A BRIEF LIFE HISTORY OF ALPHONSAMMA

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Blessed Alponsa was born on 19th August 1910 as the fourth child of
Joseph and Mary Muttathupadath, in the parish of Kudamaloor in the
state of Kerala. She was baptized on the 27th August. Her baptismal
name was Anna and her pet name Annakutty. Her mother passed away three
moths after her birth.

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.

Now Sr. Alphonsa is to be declared as Saint by Pope Benedict XVI. All
the canonization process was over.

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