2022 January 2nd marks the fortieth anniversary of the priesthood of Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt of the Palai diocese. This is called the Ruby Jubilee year. He is a person who is not at all interested in celebrating his priestly jubilees and anniversaries.
As far as the Syro-Malabar Church is concerned, Bishop Kallarangatt is a person who always makes his presence among the faithful in a very remarkable manner.
The foundation of all the religious endeavors of Bishop Kallarangatt is the realization that the faithful should also have access to ecclesiastical and spiritual knowledge. The growth of a diocese is certainly based on the spiritual thoughts of the diocesan bishop.
He is best known for his courage in convincing the catholic community on social matters. His ability to speak clearly on a wide range of social and public issues are well known. He stands for the propagation of the faith by incorporating a personality that combines the theological truths, the magisterium of the Catholic Church.
He is accepted as the catholic Church’s eminent theologian. Bishop Kallarangatt is considered to be the last word and expert in theological matters within the Syro Malabar Catholic Church.
On January 2, 1982, bishop Kallarangatt was ordained a priest by his predecessor, Mar Joseph Pallikkaparambil.
Mar Kallarangatt is the one who brought about revolutionary changes in the laity ministry of the Syro- Malabar Church. He emphasizes the need for a spirituality of encouragement, comfort, and care in families.
Under the leadership of the Syro-Malabar Church’s Pro-life Apostolate, Bishop kallarangatt, who is the source of life’s care and family empowerment services, believes that” today’s society needs great motherhood and strong families“.
Bishop Kallarangat, a world-renowned biblical scholar and a proclaimed theologian, was a member of a three-member tribunal appointed by the Pope to resolve theological issues during one of the important synods in the Vatican. It was the first time a bishop had been part of a group of experienced cardinals, especially a relatively young bishop like him.
Bishop Kallarangatt is well known in Vatican circles because he was a man known for his authoritative understanding of theological matters, and he was a bishop who was well versed in Roman law and procedures.
The ability to extract from his miraculous memory any passage from the Holy Scriptures, pages of church history, Jewish stories, or profiles from the lives of Christian leaders is the result of extensive reading and in-depth study.
With his uncompromising convictions, deep insight, hard work, high thinking, generosity, tenderness, simplicity of life, clarity of outlook, and antiquity, he leads the Church to a culturally diverse church.
Under his patronage and leadership, the 31st Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) was held from 2014 February 5 to 12 at the Alphonsian Pastoral Institute, Arunapuram, Pala. On April 18, 2018, Bishop kalllarangatt visited Pope Francis and presented him with the book “Windows to Heaven”.It is a theological treatise that has been praised by even Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Vienna.
He presented a keynote address at the Symposium on Theology at the Holy Spirit University, Lebanon, from 2019 May 2 to 4, entitled “Christological and Trinitarian Syrian Hymns and the Specialty of Eastern Syrian Hymns in the Context of Syro-Malabar Worship.”
Bishop Kallarangatt is considered an authoritative scholar in theology and Eastern theology in the global Catholic Church. He is the author of 40 books and has written numerous articles on ecclesiology and Oriental theology. He speaks Malayalam, English, German and Italian. He is well versed in the ancient Eastern Syriac language.
He is currently the Laity Chairman of the Syro-Malabar Synodal Commission and a member of the Syro-Malabar Synodal Commission for Seminarians. He is also the Vice-Chairman of the Labor Commission of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council. He is also a major influence on the theological doctrine of the global Catholic Church.
Mar Sleeve Medicity Hospital, the pride of Palai now gives the society with the aim of providing the best treatment at the lowest cost, is enough for the public to remember bishop Kallarangatt for the rest of their lives. The activities carried out by Medicity during covid, which is recognized even by the Government of Kerala, remain as a model for today’s hospitals.
He is known as the”‘father of families” because of his emphasis on the pro-life movement and the protection of life. Many people call him a hero, because of the acceptance and support he received for his recent stern viewpoints. Yes, bishop Joseph Kallarangatt is the hero of God; at the same time, he is the hero of the poor in society.
This shepherd is always among the people in times of flood, landslide and any other calamity happen. The diocese of Pala is being transformed into the land of holy lives by the spiritual leadership of this holy Kallarangad, who continues to seek the will of God without being too zealous for the achievements of the world. His recent rescue operations during landslide without sleeping or eating has shocked even critics. Yes, he is the shepherd who lives Gospel in its fullness.
We extend Ruby Jubilee Prayers for our Beloved bishop Joseph Kallarangatt.
Romans 8: 38-38 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
Tony Chittilappilly
Laity Forum Secretary
Syro-Malabar Church