideal pastor of souls, a self-sacrificing priest and a generous man who loved all people irrespective of caste and creed because he deeply believed in the universal paternity of God.
On 9 September1929 he fell ill. Though the illness started with a cold, it developed into typhoid. Resigned to the will of God, he prepared his last will and signed it. In a few days, he became seriously ill. When the pioneer members of the congregation visited him, he said to them with great affection: “Whatever happens, surrender to the will of God. Do not ask for anything else. Pray only that the will of God be fulfilled.” Saying so, he sent them away in peace. These last words uttered by the founder father to his daughters manifest his great faith, hope and his communion with God. His deep faith influenced the members of the congregation greatly to go ahead courageously amidst uncertainties.
On 24 September 1929 he was taken to the General Hospital, Ernakulam. Surrendering himself to the will of God, he remained calm and uncomplaining. He was a model to all in the virtue of heroic suffering. Archbishop Augustin Kandathil visited him and administered the Anointing of the sick, and gave viaticum. Fr. Varghese’s love for the poor and sanctity was overflowing even at the time of his death. When he noticed that a poor sick person was crying desperately in pain, very close to his bed, he prayed for that patient who peacefully breathed his last on the same day in the evening. Only a contemplative, who experiences constantly the boundless love of God in the depth of one’s inner soul, can yield this sort of selfless love. On 5 October 1929 Fr. Varghese bid farewell to this world after accomplishing the works entrusted to him by the Heavenly Father.
After 80 years of our Founder’s demise, the Canonization process the Servant of God Fr. Varghese Payapilly, started by the Major Archbishop Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil of Archdiocese of Ernakulam Angamaly with the request of the then Mother General of SD Congregation, Sr. Smitha Vempilly on 25th August 2009. Sr. Roseline Elavanal was appointed as the Postulator of the cause. The Archdiocesan Tribunal for the beatification and canonization of the Servant of God Fr. Varghese Payapilly (Rev. Fr. Varghese Pottackal, Rev. Fr. Saju Augustine Kuthodiputhanpurayil CST, Rev. Sr. Sibia FCC, Rev. Sr. Mahima MSJ) took their responsibility by an oath on 6th September 2009 in the public meeting held at the Mother House Chunangamvely. The tribunal interviewed 85 people who have seen the Servant of God and heard about him from the family members and parishners. Major Archbishop appointed a Historical Commission (Rev. Fr. Thomas Panthaplackal CMI, Rev. Fr. Augustine Kallely, Rev. Sr. Kusumam SD) on 28th September 2009, to examine and to write a report of the documents that are not published about the Servant of God. After completing all the inquiry, the archdiocese tribunal were closed by the Major Archbishop Mar George Cardinal Alencherry. Then the boxes containing the documents were sent to Rome on 16th November 2012 through the Nuncio in Delhi.
On 24th April 2013 the boxes which was containing the documents of were opened in Rome. We got the Validity Certificate of the Archdiocesan Inquiry conducted in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly for the Cause of the Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God Fr.Varghese Payapilly on 10th June 2014. On 17th May 2016 the Historical Commission in Rome accepted the positio prepared by the Roman Postulator, Sr. Grace Koovayil SD, with consultation of Msgr. Paul Pallath, the Relater of the Causes of Saints. On 24th October 2017 the Theological Consulters and on 10th April 2018 the Congregation of the Cardinals accepted the positio by casting votes. On 14th April 2018 Pope Francis declared the Servant of God Fr. Varghese Payapilly as the Venerable.
Some Outstanding Virtues of Venerable Payapilly
Fr. Varghese Payapilly’s practice of virtues, in an exceptional manner is manifested not only in his role as priest, manager and founder but also in his attitude towards the manifold problems of life, sickness and death. His letters, his way of life, and the testimonies of those who knew him personally reveal that he led a humble, holy and virtuous life. His extraordinary sensitivity to the needs of the people was tangible from the early days of priesthood onwards. In his life heroism is clearly seen in accepting the challenges of life from the hands of God with a serene self-sacrificing spirit and perseverance. Though we do not find any extraordinary or supernatural event in his life, we can observe that his life was filled with ordinary deeds accomplished with exceptional fidelity and love for God.
Charity
A very striking aspect of his life was his deep sense of the sacredness of the human person, even in his most distressing condition. After having encountered Jesus at the Eucharistic altar, he used to spend time serving Jesus in the sick and the destitute. He tried to impart the same spirit in the sisters. The following incident testifies to it. Sr. Kochuthresia was in charge of the aged people. Vareed, an elderly man, was suffering from diarrhea. She had just changed his dirty clothes and gave him a wash and dressed him neatly. But in no time, he was dirty again. She was disgusted. Sr. Kochuthresia from her personal experience shared: “When I was standing at a distance repelled by stench and modesty, Valliachan came in. He put a piece of cloth on the patient’s loins. Rolling up his sleeves, he cleaned up his body and dressed him up. He then asked me repeatedly, “Kochuthresia who is lying here?” He was actually making me understand it was Jesus himself in the person of the destitute.” Sr. Kochuthresia attested that this incident and the repeated question of the founder had gone deep into her being and that it had motivated her in her service of the poor all through her life.
