Dr Paulose

Special year for St. Alphonsa, the first Indian woman saint –Saint of our time

August 10, 2010

The inauguration of the celebrations by President Prathibha Patil. Cardinal. Varkey Vithayathil stresses the value of the saint for our time: to return to God and give value to suffering. A world without God leads to chaos and violence. Suffering is considered a curse. Marking the birth of St. Alphonsa, serves to “suggest to the world that it return to God and love of Him.” “Man – continues the cardinal – is trying to develop this world without God and the result is chaos and violence-“Turn to God” would be Saint Alphonsa\’s message, because St Alphonsa loved God with all her heart ”

Alphonsa Muttathupadathu (August 19, 1910 – July 28, 1946) is the first Indian woman to be elevated to sainthood. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1986 and decided as a saint by the pope Benedict XVI on March 1, 2008. It was officially declared on October 12, 2008.

On February 8, 1986, almost 40 years after her death, Pope John Paul II beatified her at Kottayam. On June 1, 2007 Pope Benedict XVI authorized her canonization. She will be the first female saint from India and the second saint from India. In the 19th century, Saint Gonsalo Garcia, born in Vasai near Mumbai to an Indian mother and Portuguese father in 1556, was declared a saint.

Posthumously

Her tomb in Bharananganam has become a pilgrimage site these days as miracles have reported by some devotees. The miracle attributed to her intercession and approved by Vatican for the canonization was the healing of club foot of an infant in 1999.

Beatification

On December 2, 1953, Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Cardinal Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan process for her beatification. Pope John Paul II formally approved a miracle attributed to her intercession and Alphonsa was declared Servant of God on 9 July 1985 and she became known as Venerable Sister Alphonsa. She was beatified along with Kuriakose Elias Chavara at Kottayam.

Canonization

The miracle attributed to her intercession and approved by Vatican for the canonization was the healing of club foot of an infant in 1999.

Sainthood

On October 12, 2008, Pope Benedict will declare Blessed Alphonsa as the first woman saint of India.

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St.Alphonsa church Pongummoodu TVM

St.Alphonsa Church at Pongummoodu, City of  Trivandrum.

There is very beautiful church at pongummoodu, Trivandrum where mortal remains of our beloved saint is kept as relic.

If anyone visiting Kerala, especially Trivandrum-Please visit this church and pray.This church may become a great pilgimage centre in the furure.

For Details- Fr.Sony .M. Tel- 09446329242

Email: sonymundunadackal@gmail.com

http://www.alphonsa.net/

Jubilee Memorial Hospital, Trivandrum.

This Christian Mission Hospital is situated in City of Trivandrum, not far from the St.Alphonsa Church at Pogummodu, only 5-6 km from the city.

Email: drpaulose@yahoo.com

Web: http://www.jubileehospital.org/