St. Alphonsa, the first native woman saint of India, who
lived as an unknown simple clarist nun within the four walls of the Franciscan
Clarist convent at Bharananganam, in the state of Kerala, is now known all over
the world. Her extraordinary power of intercession before her beloved Spouse
Lord Jesus Christ, made her dear to everyone. Thousands of people from all
walks of life irrespective of caste, creed, religion or country flow to the
tomb of the saint to pray for their various needs and to pay homage and
gratitude for the innumerable favours they received.
St. Alphonsa had a life span of only 36 years and she died on 28th July, 1946. At the funeral service, Rev. Fr. Romulus CMI, her spiritual director uttered:”With the most profound conviction in my heart I affirm that we are attending the last rites of a saintly person. If the world had realized her intrinsic worth, unprecedented crowds from all over India would have assembled here. I assure you that as far as human judgment can be relied upon, this young nun was not much less saintly than the Little Flower of Lisieux. Human languages are inadequate to explain divine and supernatural realities. Hence her greatness, spiritual charism and grace filled life needed a heavenly tongue and a heavenly messenger….The convent where she lived is blessed. Blessed are you sisters to have lived with her and to have served her. Bharananganam where her mortal remains will be interred is hallowed. If it is God’s Holy Will, this place will become the Lisieux of India.
The above prophetic sermon of the 29th July, 1946 was fully actualized on 12th October, 2008 when His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI declared Sr. Alphonsa ‘A SAINT’ in the
St. Peter’s Square, Rome in front of lakhs of people from all over the world. St. Peter’s Square witnessed the presence of ten thousands of people from India including Cardinals, Bishops, Political Dignitaries, Priests, Religious men and women and thousands of laity including the Saint’s family members.
As a symbol of the recognition of the first Indian Saint, the Government was pleased to send a delegation of 12 dignitaries to Rome to participate in the Canonization Ceremony of St. Alphonsa.
St. Alphonsa was born as the fourth child of Joseph Muttathupadathu and Mary Puthukari. Both families claim to be the respected progeny of the ancient Syrian Christians of Malabar.
Alphonsa belonged to the parish of Kudamalur, in the diocese of Changanacherry in the Travancore- Cochin State, the present Kerala State. Even her birth was shrouded in suffering. When her mother was eight months pregnant, because of the stifling heat, she was sleeping on the veranda. She was awakened by a snake that had entwined her waist. Instinctively she tore the serpent away from her. But she had the shock of her life which resulted in hastening the premature birth of the baby on 19th August, 1910. The mother died a few weeks after. The child was baptized ‘Anna’ on the 27th August at St. Mary’s church Kudamalur and was affectionately called ‘Annakutty’. The father and his mother nursed the child for some time. Then her mother’s sister, Annamma of Murickan family Muttuchira took her for further upbringing.
Annakutty started her education in the Govt. L. P. School at Arpookkara Thonnankuzhy under paternal care where she studied up to class III. During this time the affectionate grandmother instilled in her devotion to Mary, our Mother and to the Saints. She told stories about saints especially of St. Theresa of Avila and St. Little Flower of Lisieux. Annakutty learnt penitential practices from her father Joseph Muttathupadathu. Grandmother’s advice and the example of her father inculcated in her the desire to become a saint.
Then she was taken to the Govt. School at Muttuchira where she passed Class VI, under the care of her maternal aunt Annamma Murickan. The training under Annamma, who was a strict disciplinarian left a lasting imprint on her character though she was excessively fond of and bestowed overflowing affection on the motherless ward. The aunt was keen as to train her up to be a decent housewife.
