ഫാ. ജോസഫ് കണ്ണത്ത്
പുതുക്കാട് :
പിഒസി സ്ഥാപക ഡയറക്ടറും കെസിബിസി ഡെപ്യൂട്ടി സെക്രട്ടറിയുമായിരുന്ന ഫാ. ജോസഫ് കണ്ണത്ത് (92) ഇന്ന് (13/12/2022) വൈകീട്ട് 7:00 മണിക്ക് അന്തരിച്ചു.
വെള്ളിയാഴ്ച (16/12/2022) രാവിലെ ഒമ്പതിന് തൃശൂര്‍ പുതുക്കാട് വസതിയില്‍ സംസ്‌കാരശുശ്രൂഷ ആരംഭിക്കും. 10ന് പുതുക്കാട് സെന്റ് ആന്റണീസ് ഫൊറോന പള്ളിയില്‍ മേജര്‍ ആര്‍ച്ച്ബിഷപ് മാര്‍ ജോര്‍ജ് ആലഞ്ചേരിയുടെ മുഖ്യകാര്‍മികത്വത്തില്‍ വിശുദ്ധ കുര്‍ബാനയും തിരുകര്‍മങ്ങളും തുടര്‍ന്ന് സംസ്‌കാരവും നടത്തും.
തൃശൂര്‍ ആര്‍ച്ച്ബിഷപ് മാര്‍ ആന്‍ഡ്രൂസ് താഴത്ത്, മാര്‍ ടോണി നീലങ്കാവില്‍, മാര്‍ ജേക്കബ് തൂങ്കുഴി തുടങ്ങിയ ബിഷപ്പുമാര്‍ സഹകാര്‍മികരാകും. 1958ല്‍ പൗരോഹിത്യം സ്വീകരിച്ച അദ്ദേഹം 1965 വരെ തൃശൂര്‍ രൂപതയിലെ വിവിധ പള്ളികളില്‍ സേവനമനുഷ്ഠിച്ചു.
1966 മുതല്‍ പാസ്റ്ററല്‍ ഓറിയന്റേഷന്‍ സെന്റര്‍ സ്ഥാപിക്കാനുള്ള പ്രവര്‍ത്തനങ്ങളിലേര്‍പ്പെട്ടു. 1975 മുതല്‍ 1979 വരെ പാലാരിവട്ടം പിഒസിയുടെ ഡയറക്ടറായി. തുടര്‍ന്ന് കാനഡയില്‍ ലണ്ടന്‍ രൂപതയില്‍ അംഗമായി ചേര്‍ന്ന് സേവനം ചെയ്തു. 2003ല്‍ 73-ാം വയസില്‍ റിട്ടയര്‍ ചെയ്തു. പിന്നീട് സ്വവസതിയിൽ വിശ്രമ ജീവിതം നയിച്ചു വരികയായിരുന്നു. കെസിബിസി
An interview with the Prophet who envisaged the Pastoral Orientation Centre and paid the price to make his dream come true.
1. From where did you get the idea of POC?
The Second Vatican Council had a great influence on me. I was then a student. I still have the documents of the Council with me. The Council had suggested that in order to direct and further the multifaceted apostolic activities at the national, regional and diocesan levels, it was necessary to gather expertise and to be committed to full-time dedicated service.
I desired to implement the idea of the Council in our little Kerala too. It was in 1967 that the NBCLC was established in Bangalore under the initiative of the Catholic Bishops’ Council of India. Even though this was founded to cater to the whole of India, in a land as culturally and regionally diverse as India, the same type of pastoral activity is not practical. The lack of a cohesive centre that would help monitor the implementation of a pastoral system in Kerala with all its unique traits was felt even after the establishment of the NBCLC.
The POC or the Pastoral Orientation Centre that was inaugurated in 1968 was the result of this felt need.
2. What was the response of the Venerable Bishops of those times when a young priest like you mooted this idea?
The Kerala Bishops’ response was very positive. After returning home from my studies at Lumen Vitae in Belgium, I had first approached Rev. Fr. Michael Angel, the then Rector of Mangalapuzha Seminary, with this idea. It was extremely heartening to find a kindred soul in him. He wrote letters to all the Bishops of Kerala asking permission to take forward the idea of a common pastoral centre for all the churches and bring it to fruition. The first person to support this idea was His Grace Most Rev. Dr. George Alappatt, the Archbishop of Thrissur. He wrote letters to all the other bishops in the state, supporting this idea.
The POC was granted official sanction at the KCBC meeting convened by the Archbishop, His Grace Most Rev Joseph Attipetty of the Archdiocese of Verapoly, in 1968. Rev. Fr. Dominic OCD and I had attended that meeting. His Eminence Cardinal Joseph Parecattil, who was then the Metropolitan Bishop of Ernakulam, supported it strongly. Later I approached all the other Bishops in person and obtained permission to start this. I think that I had travelled the most in my life for this mission.
3. Why was Mangalapuzha Seminary itself chosen as the centre to implement the idea of POC?
Mangalapuzha Seminary was then the unifying locus of diversities. In those days, the differences among the three rites in Kerala were very formidable. That is why I came to the conclusion that the Seminary was the apt place to enforce the idea of a common pastoral centre.
4. It is often pointed out that it was a Seminar on Catechism that served as the cornerstone for the ensuing activities of the POC, after its official inauguration. What are your memories regarding this?
That’s true. It was the first seminar after the inauguration, convened to identify and point out the key areas of mission to be undertaken immediately by the POC. It was attended by around 200 people from all over Kerala. The inspiring words of the inaugurator His Grace Benedict Mar Gregorios instilled all the participants with a new spirit. Similarly, Rev. Amalolpavadas, the Director of the National Centre in Bangalore, who spoke after him, said that “a great miracle was imminent in Kerala through the POC”. It was at that meeting that we decided to have common books for Catechism giving equal importance to all three ritual churches in Kerala.
5. Do you consider finding a specific location for POC at Palarivattom, Ernakulam, to be a great blessing?
Indeed. It is far easier for people from all over Kerala to reach and gather in Ernakulam. First, some people tried to find a location in Thrissur; but I did not support this move.
6. It must have indeed been quite an endeavour to turn a single individual’s idea into that of the whole Church in Kerala. What are your memories regarding this?
I have always been cautious of not turning this into the sole idea of a Fr. Kannath. Ample and equal representation from all three ritual churches was assured throughout. Even a special council was formed for preparing Catechism texts and other materials for religious instruction.
7. What made you think in between of beginning PCDT (Palarivattom Community Development Trust)?
Actually it was started at that time for the poor and the needy. The place was donated by a German. At the time, as it was under a common trust, a huge support was obtained from the Hindus too. In the beginning, several prominent local people were also part of it. With great support from the local community it had become a common concern. But later, however, I don’t know why, it did not develop much.
8. Are you happy with the present-day activities of the POC?
I am happy that the POC has developed so much. Once they decided to place a plaque of mine there. I dissuaded them from doing so. Fr. Joseph Kariyil, the present bishop of Cochin, implemented it as he was the director.
Today, POC has grown much. Nowadays, when any issue emerges, the whole of Kerala looks towards the POC to find out what stance the Catholic Church of Kerala has taken. It gives me immense joy to see POC functioning as the common face of the Church. Actually, that was my dream too!
Joshyachan Mayyattil
