Date of Birth: 26-06-1902

Priestly Ordination: 20-12-1930

Joining the MCBS: 19-02-1944

Religious Profession: 11-04-1948

Death: 07-03-2003

Cyriac  Kanippillil  was  born  on  26th  June  1902  at Neeranthanam in the diocese of Pala. He has been dearly called Kochukuriachen. His parents were Cherian and Mariam Kanippillil. They had three children, one girl and two boys. He was the youngest. He lost his mother when he was just four and a half years old. His dad and elder sister and brother took care of him in his childhood years. He has been brought up as a disciplined child. He had his primary education at Neerantham and Ramapuram. He did his high school studies at St. Thomas High School, Pala. Early on he showed signs of being called to be a priest.

On 20th June 1920 he joined St. Thomas Minor Seminary at Kottayam. After two years of study and formation under Fr. Cyriac Mannanal at the Minor Seminary, he was sent to Puthenpally Major Seminary at Varapuzha for continued education and formation. Fr. John Joseph has been his Rector there. Bro. Cyriac has been an exemplary seminarian, very devoted to the Holy Eucharist, with missionary aspirations and disciplined lifestyle. He was ordained as priest on 20th December 1930 by Bishop James Kalassery of Changanassery.

Fr. Cyriac Kanippillil commenced his priestly ministry with a temporary assignment as acting parish priest at Kaveekunnu for a short period of four months. Then he was appointed as assistant parish priest at Kanjirappally. After two years he was appointed as parish priest first at Piravithanam and then at Kaveekunnu. In January 1943 he took charge as the parish priest at Melukavumattam. While ministering at various parishes he had been very particular to keep the church and surroundings neat and tidy, to perform the sacred functions with devotion and unction and with appropriate preparation, and to be punctual. He took care that the altar servers were well trained.

All through his ministry in the parishes Fr. Kanippillil has been haunted by the idea of becoming a religious. While serving as parish priest at Melukavumattam he made a request to the bishop for permission to join as a member in the newly founded MCBS Congregation. He was granted permission and he joined the congregation on 19th February 1944. He was asked to live first in the community at Lisieux Ashram and later at Karimpany Ashram. He utilized his time for learning more about religious life. He joined the third batch of mcbs novitiate. Fr. Felix CMI has been the novice master. Fr. Cyriac made his religious profession on 11th April 1948.

As a member of the congregation Fr. Cyriac Kanippillil was appointed at first as a member of Karimpany Ashram, and after one year he was appointed as the superior of the ashram. On 5th June 1950 he was transferred to Kaduvakulam as the superior of the Mother House. After three years he was transferred to Karimpany as the superior of the Ashram. In June 1957, when the congregation started own Minor Seminary at the Mother House, Fr. Cyriac was appointed as a teacher at the seminary. In May 1958 he was appointed as superior of Lisieux Ashram, Athirampuzha. In June 1958 the Minor Seminary was shifted to Lisieux Ashram, and Fr. Cyriac also functioned as the Rector of the Minor Seminary.

On October 1st 1959, Fr. Cyriac Kanippillil was elected as the Superior General of the MCBS. He moved to the Mother House as it has been the residence of the superior general. As the head of the congregation his primary concern was to keep up real religious spirit and discipline. According to the Decree of Erection of the Mcbs, the congregation was to accept temporarily the essential part of the Constitution the MSFS, as the basic constitution. This went on for about 30 years and Fr. Cyriac’s effort in the first place was to formulate its own Constitution to suit to the local needs and in accordance with the prescripts of the laws for the religious of the Oriental Rites. The General Synaxis of the congregation held in March 1960 approved the proposal. In consultation with the canonists at the Bishop’s houses of Changanassery and Pala and the CMI Provincial House, the draft was prepared and submitted to the Archbishop of Changanassery for approval. The first Constitution of the MCBS was approved and promulgated on 3rd July 1962, by Mar Mathew Kavukatt, the Archbishop of Changanassery and the Ordinary of the place where the Mother House of MCBS has been situated.

Fr. Cyriac Kanippillil, as the superior general, was instrumental for the establishment of MCBS Study House at Karukunnu, Aluva, which has played a very important role in the study and formation of the MCBS major seminarians for many years. It was also during his tenure that St. Thomas Villa at Kombayar was established.