When Annakutty grew up she aspired to become a nun, as she was chosen by God for a religious vocation. Her aunt and other relatives strongly opposed her plan. They wanted her to be married to a wealthy and handsome young man. Her aunt tried to fix up a respectable alliance for her. The proposal for marriage disturbed Annakutty deeply. She implored her uncle not to force her into marriage and she fainted. Still Annamma was adamant. Nothing would induce her to surrender her niece to a convent. She schemed all the more to realize her ardent desire of getting Annakutty married and so she even fixed the date of the betrothal. But Annakutty had chosen the Crucified Jesus Christ as her beloved Spouse. Hence she reacted in her own manner in the ultimate decision regarding her life, refusing point blank the proposals of her aunt on marriage which she wanted to impose on her. She hatched a plan to burn her feet in the pit for burning the chaff and the husk of grain after the rice harvest. In her attempt to burn her foot a little, she slipped and fell into the fire which resulted in very severe burns on both legs. The toes of her feet were so badly burned that they had become one whole mass. The doctor had to separate her toes and to bandage each of them. It took almost one year to get it healed. God Almighty bestowed abundance of grace and blessings on this His chosen beloved who offered herself as a holocaust of love for Him. As a reward for this great sacrifice, a lot of miraculous healings continue to take place through her intercession, especially the cure of the deformity of the legs. The miracles approved by the Holy See for her beatification and canonization were also regarding the cure of deformity of the legs.
The burning of her feet and the subsequent suffering had the desired effect when Annakutty’s aunt dropped all her ideas about marriage and permitted her to join a convent. She preferred the poor Clarist convent to the prosperous ones. On 24th May, 1927, on the Solemnity of the day of Pentecost, escorted by her father, Annakutty reached the Clarist convent at Bharananganam. She joined the Vernacular Middle School at Bharananganam in Class VII. She passed the government examination held in 1929. Later she joined the Vernacular High School at Vazhappally, Changanacherry and studied there for two years. On passing the State examination, one was licensed to teach at Primary school level. Her Certificate is kept in the St. Alphonsa Museum in the convent at Bharananganam.
Annakutty received the veil of the Postulant on 2nd August, 1928 and she took the name ‘Alphonsa’ (to be precise ‘Sister Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception’), after the Saint of the day St. Alphonsus Liguori. The Vestition was on 19th May, 1930 in a solemn occasion when she received the religious dress (Habit) from Mar James Kalacherry, the bishop of Changanacherry of that time. On that day, Sr. Alphonsa made a firm declaration: “I joined the convent to become a saint and having survived many obstacles, what have I to live for, if I don’t become a saint?”
Sr. Alphonsa offered herself to Jesus as a victim of love. Her life was not one of roses, but that of sufferings – both physical and mental. A few months after her Vestition, she had an attack of haemorrhage for which she had to undergo an operation at Ernakulam. When her health improved a little, she spent one year at Vakakad as a teacher in the year 1932-’33.
She entered Novitiate on 12th August, 1935. After one week of rigorous routine of Novitiate, Sr. Alphonsa developed a serious haemorrhage and a large ulcer on her leg which prevented her free movement. The superiors even thought of sending her back to Bharananganam. The bishop was consulted and after visiting her he decided that she should not be sent back. He preferred her death there, if it happens, rather than her being sent back.
Her condition remained crucial for a few months. At the suggestion of her Novice Master Rev. Fr. Louis CMI, a novena was started by the novices in common in honour of Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara. On the last day of the novena, Sr. Alphonsa had a vision of Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara who blessed her, touched her and said to her: “You are cured of this illness. And you won’t be affected by it again. But you will always have to bear up other sufferings.” Thus she was completely cured of her illness miraculously.
On completing her Canonical Novitiate, she made her perpetual profession on 12th August, 1936. Sr. Alphonsa returned to Bharananganam and joyfully followed the Community life. But a few weeks later she had a severe attack of fever which lasted for six months. Tuberculosis was suspected. The whole community made novenas to Saint Little Flower and Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara. She was cured miraculously. When questioned insistently by the superiors, she confessed that a Carmelite nun came to her side, touched and healed her. She had a vision of Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara also.
Though Sr. Alphonsa got cured of the serious sickness, she was always tormented by minor ailments. She might probably have prayed for that because of her desire to identify herself with her Divine Groom. She appeared quite well during daytime but suffered greatly at night. Those were sleepless nights for her. When asked ‘what she was doing during such time of the night?’ her response was that she was loving. Having been miraculously healed Sr. Alphonsa got back to her regular life with others subjugating herself to all types of trials and hardships and emerging always victorious.
