Annakutty started her schooling at Arpookara and left for Muttuchira Govt. School for pursuing her studies from the fourth class onwards under the immediate supervision of her maternal aunt Annamma Muricken. The aunt brought her up extremely affectionately, but equally strictly also. Her one ambition was that the child should be brought up as a respectable housewife for a deserving bridegroom. Annakutty had a vision of St. Theresa of Liseux whose life in spired her to become a religious. She therefore did not yield to any marriage proposal. Finally when she was almost compelled to be betrothed at to the church, she extricated herself from it by voluntary burning her foot placing it an ash pit of burning husks. Against such determine resistance the aunt succumbed to her desire and permitted her to join a convent .
Annakutty joined Clarist convent at Bharananganam in 1927 on the feast of Pentecost. She recived the veil postulant on second August 1928 with the name Alphonsa. Her vestition was on 19th May 1930. Later she joined the St. Theresa’s School Chenganacherry for higher studies, on completing which she engaged in teaching for a period of one year at Vakakkad. Sr. Alphonsa entered the novitiate on 12th August 1935. During this period, she had a sever attack of hemorrhage and it was feared that she would have to be sent back. But on the ninth day of novena held by her and the community seeking intercession of Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavera, she was miraculously cured her. She completed the novitiate and made the solemn profession of her religious vows on 12th August 1936.
Sr. Alphonsa continued to have her repeated spells of sickness and pain. She was on a bed of thrones torn and tortured by excruciating pain and prolonged agony. Here was an rejoiced in the lord and magnified him. She was longing to suffer even more for her own sanctification and that of the world.
She constantly advised her companions and novices to accept
suffering cheerfully citing the biblical references to the grain of wheat
which has to fall down and decay for raising new sprouts; it has to be ground
in order to be turned into hosts for transformation as the body of Our Lord.
She also reminded them of the grapes which have to be crushed for yielding
wine to become the blood of the Lord.
Her death(28th July 1946) was unnoticed by the public. The funeral was simple
and thinly attended. But soon the school children , who loved her received
favors through her intercession. Her tomb at Bharananganam turned into a great
centre of pilgrimage attracting people from far and near.
H.E. Cardinal Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan process
for her beatification on 2nd December 1953. The Long diocesan and subsequent
apostolic processes bore fruit when on 9th November 1984 the Holy Father officially
declared that she had practiced the Christian virtues heroically. A miracle
wrought through her intercession was also formally approved by the Pope on
6th July 1985.
Providence has been pleased to bestow on this generation the grace to see
a daughter of the soil, a seed of the ancient Christian community of Kerala
and India, beatified (8th February 1986) in her homeland by the Supreme Pontiff
during his visit to this chosen land.
Kerala nun 'Blessed' Alphonsa is now Saint Alphonsa after she was canonised by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony at St. Peter's Square here Sunday, (12-October-2008) becoming the first Indian woman saint.She is the first woman saint of the Indian church, which claims 2,000 years of history.
Born: August 19, 1910, Kottayam district, Kerala, India
Died: July 28, 1946, Bharananganam
Venerated in: Roman Catholic Church
Beatified: February 8, 1986, Kottayam by Pope John Paul II
Canonized: October 12, 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.
Feast: July 28
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