As the head of the congregation Fr. Cyriac Kanippillil had to handle certain situations of crisis, the root cause of which has been a mere conflict of interests. He has been the last one from the first generation of members who had chosen religious life after having been diocesan priests. He had ministered in the diocese for 14 years only. He had chosen the religious state as a better option in  

the light of his personal study and convictions. As a major superior he had to manage a new generation of members who had joined the congregation quite young, had their minor seminary formation in the diocesan Minor Seminary, and major seminary formation in various Major Seminaries. For them one year of novitiate was the only common opportunity to learn about and experience religious life. However, as young priests they were very active and full of expectation for opportunities. A few of them felt that the congregation had not planned out any specific ministry for them other than helping in the ministry or preaching retreats in the parishes. Gradually there developed in them some kind of dissatisfaction and doubts about the future of the congregation, and as a remedy, even proposed to merge the congregation with the MSFS which had foreign connections. The most surprising and damaging part of the event was that they had managed to get the support of one of the founders of the congregation for their proposal. Thanks to the Eucharistic Lord: A very providential and prudent intervention by Archbishop Mathew Kavukatt of Changanassery saved the congregation from such a serious crisis.

Fr. Cyriac held his position as superior general until his successor took charge in 1966. He then served as general councillor for four years. Then he retired from all administrative positions, moved to Karimpany Ashram and lived as an ordinary religious. He had a few health issues, and underwent surgery for hernia and cataract. He has been gradually becoming weak, and by 5th March 2003 he was extremely weak. He was administered the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. On 7th March 2003, by 11 a.m., as Fr. Provincial and a number of members of the community were prayerfully watching, Fr. Cyriac Kanippillil breathed his last in the Lord at the age of 101.

The funeral service for Fr. Cyriac Kanippillil was on 10th March 2003 at the Emmaus Provincial House. By 10 in the morning Bishop Thomas Elevanal presided over the first part of the service. Then the body was carried in procession to the Little Flower Church and the second part of the service was presided over by the Superior General. This was followed by the concelebrated Holy Mass presided over by Bishop Thomas Elevanal, assisted by the major superiors and members of the congregation, and attended by a large number of religious sisters, relatives and friends. Fr. Thomas Pattery preached the homily. The concluding part of the service was presided over by Bishop Mathew Arackel of Kanjirappally.

Deep devotion to the Holy Eucharist, strict observance of rules and regulations, asceticism, punctuality, sense of responsibility etc. are a few of Fr. Cyriac Kanippillil’s virtues that are to be appreciated and emulated.

Fr. Cyriac Kottayarikil MCBS

കണിപ്പിളളിൽ ബഹു. സിറിയക്കച്ചൻ

ജനനം: 26-06-1902

പൗരോഹിത്യ സ്വീകരണം: 20-12-1930

സഭാപ്രവേശനം: 19-02-1944

പ്രഥമ വ്രതവാഗ്ദാനം: 11-04-1948

മരണം: 01-03-2003

ഇടവക : പാലാ രൂപതയിലെ നീറന്താനം

1920 ജൂൺ 20-ാം തിയതി കോട്ടയത്ത് സെന്റ് തോമസ് മൈനർ സെമിനാരിയിൽ ചേർന്നു. 1930 ഡിസംബർ 20-ാം തിയതി മാർ ജെയിംസ് കാളാശ്ശേരി പിതാവിൽ നിന്നു ശുശ്രൂഷാ പൗരോഹിത്യം സ്വീകരിച്ചു.

കവീക്കുന്നു പള്ളിയിലെ താൽക്കാലിക വികാരിയായിട്ടായിരുന്നു ആദ്യ നിയമനം. നാലുമാസങ്ങൾക്കുശേഷം കാഞ്ഞിരപ്പള്ളി ഫൊറോനാ പള്ളിയിൽ അസിസ്റ്റന്റ് വികാരിയായി നിയമനം കിട്ടിയ കുര്യാക്കോസച്ചൻ രണ്ടുവർഷം അവിടെ സ്തുത്യർഹമായ ശുശ്രൂഷ നിർവ്വഹിച്ചു.പിന്നീട് പ്രവിത്താനം, കവീക്കുന്നു എന്നി പള്ളികളിൽ വികാരിയായി അജപാലന ദൗത്യം നിറവേറ്റി. 1943 ജനുവരിയിൽ മേലുകാവുമറ്റം പള്ളിവികാരിയായി നിയമനം ലഭിച്ചു. ഇതിനിടയിൽ താപസനെപ്പോലെ ജീവിച്ചിരുന്ന അച്ചന് സന്ന്യാസ ജീവിതത്തോടു പ്രതിപത്തിയുണ്ടായി.