Further afflictions began to appear one by one. She became seriously ill due to an attack of fever. Doctor diagnosed it as double pneumonia. Careful nursing and prayer by the community brought her back to health. During this period a thief entered her room and she was seized with panic. As a result of this encounter with the thief, she suffered a serious mental breakdown and started behaving like a child. She lost her memory and even the capacity to read or write. But even in this abnormal state of her mind, she was in deep communion with the Lord either praying earnestly for others or seeking pardon for the sins of others. It took almost one year to get back to the normal stage after the great shock. No sooner had she recovered from her nervous breakdown than she was assailed with another affliction. There appeared a boil on her groin which slowly became an abscess causing unbearable pain. She was unable even to eat and her health deteriorated. Thinking that she has come to her last moments, the Last Rites were administered to her. But as foretold by Sr. Alphonsa, the crisis passed and on 30th September, the Death anniversary of St. Little Flower, she recouped her health.
Though Sr. Alphonsa had been a victim of suffering throughout her life, she never voiced any complaint. She appeared like a beautiful Rose where only the beautiful flower is visible to the onlookers. But it grows on branches with thorns which are unnoticed by others. She was always found with a serene smile even though the thorns of agony were hidden inside, since she knew that God Almighty wanted her to endure this excruciating agony to make in her a grandeur of virtues. She never regretted her sufferings. She even prayed for more sufferings and God was pleased to grant her lofty enthusiasm.
In July 1945 Sr. Alphonsa had an attack of spasmodic pain which threw her into fits of violent convulsions. It began with prolonged vomiting and her body became quite cold as if frozen to the marrow. This leads to complete exhaustion and helplessness which lasts for three to seven hours. She was seen bathed in perspiration and seemed to grapple with death. This type of violent convulsions occurred frequently till her death. She was ready to suffer anything for the love of Jesus Christ. She prayed to God to transfer to her the Malaria of Sr. Thresia and the Bishop so that it may not affect their busy and important schedule. God was pleased to grant the prayer of His beloved. Very soon the Bishop and Sr. Thresia were found to be completely cured and Sr. Alphonsa had contracted Malaria!!
The final phase of her agonies had persisted for over a year. She felt that it was time for her to join her beloved Spouse. She sought permission from Rev. Fr. Romulus and Mother Ursula to pray for her death. On 16th July, 1946 Sr. Alphonsa wrote to the Mother General Rev. Sr. Bernerditta like this: ‘Even as the kite snatches off the chicken, so will the Lord snatch me away’. On Sunday, 28th July, 1946 her saintly soul flew silently to her Divine Maker, without any one standing around her deathbed being aware of it.
The next day 29th July 1946, witnessed a funeral which was very simple. The coffin was carried in procession to the parish church by the sisters of the convent. At the Requiem Mass her special Spiritual Director gave the prophetic sermon. Her body was laid to rest in the tomb of the newly built cemetery chapel. It was providential that Alphonsa was buried at the very same spot where one finds her venerated tomb located today.
St. Alphonsa’s room was very near to the convent school and the students had developed a very close contact with her. They were inspired and motivated by the holiness of Sr. Alphonsa. Her life was very short as she died at the age of 36. From the very next day after the funeral, the school children went to her tomb to put flowers and lighting candles on her grave. They found their favours received. Soon the fragrance of her virtues and saintly life spread far and wide and many miracles happened through her intercession. God was pleased to honour and exalt this humble soul. On February 8th, 1986 Sr. Alphonsa was raised to the status of Blessed and on 12th October, 2008 she was canonized by H. H. Pope Benedict XVI.
The striking aspects of her life were her childlike simplicity and her identification with the Crucified Christ. She had lofty esteem for the passion of Christ and was eager to fulfill in her body what was lacking in the affliction of Christ. She has held up before a questioning world, her conviction of the ultimate triumph of resignation to the Will of God and her tremendous faith in the redeeming value of suffering - physical and mental - endured on behalf of Christ. The keynote of her life was death to self and life to Christ and in Christ.
