Love, respect, and care
Pastor of St. James Catholic Church
Pastor of St. James Catholic Church
I was born into a traditional Catholic family on Oct. 23, 1959, in Cochin, India. My maternal grandfather was the sacristan and a neighbor of the parish church. My parents were teachers at the parish school, and later, my father became the principal and the DRE. Some of his students went on to become religious missionaries, and their visits sparked my interest in missionary life.
I was born into a traditional Catholic family on Oct. 23, 1959, in Cochin, India. My maternal grandfather was the sacristan and a neighbor of the parish church. My parents were teachers at the parish school, and later, my father became the principal and the DRE. Some of his students went on to become religious missionaries, and their visits sparked my interest in missionary life.
After high school, I entered the seminary, where I studied philosophy and theology and earned my bachelor’s degree. In December of 1987, I was ordained a priest at St. Anthony’s Church in Puthenpeedika. My seminary rector, Msgr. Zacharias, strongly encouraged me to join the Brazilian missions. In preparation, I served as an associate pastor in two large parishes, St. Theresa’s and St. Anthony’s in Trichur, where I visited and blessed all the families. Later, I moved to Brazil, where I served for 16 years as an assistant pastor and Vicar General.
In 2003, while attending the Knights of Columbus Appreciation Dinner in Birmingham, I met the late Bishop David E. Foley, who invited me to work in the Diocese of Birmingham.
I began my ministry at St. John the Baptist in Madison and later served at Our Lady of Sorrows; Our Lady, Queen of the Universe; and Sacred Heart, all in Birmingham. During this time, I also served as a volunteer chaplain at U.A.B. and St. Vincent’s Birmingham for two years and at St. Vincent’s East for a few months before coming to St. James in 2014 as pastor.
I love seeing the face of Jesus in everyone I meet — my brothers, friends, and the people I serve, always with joy. By the grace of God, the virtues of my parents, and the cooperation of our community, I am deeply grateful for the happiness I have found in my vocation. I have never had a moment of doubt in my 37 years as a priest.