രൂപതാധ്യക്ഷന്റെ അനുമതിയോടുകൂടി 1944 ഫെബ്രുവരി 19-ാം തിയതി ദിവ്യകാരുണ്യ സഭയിൽ ചേർന്നു. 1947 ഒക്ടോബറിൽ സഭയിലെ മൂന്നാമത്തെ ബാച്ച് നൊവിഷ്യേറ്റ് ആരംഭിച്ചപ്പോൾ അക്കൂട്ടത്തിൽ നൊവിഷ്യേറ്റിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ച കുരിയാക്കോസച്ചൻ 1948 ഏപ്രിൽ 11-ാം തിയതി ലിസ്യു ആശ്രമത്തിൽ വച്ച് ദിവ്യകാരുണ്യസഭയിൽ ആദ്യ വതവാഗ്ദാനം നടത്തി.

1959 ഒക്ടോബർ 1-ാം തീയതി സഭയുടെ പൊതു ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായി കുര്യാക്കോസച്ചൻ തെരഞ്ഞെടുക്കപ്പെട്ടു. നിഷ്കപടതയോടുകൂടി ലളിത ജീവിതശൈലിയായിരുന്നു അച്ചന്റേത്. സഭാംഗങ്ങൾ കൂടുതൽ ഉണർവുള്ളവരായി പ്രവർത്തിക്കാനും പൗരസ്ത്യ കാനൻ നിയമപ്രകാരം സഭയുടെ നിയമാവലി നവീകരിക്കാനും തുടങ്ങിയ ഒരു കാലഘട്ടത്തിലാണ് കുര്യാക്കോസച്ചൻ പൊതു ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായി തെരഞ്ഞെടുക്കപ്പെട്ടത്.

ആലുവായിലെ സ്റ്റഡിഹൗസും, കോമ്പയാർ സെന്റ് തോമസ് വില്ലയും സ്ഥാപിക്കപ്പെട്ടത് കുര്യാക്കോസച്ചന്റെ ശുശ്രൂഷയുടെ കാലഘട്ടത്തിലാണ്.

അനാരോഗ്യം നിമിത്തം 29-5-1969-ൽ എല്ലാവിധ ജോലികളിൽ നിന്നും പിൻവാങ്ങി കരിമ്പാനി ആശ്രമത്തിൽ വിശ്രമ ജീവിതം ആരംഭിച്ചു. വിശ്രമ ജീവിതമാണെങ്കിലും സഭാനിയമങ്ങളെല്ലാം കൃത്യമായി പാലി ഞാൻ അച്ചൻ ജാഗരൂകനായിരുന്നു. താപസോചിതമായ മൗനം, ദിവ്യകാരുണ്യ സന്നിധിയിലെ പ്രാർത്ഥന, കൃത്യനിഷ്ഠ, ഉത്തരവാദിത്വബോധം, മുതലായവ അന്യാദൃശമായ രീതിയിൽ അച്ചനിൽ വിളങ്ങിയിരുന്ന സുകൃതങ്ങളാണ്
നിയമാനുഷ്ഠാനത്തിലും കർത്തവ്യ നിർവ്വഹണത്തിലും മറ്റുള്ളവർ കാണിക്കുന്ന ഏറ്റം ചെറിയ അനാ പോലും അദ്ദേഹത്തെ അസ്വസ്ഥനാക്കിയിരുന്നു. മറ്റുള്ളവരുടെ തെറ്റുകൾക്കുവേണ്ടി പ്രായശ്ചിത്തവും പരിഹാരവുമനുഷ്ഠിക്കാൻ അച്ചൻ തയ്യാറായിരുന്നു.

ആദ്ധ്യാത്മിക ജീവിതത്തിൽ വി. കൊച്ചുത്രേസ്യായുടെ സ്നേഹത്തിന്റെ “കുറുക്കുവഴി ” സ്വീകരിച്ചിരുന്ന അച്ചൻ സഹനത്തിന്റെ യോഗ്യത അല്പം പോലും നഷ്ടപ്പെടുത്താതെ സന്തോഷപൂർവ്വം വേദന ഏറ്റുവാങ്ങി. കണ്ണിന്റെ കാഴ്ച കുറവും മറ്റ് അസ്വസ്ഥതകളും നിമിത്തം 1996 ഒക്ടോബർ 11-ന് ശേഷം വ്യക്തിപരമായി ബലിയർപ്പിക്കാൻ അച്ചന് കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല.

2003 മാർച്ചു മാസം ഒന്നാം തീയതി 101-ാം മത്തെ വയസ്സിൽ സിറിയക് അച്ചൻ്റെ ആത്മാവ് സ്വർഗ്ഗീയ ഭവനത്തിലേക്ക് യാത്രയായി.

വിവരങ്ങൾക്ക് കടപ്പാട്: ഫാ. സിറിയക് തെക്കെക്കുറ്റ് MCBS; ദിവ്യകാരുണ്യാരാമത്തിലെ വാടാമലരുകൾ