St. Alphonsa stands as a challenge to the modern world who deplores their grief and miseries. She was meant by our good God to teach us in this pleasure intoxicated age this truth: ‘unless a grain of wheat fall to the ground and decay, it cannot bear any fruit’ and that ‘he who doth not carry his cross and follow our Crucified Master is not worthy of Him’.
God has sent St. Alphonsa, to show us that suffering is not only useful, but necessary. She considered suffering as a gift from God. She teaches us by her example that we must suffer not only for our own sins, but for the sins of others too, as we are all members of the same Body of Christ. As Christ suffered for us, we too must suffer for one another and thus make up for what is wanting in the sufferings of Christ, since Our Lord can suffer no more, we have to suffer.
The secret of her holy life was that she carried on her ordinary duties in an extraordinary manner. Hers was the little way of St. Therese of Lisieux.
Taking into account the numerous miraculous cures happened through the intercession of St. Alphonsa, Mar Sebastian Vayalil, the bishop of Pala initiated the preliminary steps for her beatification and on 2nd December, 1953 H. E. Cardinal Tisserant formally inaugurated the process. After the long process of investigation, Sr. Alphonsa was beatified by H.H. Pope John Paul II along with Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Chavara CMI at Kottayam, Kerala. The Canonization of Bl. Alphonsa was on 12th October, 2008 by H. H. Pope Benedict XVI at Vatican.
The Govt. of India has graciously honoured the first Indian Woman Saint by releasing a commemorative postal stamp worth Rs. 5/- on 16th November, 2008.
The canonization of the saint was celebrated at Bharananganam on 9th November, 2008 in the valedictory function of which the chief guest was Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, our esteemed former president of India.
2010 is the birth centenary year of St. Alphonsa. The Centenary year was formally inaugurated on 23rd August, 2009 in a grand ceremony when Sri. Pranab Mukherjee, the Finance Minister was the chief guest. India’s highest esteem and recognition to the Saint was shown by releasing commemorative coins of Rs. 100/-and circulation coins worth Rs. 5/- on the occasion by honourable Minister for Finance, Sri Pranab Kumar Mukherjee.
St. Alphonsa had a life span of only 36 years and she died on 28th July, 1946. At the funeral service, Rev. Fr. Romulus CMI, her spiritual director uttered:”With the most profound conviction in my heart I affirm that we are attending the last rites of a saintly person. If the world had realized her intrinsic worth, unprecedented crowds from all over India would have assembled here. I assure you that as far as human judgment can be relied upon, this young nun was not much less saintly than the Little Flower of Lisieux. Human languages are inadequate to explain divine and supernatural realities. Hence her greatness, spiritual charism and grace filled life needed a heavenly tongue and a heavenly messenger….The convent where she lived is blessed. Blessed are you sisters to have lived with her and to have served her. Bharananganam where her mortal remains will be interred is hallowed. If it is God’s Holy Will, this place will become the Lisieux of India.
The above prophetic sermon of the 29th July, 1946 was fully actualized on 12th October, 2008 when His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI declared Sr. Alphonsa ‘A SAINT’ in the
St. Peter’s Square, Rome in front of lakhs of people from all over the world. St. Peter’s Square witnessed the presence of ten thousands of people from India including Cardinals, Bishops, Political Dignitaries, Priests, Religious men and women and thousands of laity including the Saint’s family members.
As a symbol of the recognition of the first Indian Saint, the Government was pleased to send a delegation of 12 dignitaries to Rome to participate in the Canonization Ceremony of St. Alphonsa.
St. Alphonsa was born as the fourth child of Joseph Muttathupadathu and Mary Puthukari. Both families claim to be the respected progeny of the ancient Syrian Christians of Malabar.
