ordination sacerdotale de Binu Jose Palaparambil M.Afr.

Ordination of Binu Jose Palaparambil M.Afr.

On the 17th of May 2008 Archbishop Mathew Moolakkatt of Kottayam ordained Fr.Binu Jose Palapparambil. Our fourth Indian priest.

By bus and train staff and most of the SOLA students journeyed to Memury parish in the green hills of Kottayam district in Kerala to be present. Also most of the stagiaires on holidays, Fr Piet and Martin and Mr. Taji and Mr. Roy, our driver and cook came to the feast. Our confrere Fr. Paul Hannon also had come all the way from Nairobi, Kenya, to represent the formation community where Fr. Binu had lived and studied for the last few years and also his future province to be: Tan-Ken-Sud.

. .

There we were around and in a colourful church on top of a green hill, the houses of the village hidden in the rubber plantations, between the coconut palms and downhill the sprouting rice paddies.

It was a beautiful ceremony. Like most of our Kerala students Fr. Binu belongs to the ancient Syro-Malabar Church of the Christians who received the faith from St. Thomas the Apostle and to a special section within it, the Knanite Christian community.

. .

It is always impressive to assist at the Qurbana, the Eucharistic celebration in the Syrian rite. The whole congregation joins in the singing together with their priests. But for this ordination-ceremony professional liturgical singers had been brought in and sang it beautifully.

. .

Special honour was given to Fr. Binu’s parents. They were introduced to the archbishop when he arrived and accompanied their son in the procession to the church carrying the vestments. There they presented him for ordination, had seats of honour and brought in the offerings. Fr. Binu’s father has been sacristan in the parish for over 40 years. After the ceremony Fr. Binu baptised his sister’s child.

. .

Meanwhile good food was scooped out of huge pots to feed the whole congregation. And people sat around in the sunshine enjoying the company.

. .

Who will be the fifth Indian Missionary of Africa? In August brother Leo…………… will be ordained a deacon.

Fathers Piet, John (Mst) and Paul