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| Personal profile |
Joseph (Ittoop), became a priest and served at various churches of the Ernakulam Archdiocese. Rev. Fr. Joseph Panikulam, affectionately known as Valia Ittooppachan to his large circle of friends and admirers is one of the brightest gems the Panikulam family has ever produced. Born on 4th May 1884, Ittooppachan went through his primary education at Elthuruth, Trichur, and Ernakulam and commenced his Sacerdotal course in 1906 at the Puthenpally Apostolic Seminary, Verapoly. He was ordained priest by Mar Louis Pazhayaparambil, Vicar Apostolic of Ernakulam, on 22nd Dec. 1912 and offered his first Mass on 30th December in the Seminary Chapel. On 8th January 1913 he offered his first Coram Pontific solemn High Mass in Kottakkavu Church (Parur) and commenced work as Assistant Vicar of his own Parish Church as well as that of south Pallipuram. Later he was appointed
.Vicar of the Nedungad Church with additional charge of the then locked up Narakkal Church. ON 15th August 1917, St. Mary's Festival Day, the ban on the Narakkal Church was lifted and Ittooppachan as Vicar offered mass there. Later when he was Vicar at Koratty he was able to establish the Adoration Convent of the Sacred Heart, the first in the Arch Diocese and also became the first Chaplain of this convent. From Koratty he was successively transferred to Kothamangalam, Moozhikulam, N.Parur and Vaikom Churches as Vicar as well as Chaplain of the convents attached to those churches.
While he was at N.Parur he went on a Pilgrimage with the second batch of Pilgrims from India to attend the 19th Centenary celebrations of our Saviour's crucifixion. The Pilgrims embarked from Madras on" 28th February 1934. Ittooppachan, therefore had the good fortune, to visit the holy places in Palestine such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Mount Carmel and the European Holy cities of Rome, Padua, Lourdes and Licieux as well as London, Paris, Cairo etc. He was granted an audience by the Holy Father Pope Pius XI and received his Apostolic Blessing and on his return to India visited St. Thomas Cathedral at Mylapore, Madras where he offered a Thanksgiving Mass at the shrine of St. Thomas the Apostle of India.
When he was Vicar of the Malayattoor Church he obtained from the Government 4 cents of land at the Kurisumalai Hill and erected at his own expense a splendid shrine and put up in it a beautiful statue of St. Thomas to commemorate his Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee, on Sunday 9th January, 1938. This Jubilee day was a red-Ietter day in the annals of the place and the ceremonies were conducted with great pomp and splendour.
The silver jubilee celebrations began with a Pontifical High Mass by Ittooppachan assisted by four priests of the Panikulam Family. In the afternoon after the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, the parishioners held a Meeting with Rev. Msgr. Joseph Panjikkaran in the chair to congratulate Ittoopachen.
His grace Dr. Augustine Kandathil Archbishop of Ernakulam blessed the Jubilee Commemoration shrine and statue, assisted by a large gathering of church dignitaries and priests, including vicar General Msgr, George Valiarampeth, Msgr. Joseph Panjikkaran and Secretary, Rev. Fr. Varghese, Pudussery. The statue was unveiled before a vast concourse of people gathered to facilitate their loving Ittoopachen.
Thereafter he became Vicar of the Kanjoor Forane Church. Generous, kind hearted and charitable, devoted to his church, his flock and his family loved and respected in return, Ittooppachen led a calm unruffled and peaceful life helping the needy and comforting the rich and sorrowstricken.
Rev. Fr. Joseph Panikulam while resting at Chowara after leading an eventful life, expired on 22-4-1952.
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