Alphonsa belonged to the parish of Kudamalur, in the diocese of Changanacherry in the Travancore- Cochin State, the present Kerala State. Even her birth was shrouded in suffering. When her mother was eight months pregnant, because of the stifling heat, she was sleeping on the veranda. She was awakened by a snake that had entwined her waist. Instinctively she tore the serpent away from her. But she had the shock of her life which resulted in hastening the premature birth of the baby on 19th August, 1910. The mother died a few weeks after. The child was baptized ‘Anna’ on the 27th August at St. Mary’s church Kudamalur and was affectionately called ‘Annakutty’. The father and his mother nursed the child for some time. Then her mother’s sister, Annamma of Murickan family Muttuchira took her for further upbringing.
Annakutty started her education in the Govt. L. P. School at Arpookkara Thonnankuzhy under paternal care where she studied up to class III. During this time the affectionate grandmother instilled in her devotion to Mary, our Mother and to the Saints. She told stories about saints especially of St. Theresa of Avila and St. Little Flower of Lisieux. Annakutty learnt penitential practices from her father Joseph Muttathupadathu. Grandmother’s advice and the example of her father inculcated in her the desire to become a saint.
Then she was taken to the Govt. School at Muttuchira where she passed Class VI, under the care of her maternal aunt Annamma Murickan. The training under Annamma, who was a strict disciplinarian left a lasting imprint on her character though she was excessively fond of and bestowed overflowing affection on the motherless ward. The aunt was keen as to train her up to be a decent housewife.
When Annakutty grew up she aspired to become a nun, as she was chosen by God for a religious vocation. Her aunt and other relatives strongly opposed her plan. They wanted her to be married to a wealthy and handsome young man. Her aunt tried to fix up a respectable alliance for her. The proposal for marriage disturbed Annakutty deeply. She implored her uncle not to force her into marriage and she fainted. Still Annamma was adamant. Nothing would induce her to surrender her niece to a convent. She schemed all the more to realize her ardent desire of getting Annakutty married and so she even fixed the date of the betrothal. But Annakutty had chosen the Crucified Jesus Christ as her beloved Spouse. Hence she reacted in her own manner in the ultimate decision regarding her life, refusing point blank the proposals of her aunt on marriage which she wanted to impose on her. She hatched a plan to burn her feet in the pit for burning the chaff and the husk of grain after the rice harvest. In her attempt to burn her foot a little, she slipped and fell into the fire which resulted in very severe burns on both legs. The toes of her feet were so badly burned that they had become one whole mass. The doctor had to separate her toes and to bandage each of them. It took almost one year to get it healed. God Almighty bestowed abundance of grace and blessings on this His chosen beloved who offered herself as a holocaust of love for Him. As a reward for this great sacrifice, a lot of miraculous healings continue to take place through her intercession, especially the cure of the deformity of the legs. The miracles approved by the Holy See for her beatification and canonization were also regarding the cure of deformity of the legs.
The burning of her feet and the subsequent suffering had the desired effect when Annakutty’s aunt dropped all her ideas about marriage and permitted her to join a convent. She preferred the poor Clarist convent to the prosperous ones. On 24th May, 1927, on the Solemnity of the day of Pentecost, escorted by her father, Annakutty reached the Clarist convent at Bharananganam. She joined the Vernacular Middle School at Bharananganam in Class VII. She passed the government examination held in 1929. Later she joined the Vernacular High School at Vazhappally, Changanacherry and studied there for two years. On passing the State examination, one was licensed to teach at Primary school level. Her Certificate is kept in the St. Alphonsa Museum in the convent at Bharananganam.
Annakutty received the veil of the Postulant on 2nd August, 1928 and she took the name ‘Alphonsa’ (to be precise ‘Sister Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception’), after the Saint of the day St. Alphonsus Liguori. The Vestition was on 19th May, 1930 in a solemn occasion when she received the religious dress (Habit) from Mar James Kalacherry, the bishop of Changanacherry of that time. On that day, Sr. Alphonsa made a firm declaration: “I joined the convent to become a saint and having survived many obstacles, what have I to live for, if I don’t become a saint?”
