Varkey Kattarath (13 October 1851 - 24 October 1931) was the founder of the Vincentian Congregation in Kerala, India.

Life

Varkey Kattarath was born in Poonjar. He was ordained as a diocesan priest after his seminary formation at Mannanam and Pala. He served a number of parishes including Thathampally, Edamattam, Kanjirapally, Vilakkumadam, Angamaly, Ollur, Ezhupunna and Vaikom. He was also the chaplain to many convents such as the Carmelite convents at Mutholy and Vaikom and, Adoration convent founded by Mar Thomas Kurialacherry at Champakara. He fell seriously ill in 1927 and was administered the last sacrament, but he later recovered from the sickness.

Beginning of the Vincentian Congregation

Kattarath conveyed his wish to become a religious brother to Louis Pazheparambil, after he had served at various parishes as vicar in the diocese. Three other diocesan priests also joined Kattarath at Thottakam near Vaikom. Pazheparambil suggested them to follow the rule of

Vincent de Paul Vincent de Paul, CM (24 April 1581 – 27 September 1660), commonly known as Saint Vincent de Paul, was a Occitan French Catholic priest who dedicated himself to serving the poor. In 1622 Vincent was appointed a chaplain to the galleys. Afte ...

and thus the congregation came into existence on November 20, 1904. Even though the pioneers had started the community life, they found it difficult to lead a stable community life because of different reasons, and eventually it was dispersed in 1915. In July 1927 the congregation was revived when Augustine Kandathil, the first archbishop of Ernakulam - Angamaly diocese granted the request of the priests George Mannara, Antony Pauvathil and George Vattamkandathil to lead a religious life in the same house in a village in Thottakam. Kattarath joined them in October 1927. Kattarath took his first vows on July 20, 1929, and perpetual vows on July 19, 1931. Not long after he professed his perpetual vows, he died on October 24, 1931; his remains were buried in the Thottakom St. Gregorious Church.

Cause of canonization

Kattarath was declared a

Servant of God "Servant of God" is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint. Terminology The expression "servant of God" appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in th ...

on 5 February 2020. , the diocesan inquiry for his cause of beatification and canonization is in progress.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kattarath, Varkey 1851 births 1931 deaths Founders of Catholic religious communities Indian Servants of God People from Kottayam district