Fortitude
His extraordinary courage and fortitude was demonstrated when risking life he went to help the people affected by the flood in 1924. He assembled some people of the locality and set out in a small country craft to rescue the flood-stricken people and distributed rice and tapioca to the hungry. His love for the suffering brethren and his heroic faith helped him to make such sacrifices at great personal risk.
Justice
He desired that those who had no one to care for them feel that they had him and feel contented. He taught the sisters to give the ‘best’ to the poor, giving them great respect and love. They were to attend to their material and spiritual needs. They were to eat only after feeding the inmates of the Home and they were asked to wash the clothes of the inmates themselves, even if their own clothes are washed on salary basis. And the sisters were taught to render the service completely free for the destitute. Making the world aware of the needs and sufferings of the poor is part of justice towards them. Fr. Varghese conveyed the message to the rich that it was their privileged obligation to help the poor.
Unconditional Obedience to the Will of God
Fr.Varghese understood that the perfection of a soul consists in doing God’s will wholeheartedly. He had a keen interest in discerning God’s will in small and great concrete situations of life and to obey with a remarkable docility. His obedience always meant his total surrender to God’s will. Sickness is the litmus test of one’s virtues, because it discloses whether one’s virtue is real or fake. He manifested total surrender to the will of God in his sickness, especially on his death bed. When he was seriously sick, and there was no chance for recovery, he exhorted and urged the pioneer sisters to surrender to the will of God and pray only for the accomplishment of God’s will. He said: “Whatever happens, surrender to the will of God. Do not ask for anything else. Pray only that the will of God be fulfilled.” His total submission to the will and plan of God, great courage, and unlimited hope and trust in the providence of God could be traced from these words.
Total detachment from family and simplicity of life
He was contented with few things he had, and did not desire more than the bare necessities of life. Fr. Varghese was careful to keep only those things that are absolutely necessary for livelihood and gave the rest to the poor. Because he lived a very simple life it was easy for him to get along with all. Although holding a prestigious position as the manager of St. Mary’s School, voluntarily identifying with the poor, he was willing to do hard work and willing to do simple household works. His spirit of poverty was very much evident in his readiness to share what he had with people in need. He had a high spirit of detachment as far as temporal things were concerned, and therefore he had no difficulty at all to give them up joyfully for the good of others.
Humility
He occupied many important offices in the diocese, as manager of prestigious St. Mary’s School, vicar of forane church, member of the diocesan council, Director of the Provident Fund for priests and Director of Apostolic Union, and so on, but he was humble enough to move amidst the poor and suffering people of the street. Joseph Pudussery, his student, bore witness: “Even though he was learned and efficient he was humble without any pretension…He did not project himself as a great man. But anyone could realize that he was an eminent person.” Though occupying a high social position as manager of a prestigious English School, Venerable Payapilly did not shrink from becoming a beggar on the streets to run the Home for the Aged. Devassy Thekkekara recollected: “He was a man who went about begging in order to give it to the poor…It was unthinkable in those days for a respectable priest to go begging.”
Compassion
His compassionate heart melted at the sight of the suffering of people and he sought opportunities to help them all through his life. His kindness and concern for the suffering even led him to risk his life for their sake. For him it made no difference whether they were Christians or Hindus or Muslims, for he found that they were children of God in need of urgent care. Sr. Mariyola SD testified vividly about the compassion of Venerable Payapilly: “In the flood of 1924 when people were afraid to come out, listening to the cries of the poor and realizing how hungry they were, Father ventured through the rising flood waters in a boat with provisions and distributed it among the needy. St. Mary’s School was opened for them as an abode. Fr. Varghese was their consolation and support.” Many of his recommendations to the bishop in favour of his parishioners testify to the compassionate heart of Venerable Payapilly towards the suffering. For example, while he was the parish priest of the St. Mary’s church Alangad, Venerable Payapilly asked permission of the bishop to buy the land of a poor widow called Rosa so that she needed not to vacate the house with her children and become homeless.
The first organized Home for the Aged in Kerala at Chunangamvely is an embodiment of his Christian charity. Its early struggles tell the story of his childlike confidence and living faith in the providence of God. Whenever he had an opportunity, he made eloquent pleas on behalf of the poor and destitute. Venerable Payapilly’s intense love for the Holy Eucharist sustained, nourished and increased his heroic dedication to God through caring for the suffering poor people, to whom Jesus identified himself most His outstanding virtue of love lifted the hearts of many to God and inspired many to imitate him, and many supported his service through cash and kind. His heroic humility and fidelity to the evangelical counsel of poverty could be seen in his genuine willingness to beg with a hat on the streets for the sake of the poor leaving aside the comfort and status of being the manager of the prominent school of the city.
In fact, obedience to the will of God was a tangible virtue in him throughout his life, which reached its zenith during the final days of his earthly sojourn. There is no doubt that he willingly and cheerily lived the virtues in a substantially greater level to that of the ordinary good faithful throughout his life, especially the last few years of his earthly sojourn.