Sr. Alphonsa offered herself to Jesus as a victim of love. Her life was not one of roses, but that of sufferings – both physical and mental. A few months after her Vestition, she had an attack of haemorrhage for which she had to undergo an operation at Ernakulam. When her health improved a little, she spent one year at Vakakad as a teacher in the year 1932-’33.
She entered Novitiate on 12th August, 1935. After one week of rigorous routine of Novitiate, Sr. Alphonsa developed a serious haemorrhage and a large ulcer on her leg which prevented her free movement. The superiors even thought of sending her back to Bharananganam. The bishop was consulted and after visiting her he decided that she should not be sent back. He preferred her death there, if it happens, rather than her being sent back.
Her condition remained crucial for a few months. At the suggestion of her Novice Master Rev. Fr. Louis CMI, a novena was started by the novices in common in honour of Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara. On the last day of the novena, Sr. Alphonsa had a vision of Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara who blessed her, touched her and said to her: “You are cured of this illness. And you won’t be affected by it again. But you will always have to bear up other sufferings.” Thus she was completely cured of her illness miraculously.
On completing her Canonical Novitiate, she made her perpetual profession on 12th August, 1936. Sr. Alphonsa returned to Bharananganam and joyfully followed the Community life. But a few weeks later she had a severe attack of fever which lasted for six months. Tuberculosis was suspected. The whole community made novenas to Saint Little Flower and Bl. Kuriakose Elias Chavara. She was cured miraculously. When questioned insistently by the superiors, she confessed that a Carmelite nun came to her side, touched and healed her. She had a vision of Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara also.
Though Sr. Alphonsa got cured of the serious sickness, she was always tormented by minor ailments. She might probably have prayed for that because of her desire to identify herself with her Divine Groom. She appeared quite well during daytime but suffered greatly at night. Those were sleepless nights for her. When asked ‘what she was doing during such time of the night?’ her response was that she was loving. Having been miraculously healed Sr. Alphonsa got back to her regular life with others subjugating herself to all types of trials and hardships and emerging always victorious.
Further afflictions began to appear one by one. She became seriously ill due to an attack of fever. Doctor diagnosed it as double pneumonia. Careful nursing and prayer by the community brought her back to health. During this period a thief entered her room and she was seized with panic. As a result of this encounter with the thief, she suffered a serious mental breakdown and started behaving like a child. She lost her memory and even the capacity to read or write. But even in this abnormal state of her mind, she was in deep communion with the Lord either praying earnestly for others or seeking pardon for the sins of others. It took almost one year to get back to the normal stage after the great shock. No sooner had she recovered from her nervous breakdown than she was assailed with another affliction. There appeared a boil on her groin which slowly became an abscess causing unbearable pain. She was unable even to eat and her health deteriorated. Thinking that she has come to her last moments, the Last Rites were administered to her. But as foretold by Sr. Alphonsa, the crisis passed and on 30th September, the Death anniversary of St. Little Flower, she recouped her health.
Though Sr. Alphonsa had been a victim of suffering throughout her life, she never voiced any complaint. She appeared like a beautiful Rose where only the beautiful flower is visible to the onlookers. But it grows on branches with thorns which are unnoticed by others. She was always found with a serene smile even though the thorns of agony were hidden inside, since she knew that God Almighty wanted her to endure this excruciating agony to make in her a grandeur of virtues. She never regretted her sufferings. She even prayed for more sufferings and God was pleased to grant her lofty enthusiasm.
In July 1945 Sr. Alphonsa had an attack of spasmodic pain which threw her into fits of violent convulsions. It began with prolonged vomiting and her body became quite cold as if frozen to the marrow. This leads to complete exhaustion and helplessness which lasts for three to seven hours. She was seen bathed in perspiration and seemed to grapple with death. This type of violent convulsions occurred frequently till her death. She was ready to suffer anything for the love of Jesus Christ. She prayed to God to transfer to her the Malaria of Sr. Thresia and the Bishop so that it may not affect their busy and important schedule. God was pleased to grant the prayer of His beloved. Very soon the Bishop and Sr. Thresia were found to be completely cured and Sr. Alphonsa had contracted Malaria!!
