New Delhi
5 April 2006
As the Vatican examines the miracles credited to the late Mother
Teresa before declaring her a Universal Saint, a Kerala priest who died decades ago is
set to join her and become beatified later this month.
On April 30, Kunhachchan, or the Messiah of Dalit as he was known, will be beatified in
Ramapuram in Kottayam district of Kerala. The head of the Syro-Malabar Church,
Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, will beatify him.
According to the Roman Catholic Church, beatification means to proclaim a deceased
person to be one of the blessed.
Mother Teresa was beatified in 2003. The last time an Indian was beatified was over six
years ago when Sister Mariam Thresia of Trichur in Kerala was beatified. Sister Mariam
was a founding member of the Holy Family Congregation.
In 1986, when the Pope visited India, Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara of the Carmelites
of Mary Immaculate was beatified by the Pope himself. A nun, Sister Alphonso, was also
beatified then.
Meanwhile, according to Catholic Bishops' Conference of India Spokesperson Dr Babu
Joseph, there was "good progress" on the canonisation of Mother Teresa and the Vatican
was studying the claims of miracles reported from India, Albania and the United States,
"The Vatican is studying the evidences of miracle which cannot be controverted by
medical science," he said on Wednesday, which was the first anniversary of the passing
away of Pope John Paul II.
Dr Joseph said the Vatican has mandated a committee to undertake a "detailed study of
the life and writings" of Mother Teresa and collect evidences of miracles that were
performed in the furtherance of the human cause.
"The process of canonisation is a long one because consultations have to take place to
establish the veracity of the claims. [In the meantime, experts] are waiting for [more]
miracles as further proof for canonisation," he added.
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