Date of Birth: 28-10-1886

Ordination to Priesthood: 28-12-1914

Joining the Congregation: 28-12-1938

Religious Profession: 30-09-1941

Death: 31-07-1949

Fr. Cyriac Mannanal, dearly called as Kuriachen, was born on 28th October 1886 at Mattakkara in Kottayam District. His parents were Joseph and Rosa Mannanal and they belonged to Mattakkara parish. His preliminary education was under Thamarassery Assan. He did his further education at St. Ephrem’s School, Mannanam, and passed the Matriculation examination with good grades. He, then, joined Varapuzha Puthenpally Seminary for his priestly studies. He was ordained as priest by Bishop Thomas Kurialassery on 28-12-1914.

Fr. Cyriac was assigned to serve as assistant parish priest in the parishes like Athirampuzha, Poonthope, Kuravilangad and Changanassery cathedral. Then he was appointed as Parish priest at the parishes like Kavalam, Changanassery cathedral and  

Bharananganam. He has been a very good pastor in all the parishes.

In 1922 he was appointed Rector of the diocesan Minor Seminary at Changanaserry, which he continued through 1933. As a Rector he was able to impart the care and love of both a father and a mother to the seminarians. Through his exemplary and disciplined life he encouraged the seminarians to imbibe the spirit of discipline and prayer. He would promote the seminarians only after a deep prayerful evaluation of each one. There have been about 300 priests from among his students. From among his famous students were Archbishop Mathew Kavukatt and Bishop Sebastian Vayalil.

Reading of books has been a favourite hobby for Fr. Mannanal. His ideal was to study what you read. One could find the important points and ideas, even phrases and expressions, highlighted somehow in the books he had read. He has had a very good collection of quality books. Besides, he has been a good writer too. Articles and write-ups on relevant topics would appear in various contemporary publications. He translated into Malayalam Pope Pius XII’s encyclical on Marriage and Family Life, Casti Conubii. He has also published an apologetic book and a few articles under the pen-name Kurumankal.

Father Cyriac Mannanal joined the MCBS on 28-12-1938. His intention was to lead a life of prayer and communion with God. After the canonical novitiate he made his religious profession 0n 30-09-1941. Soon he was elected to the office of the Vicar Superior of the congregation (1941- 45). As the head of the community he worked hard to build up real community spirit among the members, to foster a well-disciplined life-style and to introduce file-system for keeping the documents safe. He tried his best to improve the living set up of the community by being actively involved in the construction and opening of the early houses of the congregation. Constant hard work and lack of proper rest and relaxing might have made him sick. For health reasons he  

requested to be relieved of his responsibility as Vicar Superior. Accordingly, by the end of September 1945, Fr. Joseph Paredom was elected to succeed him as Vicar Superior. Later on Fr. Mannanal was appointed as Novice Master; he happened to be the first novice master from the congregation.

Fr. Cyriac’s health condition became worse by December 1948. He has been suffering from chronic diabetes, and couldn’t be on his own anymore. Yet he was insistent on celebrating Holy Mass every day. He celebrated his final Mass on 16th June 1949, the feast of Corpus Christi. But he was very particular to receive Holy Communion every day. His condition became very critical by 28-07-1949 and Fr. Joseph Paredom, the Vicar Superior, administered the Sacrament of Anointing. As Fr. Mannanal has been suffering from severe asthma he had hard time sleeping. His usual practice was to sit on his chair and bend his face to the pillow on the front table and sleep comfortably for some time. On the night of 31st July 1949 he went to sleep saying, “now let me sleep” and it was his sleep to eternity.

The funeral service for Fr. Cyriac Mannanal was on the following day at the Blessed Sacrament House, Karimpany, on 1st August 1949. His best friend and co-worker at the minor seminary, Msgr. Jacob Vellaringatt preached the funeral homily. A few of his student priests, members of the congregation, his relatives and friends attended the service and payed worthy homage to Fr. Cyriac Mannanal. Fr. Mathew Kavukatt, one of his students at the minor seminary and later the bishop of Changanssery, wrote a touching memoir of Fr. Cyriac Mannanal in the 1949 September issue of Vedaprachara Madhyasthan, the official bulletin of the diocese of Changanassery.

Simple life-style, punctuality, caring love, spirit of prayer, deep devotion to the Holy Eucharist etc., are a few of the virtues of Fr. Cyriac Mannanal that are to be appreciated and emulated.

Fr. Cyriac Kottayarikil MCBS