The final phase of her agonies had persisted for over a year. She felt that it was time for her to join her beloved Spouse. She sought permission from Rev. Fr. Romulus and Mother Ursula to pray for her death. On 16th July, 1946 Sr. Alphonsa wrote to the Mother General Rev. Sr. Bernerditta like this: ‘Even as the kite snatches off the chicken, so will the Lord snatch me away’. On Sunday, 28th July, 1946 her saintly soul flew silently to her Divine Maker, without any one standing around her deathbed being aware of it.
The next day 29th July 1946, witnessed a funeral which was very simple. The coffin was carried in procession to the parish church by the sisters of the convent. At the Requiem Mass her special Spiritual Director gave the prophetic sermon. Her body was laid to rest in the tomb of the newly built cemetery chapel. It was providential that Alphonsa was buried at the very same spot where one finds her venerated tomb located today.
St. Alphonsa’s room was very near to the convent school and the students had developed a very close contact with her. They were inspired and motivated by the holiness of Sr. Alphonsa. Her life was very short as she died at the age of 36. From the very next day after the funeral, the school children went to her tomb to put flowers and lighting candles on her grave. They found their favours received. Soon the fragrance of her virtues and saintly life spread far and wide and many miracles happened through her intercession. God was pleased to honour and exalt this humble soul. On February 8th, 1986 Sr. Alphonsa was raised to the status of Blessed and on 12th October, 2008 she was canonized by H. H. Pope Benedict XVI.
The striking aspects of her life were her childlike simplicity and her identification with the Crucified Christ. She had lofty esteem for the passion of Christ and was eager to fulfill in her body what was lacking in the affliction of Christ. She has held up before a questioning world, her conviction of the ultimate triumph of resignation to the Will of God and her tremendous faith in the redeeming value of suffering - physical and mental - endured on behalf of Christ. The keynote of her life was death to self and life to Christ and in Christ.
St. Alphonsa stands as a challenge to the modern world who deplores their grief and miseries. She was meant by our good God to teach us in this pleasure intoxicated age this truth: ‘unless a grain of wheat fall to the ground and decay, it cannot bear any fruit’ and that ‘he who doth not carry his cross and follow our Crucified Master is not worthy of Him’.
God has sent St. Alphonsa, to show us that suffering is not only useful, but necessary. She considered suffering as a gift from God. She teaches us by her example that we must suffer not only for our own sins, but for the sins of others too, as we are all members of the same Body of Christ. As Christ suffered for us, we too must suffer for one another and thus make up for what is wanting in the sufferings of Christ, since Our Lord can suffer no more, we have to suffer.
The secret of her holy life was that she carried on her ordinary duties in an extraordinary manner. Hers was the little way of St. Therese of Lisieux.
Taking into account the numerous miraculous cures happened through the intercession of St. Alphonsa, Mar Sebastian Vayalil, the bishop of Pala initiated the preliminary steps for her beatification and on 2nd December, 1953 H. E. Cardinal Tisserant formally inaugurated the process. After the long process of investigation, Sr. Alphonsa was beatified by H.H. Pope John Paul II along with Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Chavara CMI at Kottayam, Kerala. The Canonization of Bl. Alphonsa was on 12th October, 2008 by H. H. Pope Benedict XVI at Vatican.
The Govt. of India has graciously honoured the first Indian Woman Saint by releasing a commemorative postal stamp worth Rs. 5/- on 16th November, 2008.
The canonization of the saint was celebrated at Bharananganam on 9th November, 2008 in the valedictory function of which the chief guest was Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, our esteemed former president of India.
2010 is the birth centenary year of St. Alphonsa. The Centenary year was formally inaugurated on 23rd August, 2009 in a grand ceremony when Sri. Pranab Mukherjee, the Finance Minister was the chief guest. India’s highest esteem and recognition to the Saint was shown by releasing commemorative coins of Rs. 100/-and circulation coins worth Rs. 5/- on the occasion by honourable Minister for Finance, Sri Pranab Kumar Mukherjee.
