St. Alphonsa
St. Alphonsa is the first women who had been raised to the sainthood from India, by the catholic church. Born in Kudamaloor, Kottayam she led an infamous but saintly life. In her short life span of 36 years, she did nothing to make her famous. But soon her death, her saintly life came into light. So many people got blessings through her and the catholic church approved the causes and declared her as the saint October 12, 2008
Alphonsa muttathupadathu or St. Alphonsa is the first Indian Women to be elevated to sainthood by the catholic church. She was a women of sainthood. Born in Kudamaloor, a small village in Kerala, she loved to be a saint, rather than becoming anything in this world. Born to a financially sound family, with so much beauty, she had everything to enjoy. But she wished to lead a controlled life and was not willing to find happiness in the matters of world. But she loved to be with god and spend time in praying to the almighty. She had only a small life of just 36 years, mostly inside the four walls of the convent. But her sainthood became visible to the world after her death. A lot of people got blessings through her and the catholic church started the moves for her canonization after some years of her death. Accepting the causes, she was beatified by the holy father John Paul II at Kottayam in 1986. She was declared as the first women saint of India, by the holy father Benedict VI on October 12, 2008Early Life of St. Alphonsa
St. Alphonsa was born to Joseph and Mary muttathupadathu, in Kudamaloor, Kerala, on August 19, 1910. Soon after her birth, her mother was died and she was brought up by her aunt.She was baptized on August 27, 1910 at Saint Mary's Church in Kudamaloor under the patronage of Saint Anna. She was called as 'Annakkutty' by her dear and near.
In 1916 she started school in Arpookara. She received First holy Communion on November 27, 1917. In 1918 she was transferred to the school in Muttuchira for higher classes. She was so beautiful that every boy of her age wished to marry her. Her aunt wished to conduct her marriage in a very good manner. But Alphonsa wished not to marry anyone, but join clarist convent and become a nun for the god almighty. But her aunt and family was not willing to do so and started arranging marriage preparations. In order to protect this move, she tried to burn herself so that her beauty perishes and no one will come before her. Consequently her family understood her firm decision and accepted her decision.Life of St. Alphonsa in the convent
St. Alphonsa was inducted to the Franciscan Clarist Convent(FCC) at Bharananganam on 1927 May 24. She started her postulancy period on August 2, 1928 and took the name Alphonsa.
On May 19, 1930 she received her religious habit at Bharananganam from Mar James Kalassery, Bishop of Changanacherry. On August 11, 1931 she entered the novitiate. She took her permanent vows on August 12, 1936, which was the fest day of St. Clara. She started teaching in an elementary school at Vakakkad, but was often sick and unable to teach. The years 1930-1935 was a period of severe sufferings for St. Alphonsa. She was able to teach only in 1932 during this period.
During the time of Novitiate, the diseases strengthened and she was unable to continue. As a result, the congregation decided to send her back to Bharananganam from the Novice house at Changanacherry. But this move was prevented by the bishop mar James Kalassery and he said that let her die here, if she dies. In December 1936 she was reportedly cured from her ailments through the intervention of Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara. But this was not an end. She was struck by a severe attack of Typhoid,double-pneumonia,and mental stroke which left her weakened. On 1940 October 18, a thief stumbled into her room in the middle of the night. This traumatic event caused her to suffer amnesia, and weakened her again. The reflections of this mental stroke lasted for over an year. She was unable to read or write during this time. Her health continued to deteriorate over a period of years. She received extreme unction on September 29, 1941.Traces of Sainthood of St.Aplhonsa during her life
St. Alphonsa led a very self restricted life inside the convent. She tried to help every one, as she could. She confessed even for the slightest sins. Fr. Romulos CMI, who was the spiritual father of the St. Alphonsa proclaimed later about her saintly life.
During this time, Mar James Kalassery then bishop of Changanacherry had also witnessed her sainthood. Once when she knew that the bishop got Malaria, she prayed to cure him and in return she was willing to take up the disease, even though she was in bed due to serious problems. It happened and the bishop was cured and St. Alphonsa got malaria. The final stages of sufferings and the death of St.Alphonsa
In 1945, she was attacked by a tumor which rapidly spread over her body. This made her life more miserable during her last years. She was repoted for vomiting about 40 times a day. She died on July 28, 1946, at the age of 35. She is buried at Bharananganam, Kerala which was under then diocese of changanachery. At present this belongs to the Diocese of Palai. Only some few near people witnessed the ceremony and thus in death too, she passed unnoticed. In the death speech at funeral ceremony, Fr Romulos CMI, who was her spiritual father, proclaimed that she led a saintly life in saintliness she is like St.Theresa. He predicted that she will become a saint and Bharanangnam will be turned into the Lisue of India. Later the world witnessed these words becoming reality and Alphonsa is a saint now. Blessings from St. Alphonsa after her death
It was the students of nearby schools to start praying to St. Alphonsa. Before her death also, the students had sort her prayers and they still continued after her death. When they got blessings from her, the news spread like wild fire and many people rushed into her tomb at Bharanaganam to offer prayers. A lot of people got blessings through her and consequently church started the procedures for canonizing her. Her tomb in Bharananganam has become a pilgrimage site these days as miracles have reported by some devotees. Beatification of St. Alphonsa
On December 2, 1953, Eugène Cardinal Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan process for her beatification. Pope John Paul II formally approved a miracle attributed to her intercession and Alphonsa was declared Servant of God on 9 July 1985 and she became known as Venerable Sister Alphonsa. She was beatified along with Kuriakose Elias Chavara at Kottayam on February 8, 1986 by his holiness pope John Paul II during his visit to Kerala. Mar Joseph Powathil, Archbishop of changanacherry assisted the pope during the ceremony. Sainthood of St. Alphonsa
The miracle attributed to her intercession and approved by Vatican for the canonization was the healing of club foot of an infant in 1999. On October 12, 2008, Pope Benedict will declare Blessed Alphonsa as the first woman saint of India at a function organized at st. peter's square, Vatican. A lot of people from India including the bishops, delegates of the governments attended the ceremonies. In the homily, Pope Benedict XVI recalled Saint Alphonsa's life as one of "extreme physical and spiritual suffering."
Celebrations were held at Bharananganam in which former president Dr. APJ Abdul kalam presided over the meeting.
In 2009, birth centenary celebrations of St. ALphonsa was celebrated at Bharananganam and President Prathibha Patil presided over the meeting. now Bharananganam is becoming a pilgrim center in the country. Her birth place Kudamaloor near kottayam which belongs to the Archdiocese of Changanacherry is also attracting a lot of faithful. Summary of the life of St. Alphonsa
Born: 1910 August 19, Kudamaloor, Kerala
Baptism: 1910 August 27, Kudamaloor church
Into the school: 1916 May 16, Arpookkara
First holy communion: 1917 November 27, Kudamaloor
Nun: 1930 May 19
Death: 1946 July 28, Bharananganam, Palai
Servant of god: 1953 December 2
Venerable: 1984 November 6
Opening of the tomb: 1957 March 13
Beatification: 1986 February 8 by Pope John Paul II, at Kottayam
Memorable Stamp by India (death golden jubilee): 1996 July 19
Acceptance of the cause for sainthood: 2007 June 1, by Pope Benedict VI
Declaration of the sainthood : 2008 October 12
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