Adieu Dearly Beloved Fr Joseph Pulloppilly CMI

Oh my God! Dearly beloved Fr Pulloppilly is no more! It was on  June 20th that I met him last. Offered him a Dasheri mango - daal ka pakka - from our garden in Sitapur, UP, which he refused saying that his sugar levels would not permit him to use that.  He had been my confessor for the past 28 years, and for the many hundreds, who approached him, and to whom, in spite of his ill health, he willingly ministered.  

Fr Pulloppilly was already a familiar figure for me while I was still in primary school with my elder brother, a Rajagiri student, sharing the school news at home or with me.  I knew most of the teachers through him - the headmaster Mr Manjooran, the Malayalam teacher Mr John, the Hindi teacher Mr Krishnan, the Catechism/moral science teacher Fr Jesudas, the Physical Education teacher Mr Xavier,  the biology teachers Fr Silas and Fr Pulloppilly and the headmaster(s) Fr Gregory and Fr Aaron.  

But I directly came into contact with him as a member of the Catholic organisation, KCSL - during its camps and student meets, where invariably Fr Pulloppilly accompanied the Rajagiri team. I could sense his enthusiasm and zeal. Some of my contemporaries from Rajagiri school still recall the lines of KCSL anthem - KCSL jayikka KCSL ... which he taught all of them, whether they belonged to the Catholic fold or otherwise. When we were in VIII or IX grade, he was invited to preach the annual retreat for the Catholic students of Sacred Heart High School. Perhaps, that was the first healthy introduction to human sexuality for any of us. (I am afraid, even now, this education is missing).  

Once I joined the CMIs as an aspirant and stayed on the same campus as he was for a few days, I tried to tap on my familiarity with him, and get a cross or some other charismatic pendant for pinning up on my shirt. But it was not as easy as I thought that he would be able to provide for me.  However, he did find something - perhaps, a 'PRAISE THE LORD' brooch or so, and I sensed that he had to really take some pains to get that for me.  Perhaps, that was the last time, I had a desire to have any such exhibits on me and asked for something of that sort from someone.  I did make use of it for some time.  Then, perhaps, I lost it. 

My next encounter with him was after my being assigned to the Provincial house, either for a period of one year regency, or as a deacon or a freshly ordained priest. Anyhow, I sensed that while he was his old zealous self, he was not generally very much accepted by the rest of the community members.  Perhaps, he was too zealous that the rest who could not match up to his mould of idealism could not gel with him. Or he could not be in tune with the rest of the Rajagiri campus company. At the school, he taught Biology and guided the KCSL unit. He tried to circulate the pictorial Christian education magazine by the Jesuits from Kottayam - Snehasena (later, Soldiers of Love in English) - among the students. He deployed 'slogans of Christian values' for value education and motivating the students - the students still remember his slogans. I think 'kodukku ninakku nalkappedum' (Give and it will be given to you) - a gospel song in that mould was either his creation or he helped it to gain currency. 

I think the students called him endearingly as Fr Pullo. He knew most of his students personally. Last year, while riding to Aluva to meet him, a car stopped by my bike and Anil, Rajagirian of my age, stopped by to say hello. When I said that I was going to meet Fr Pulloppilly, he asked me to convey his regards. And when I did that Fr Pulloppilly could recall him and his brother, who were his students in the 1970s.  As a good Zoology teacher, he tried to familiarise the students with life. Some of the boarders recall him giving them 'guppy' fish to grow. 

While remaining a full-time teacher at Rajagiri, he went about reaching out to the poor, trying to spread the good news in his own way - especially by printing leaflets with useful Christian doctrine and prayers, and distributing the same among those who came in touch with him.  While normally the religious men engaged themselves in some workout or manual labour, and found some half to one hour in a day in some recreational activities, games etc. for Fr Pulloppilly, it was always about reaching out to people in conventional pastoral ministry, home visits, helping the poor or spreading the good news through his leaflets.  I think, for that,  either he spent the meagre amount he received in pastoral ministry or some people of goodwill did help him with the printing charges, which he could not otherwise have managed. 

I am afraid that the CMI congregation which is usually generous with promoting individuals and their talents and qualifications, could not do justice to Fr Pulloppillil. He had joined the order after completing intermediate, and after completing philosophy training at Bangalore, he joined for B Sc Zoology at Sacred Heart College.  In spite of having scored well, and winning the gold medal (1963), he was not permitted to go for higher studies. He got himself qualified as a teacher with a B. Ed degree from St. Joseph's College, Mannanam. Despite his several years of experience as a teacher, he was not found to be a headmaster/principal material for the prestigious Rajagiri school; and by the time the CMIs of Kochi province launched other schools, he was already relieved of duties related to a typical education ministry. Perhaps he was a loner and was travelling the less-travelled path, and while all the required health support was given to him by the congregation, and while all appreciated the great ministry he was doing, I sensed that there was a general apathy prevailing against him. 