Prayer of St. Alphonsa
Oh my Jesus, hide me in the wound of Thy Sacred
Heart. Free me from my evil desire to be loved and esteemed. Free me from my
desire to be loved and esteemed. Guard me from the mean pursuit of honour and
fame. Make me humble till I become a small spark in the flame of love in your
Sacred Heart. Grant me the grace to forget myself and all worldly things. My
Jesus, who is ineffable sweetness, transforms all the worldly consolations into
bitterness for me. Oh my Jesus, Sun of Righteousness, enlighten my
intellect and mind with your sacred rays. Purify my heart, consume me with
burning love for you, and make me one with you. By Thy Divine rays, clarify my
thoughts, illumine my mind, cleanse my heart, consume me in the fire of Thy
love, and thus unite me with Thee. Amen.
Prayer to St. Alphonsa
Oh! St. Alphonsa, you have been graciously chosen
from our midst to be united with Jesus Christ, our Saviour, in the mystery of
His passion, death and resurrection. You have grown to the heights of holiness
and have been crowned with heavenly glory.Help us in our trials and
tribulations. Oh, daughter of sufferings, obtain for us the grace to lead a
holy life, following your example- in total submission to the Will of God. Be
with us, transforming all our sorrows into a holy sacrifice in union with
Christ Crucified, in reparation for our sins, for the sanctification and the
salvation of the whole world. Amen.
Prayer for the intercession of
St. Alphonsa
Oh
Holy Spirit, descend upon us. Pour out Your gifts upon us and strengthen us in
faith. Guide us with the hope for the Kingdom of Heaven. Enkindle our hearts
with the fire of Divine love. Just as You led St. Alphonsa along the path of
sanctity, lead us also on the path of righteousness. Grant us the grace
to grow in sanctity and wisdom by serving you faithfully in humility and
gentleness.
Celebrant : With joy and hope in our hearts, let us pray “ Lord hear our prayer.”
All : Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant : Lord, You raised St. Alphonsa to the host of the Saint, fill us with the spirit of prayer and sacrifice.
All : Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant : Lord, grant us the grace to see the hand of God in all our sufferings and sorrows, like St. Alphonsa who bore witness to You through her sufferings and self sacrifice.
All : Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant : Lord Jesus, you offered Yourself as a victim on the cross for us sinners. St. Alphonsa imitated You by offering herself as a Victim on your altar. Grant us the strength and grace to offer ourselves to You every moment as a burnt offering, like this holy sister.
All : Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant : Lord Jesus, at the moment of Your death and agony You prayed to the Father saying: “Not my will but Thy will be done.” St. Alphonsa also imitated You praying in the same fashion. Help us to see You in our superiors and do Your will in all circumstances.
Celebrant : With joy and hope in our hearts, let us pray “ Lord hear our prayer.”
All : Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant : Lord, You raised St. Alphonsa to the host of the Saint, fill us with the spirit of prayer and sacrifice.
All : Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant : Lord, grant us the grace to see the hand of God in all our sufferings and sorrows, like St. Alphonsa who bore witness to You through her sufferings and self sacrifice.
All : Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant : Lord Jesus, you offered Yourself as a victim on the cross for us sinners. St. Alphonsa imitated You by offering herself as a Victim on your altar. Grant us the strength and grace to offer ourselves to You every moment as a burnt offering, like this holy sister.
All : Lord, hear our prayer.
Celebrant : Lord Jesus, at the moment of Your death and agony You prayed to the Father saying: “Not my will but Thy will be done.” St. Alphonsa also imitated You praying in the same fashion. Help us to see You in our superiors and do Your will in all circumstances.
All
: Lord, hear our prayer.
Let us pray
Merciful
and benevolent god, we offer ourselves completely to You. We give you thanks
for all the blessings You shower upon us. Forgive us our sins and offences.
Lord, You gave us St. Alphonsa as our model and mediator. We seek her
intercession now. Protect us from all evils, spiritual and material. Fill us
with Your blessings. We make this prayer in Your name, Father, Son and the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
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