Venerable Thomas Kurialacherry

Venerable Thomas of Kurialacherry (14 January 1873 – 2 June 1925) was a Catholic bishop from Kerala. Kurialacherry was a member of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, had his ordination in May 1899 from Cardinal Cassantha, and was bishop of what would become the Archdiocese of Changanacherry. He is also known for establishing the prestigious SB College Changanasserry, one of the oldest Institutions of Higher Education in Kerala, in 1922. Kurialacherry was born on 14 January 1873 as the sixth child of Chackochen and Accamma in Champakulam, Kerala. He was baptized on the eighth day and was christened Thomas. After his primary education, Thomas joined St.Ephrem school in Mannanam.It was during this time that he felt a strong desire to become a priest. In 1891, the vicariate of Kottayam was renamed Changanacherry and its headquarters moved to Changanassery. Kurialacherry's seminary education was at the Propaganda Fide in Rome. During the nine years he spent in Rome he excelled and became prefect of the seminarians. He was ordained on 27 March 1899 by Cardinal Cassantha at the Basilica of St. John in Lateran. After his ordination, he remained some time in Italy visiting various shrines. It was then that he was a guest for some days of Giuseppe Cardinal Sarto, Patriarch of Venice. While in Rome he was inspired by the piety of perpetual adoration sisters who spent day and night in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; so he decided to spread eucharistic devotion in his homeland. As an ardent devotee of the Blessed Sacrament, he zealously promoted the 40 and 13 hour devotions. In 1908, he founded the Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (SABS). Thomas Kurialacherry was appointed as the apostolic vicar of the Changanassery vicariate. He was consecrated on 3 December 1911 in Kandy, Ceylon. Bishop Kurialacherry was a social reformer and was enthusiastic about raising the marginalized sectors of society. He showed great care towards dalit Catholics.