Seminary of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

SERVANT OF GOD THOMICHAN POOTHATTIL

Thomas was born on October 24, 1871, in a noble family of Poothathil as the second son of Ittikunj and Naithy in Kottayam. After the primary schooling at his home town, he was sent to a school in Thrissanappally, He joined the Seminary in Puthenpally near Varapuzha on September 21, 1887. He was ordained priest by Mar Mathew Makil, the vicar Apostolic of Changanacherry on December 28, 1897.His linguistic proficiency deserves words of appraisal for he was fluent in Syriac, English and also Malayalam. Taking this into consideration, he was appointed as a professor in Puthenpally Seminary in 1898 very soon after his ordination. Having completed his teaching profession in three years in Seminary.
He had been sent to different parishes of the eparchy for pastoral work viz., Kumarakom, Uzhavoor. Residing at Kaipuzha parish, he began his efforts in view of founding St. Thomas Asylum and St. Josephâ€™s Congregation (SJC). Later he was appointed parish priest at Kidangoor, Kurumulloor, Neendoor, Chamakkala, Kurumulloor. After the retirement, he stayed at Kaipuzha parish presbytery from 1938 till his death (December 4, 1943). Thomas Poothathil was a man of heroic virtues. With the initiative of Sisters of St. Josephâ€™s Congregation, the process of his canonization began and on 26th January 2009 Rev. Fr.Thomas Poothathil was declared Servant of God by His Grace Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kottayam after the solemn Mass at Christ the King Cathedral, Kottayam.