Fr

Fr. Jose writing on:

Meet Father Jose...

My official name is Jose Puthenparambil. In India I am usually called: Fr. Jose Navez (Navez is my pen name. It carries the meaning of the first part of my last name: Puthen. Puthen means “new” and Parambil means “in the field”). These are MALAYALAM words. Malayalam is my mother-tongue, one among many Indian languages. I was baptized on a March 19, which is the feast of St. Joseph. That is why I was given the name Joseph. Jose is the shortened form of Joseph. It is pronounced not as Hoseh but as Joes.

I was born in Kerala, a small state in South West India. Since our State is at the Western side of the Peninsula, tsunami did not hit us severely as it hit Tamilnadu, which is our neighboring State at the Eastern side.

I am the middle child (the fifth one) of nine children born to our parents Matthew and Clare. My father left to eternity in 1973, on the day when I completed my Philosophy studies at the seminary. My mother who nurtured all the nine children until all were settled in life left us for eternity seven years ago. All my siblings (two brothers: Thomas and Alphonse, and six sisters: Mary, Philomina, Anna, Lissy, Rose and Beena) are married and I have 24 nieces and nephews.

I joined the Seminary when I was 15, after my high school (school life in Kerala ends with the 10th grade). I was ordained a priest when I was 25 (on March 14th, 1978), the year Pope John Paul was consecrated as Pope.

I ministered in different parishes in our Diocese (Vijayapuram) for ten years and then in the Diocesan center before I came to USA for higher studies. Two years as pastoral associate and eight years as Pastor. Besides parish ministry, I was also engaged in doing Parish Mission, retreats, and training of Catechists and teachers of religious education. I was also the Vocation Director and Director of Religious Education of our Diocese.

In 1991 I came to USA for higher studies. It was with the help and support of Joseph and Agnes Panther (Mount Pleasant, Iowa), who sponsored me through my entire Seminary Studies and who also visited me in India after my Ordination, I was able to come to America. After some initial studies at Loyola University Chicago, and at St. Ambrose University, Davenport Iowa, I went to New York and studied at Fordham University at its Bronx and Manhattan Campuses. I studied there (besides ministering in Parishes and doing Chaplaincy in a Jewish Hospital and then in a Catholic Hospital) for 9 years and got three Degrees:

MA in Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Direction

APD (Advanced Profession Diploma in Religious Education

PhD in Pastoral Theology (Church Leadership)

Besides these degrees I have Masters in Theology from Pontifical Institute, Alwaye, Kerala, India.

I am also a graduate of the School of Charismatic Spiritual Directors at Pecos Benedictine Monastery, New Mexico, USA. In 1999 I went back to India and began teaching Theology in our Major Seminary besides directing the Religious Education of our Diocese. I was also the coordinator for our Diocesan Synod (2001) and other renewal programs in our Diocese, which formed part of our Mega Jubilee Celebrations of the year 2000

Our Diocese: VIJAYAPURAM

Vijayapuram is a Mission Diocese in Kerala evangelizing and ministering especially to the former untouchables who were considered as the least in the society. In Hinduism, which graded people into four castes: Brahmanas (Priestly Class), Kshatriayas (Soldier Class), Vaisias (Business Class) and Sudras (Servant class) these untouchables were not considered even to be included in this ladder of society. Under the Political and social as well as religious discrimination they were left out and failed to come up the ladder of the society. They were left economically, educationally and culturally poor. Our diocese is the fruition of the missionary work of the Carmelite Missionaries of Navarre Province, Spain, who began Missionary work among these untouchables making them aware that they are also fully human beings, the children of God, and who were committed to the uplifting of these people. They began to build churches and schools and help them to build their own houses, educate their children and train their youth for decent living.

Our Diocese was set up in 1930 and this (2005) is the Platinum Jubilee Year of our Diocese. Under the leadership of our Bishop Peter Thuruthikonam, we the priests, religious and lay ministers continue to minister to our more than 82,000 people in 75 parishes and 100 mission stations. With the support of the society of the Propagation of Faith and our benefactors we help our people to come up the ladder of the society “growing in grace, wisdom and favor with God and people”

Some of our ministries besides liturgical and pastoral are: Training the youth for priesthood and religious life, Social services for helping our people to build or repair their own houses, to educate children, to train youth, to create job facilities for them and to heal people through dispensaries and hospitals. Our Bishop is now in the process of building a hospital for the poor in an area where there are no good hospitals, schools and other institutes to educate and train our children and youth, orphanages and destitute homes (we have sixteen of them, one run by the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Theresa) to care for the poor and abandoned, religious education, education and social programs for informing, forming and transforming our people spiritually, socially and culturally.

Our Diocese (Bishop, priest, religious and laity) thanks the people and leadership at the Epiphany parish for their continued support especially to our religious education and social service programs.

I began coming to Epiphany in 2001 and this is the third time I am here. I come here more for the cause of our Diocese, to find help and support to our Diocese and our ministry. I was here for one month in 2001, and for two months in 2002 and now I am here from July 2003. I will be going back to India at the beginning of November 2005. It was Kathy Rennie of Bloomington with the help of Cindy Speltz who helped me to come to Epiphany. Kathy is a friend of our Diocese and has initiated and runs a program called WE SHARE, Inc. to care for the poor children and families in our Diocese. Epiphany has become a great inspiration for me. That is why I was coming here again and again. I admire the people, the priests and the programs here. Fr. Reiser has taught and inspired me a lot as a wonderful pastor, teacher and leader. He has helped me to minister to my diocese in a far better way especially in coordinating our Diocesan Synod (in 2001) and Religious Education Programs. Fr. Kennedy has inspired me with his great leadership, friendship and compassion. Now Fr. Dennis Zehren, who is my house mate, is inspiring me with his spirituality, wisdom and leadership.

The people in the parish have inspired me so much with their wonderful spirituality and openness, love, and generosity. It is evident in their participation in the Eucharistic Celebrations, visit for the Holy hour, coming to confession, and the volunteering in more than 100 ministries in the Parish. I enjoyed ministering to our children especially through the Vacation Bible Schools, ministering to our youth especially being with them at two Steubenville North Conferences, and to the adults especially through teaching, counseling, and Life in the Spirit Seminars. I enjoy being with the Men of Epiphany every Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. for Bible studies and sharing. I enjoyed working with them for the Way of the Cross on Good Friday.

I appreciate very much the love and care the staff, the Sisters and the volunteers are giving me. I enjoy ministering here especially by celebrating the Eucharist, hearing confessions, blessing houses, counseling and praying with people for healing. Fr. Kennedy has helped me to be the Catholic Chaplain at Mercy and Unity Hospitals. That gives me more opportunity to minister to the sick and their families and I was able see at the hospitals many miracles (as well as at Epiphany) of the power of prayer which healed people and their families.

I had the privilege of joining some dedicated young people in India to begin Christeen (Christ for teenagers or teenagers for Christ). It is the teens wing of charismatic movement in India (and now abroad) for helping the children and teenagers to know and love Christ by being inspired by the Holy Spirit and taught by the Word of God. It has helped my children and teenagers to grow holy lives saved from harmful influences and habits (addictions).

When I go back to India I will be engaged more in teaching in the Seminary and other formation houses; in doing retreats and mission besides working in our pastoral Center.