I think when he attained the age of 55 (?), the Kerala government prescribed age for retirement, he was relieved of his service at Rajagiri School.  Though I did not understand the entire dynamics of the decision, I sensed that the provision was aptly utilised to remove an inconvenience from the scene.  I felt that he could not accept that decision happily, though apparently he did not revolt. I am afraid that decision did affect him adversely and led him, perhaps gradually, into a state of depression.  However, that did not deter him from carrying on the ministry he was at home with - that of ministering to the Catholic faithful - especially, hearing confession. 

As his depression-related status aggravated, his mobility became restricted and so too his ministry.  Yet that did not prevent him from being available at Aluva monastery for the great ministry of the sacrament of reconciliation. 

He lived a spartan life - his dress was always simple, and generally, only the prescribed religious habit - the traditional one and the modern one. I think he has never travelled abroad.  Perhaps, he has never had an occasion to fly. He is hardly found in any photograph*. I tried to find a picture of his younger days, hardly anyone has any such pictures.  Perhaps, he did have a collection. He never tried to migrate to the WhatsApp Facebook age. Yes, he did use a mobile phone.  I have never seen him using any vehicle other than public transport  - no bicycle, no motorbike, scooter or car.  Yes, when someone sent a car for his transport he would not refuse, and as he grew older and his health conditions deteriorated, he had to rely on the house vehicle for his very limited mobility.  It is my impression that  if he ever gathered anything it was meant to be for his ministry of the gospel or to support some poor person, 

I recall a year when, while still young,  he lost both his parents in quick succession - they had lived long. He took that in the right spirit.  Not long afterwards, he lost his elder brother, who was still a young person with a family to take care of. I came to know that it was a major blow for him. 

His prolonged priestly ministry of over 50 years, I think, was based in two centres - Kalamassery and Aluva. When the former undivided Sacred Heart province was divided into four provinces, and when the members were given the option to make their choices, most of them chose the province where their native place was.  Fr Pulloppilly, though from the Muvattupuzha region, chose the Kochi region, with which he had been associating for more than three decades of his ministry. I gather from my confreres that he also served as the vocation promoter for the province and there are several CMIs who chose to be CMIs thanks to his efforts. 

I thank God for his long life and untiring ministry in spite of his adverse physical and mental conditions. I am glad that Fr Pulloppilly was an illustrious student of his batch at Sacred Heart.  I admire his simplicity and unwavering faith in the face of great despair and depression.  I feel blessed to have had him as a confessor for the 3 decades of my life as an ordained minister in the Catholic church. While in faith, we submit our sins to God through an ordained minister - young or old.  However, having a senior priest for this ministry, I deem a great blessing - but while I myself grow to be a senior, and those senior to me disappear from the scene, there is emptiness! May the Lord who had compassion on the crowd form us into shepherds after his heart! 

I look forward to seeing Fr Joseph Pulloppilly with the honours of the altar - for trying to live his faith, in spite of the odds in his life - with great simplicity and fidelity - not having led or built big institutions or parishes, never having had an opportunity to exercise leadership ministry in the congregation, not having been a popular speaker, but always and consistently being available as a shepherd, and enduring dark nights of physical and mental agonies! 

May the good Shepherd lead him to his evergreen pastures, spread his feast before him, and anoint him with his oil of sanctity. May the beloved Fr Pulloppilly dwell in the Lord's house and may his cup overflow with joy that shall not be taken away! 

*Rajagiri PTA 1981. From Fr Kariamadam's collection. 

Post Script

Shared by one of his colleagues: 

Fr. Pullo was simple and naive thru and thru. A few of my memories may be interesting.

Besides selling religious articles in class rooms he used to take up collections to help the poor! 

He was not happy when the Headmaster insisted on maintaining discipline in the class: One day half in jest and half in earnest, he knelt down before the HM and said, " You treat me like a fly/ഈച്ച!"  

Looking at the beautiful lawn in front of the Provincial house he said once, "I wish I was treated like a blade of grass in Rajagiri."  Rajagiriയിലെ ഒരു പുല്ലായി ജനിച്ചിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ!  

By one of his students: 

He taught us biology from higher standards and always had a very very soft corner for me and my twin brother. Never used to cane us. All students in school knew that we both were his pets. We used to butter him and everyone knew that too.

Very sad that we lost such a cherubic person that he was, then. 

He zealously promoted and sold Soldiers of God, Sneha Sena and Kuttikaluday Deepika DAILY before EVERY class of his, and myself and my brother used to buy one of them every time he started the class to avoid being asked questions and getting caned by him with a small cane. He never used to punish me and my brother and was always partial and favourite of me and my twin... He always had a small cane and gave us only small small cuts to others.