Fr. Joshy | Fr. Thomas Puthenpurackal | Stories are sacred | Whisper from soul to soul | Love, when grounded in faith, can walk hand-in-hand with miracles | Global TV

Posted on: October 5, 2025

Veroor St. Joseph’s Church | Changanacherry  | A Legacy of Faith Since 1949 | Global TV

NV Paulose, Chairman, Global TV +91 98441 82044

Established in 1949, Veroor St. Joseph’s Church has been a cornerstone of the local community for over seven decades. As part of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanacherry, the church embodies the deep-rooted Christian traditions of Kerala. Its location in Industrial Estate Nagar, Changanassery, places it at the heart of a vibrant community that has a Global Presence over decades.

Artistic and Architectural Highlights

The church is renowned for its serene ambiance and distinctive architecture. One of its notable features is the idol of an angel, which has been highlighted by Kerala Tourism for its artistic significance.

Veroor St. Joseph’s Church has been featured in a documentary by Shalom TV, offering insights into its history and the vibrant community that surrounds it.

The church recently celebrated its 75th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in its journey of faith. This celebration coincides with the 25th anniversary of priesthood of the Present vicar, Fr. Joshy Puthenpurackal.

While the Church is a Sanctuary of Peace and a symbol of enduring calm through decades; Fr. Joshy spreads calm equally even in a Storm.  His strong personal grounding, spiritual clarity, and quiet strength; his Family is Faith Rooted and richly blessed in Life; here is a glimpse into the role-model values from his home.

“Calm even in a Storm: The Story of Fr. Joshy and the Sacred Ground of Changanassery”

People in the world or what we call the worldly people often traverse through their lives without much of a reflection. In such a scenario, it is rare to meet a priest like Fr. Joshy; a man whose presence is like a whisper of peace, even in the most turbulent times. Fr. Joshy (Fr. Thomas Puthenpurackal), stands at the altar with a life story that mirrors the calm achieved and demonstrated at the most challenging times in his life. On and often he went through such realities.

He often goes to the altar and reflect within to build a clear connect between his own consciousness with the super consciousness of his guiding light; the God. Altar is his venue for clarity and strength. It took him 11 hours to prepare the 18 minutes message of Maundy Thursday, it resulted in more confessions thereafter.

He tells the young priests to look up to and go close to God for solace and solutions equally. Need not refer speech models; go to the altar and you get the direct from the God through the verses in the bible. More you are at the feet of the God, your feet will be form on the ground of values and virtues.

Born in Punnamada, in the verdant Alleppey district, Fr. Joshy hails from a deeply faithful and reputed family. Yet, his calling was not a predetermined path. In fact, it came of late; not through dramatic signs or thunderous revelations, but as a gentle inner stirring that he initially brushed aside.

Even as the thought of priesthood began to echo within, he did not rush. He went for vocation training not with a firm desire to become a priest. There were other youngsters with him who intended to take up priesthood seriously. God’s eye was on not on them but on him and he recollect every instances that the good God had taken him effortlessly to the mission that require lot of effort. He often recollects the way God prepared him for the Unique mission.

Good stood with him at every instance of trial and turbulence; and his family? They protected him with everything that had strengthened his tender heart to bleed with the love of Christ. The family didn’t force him into the cassock anytime; Instead, they offered him something even more sacred; prayer and support.

Each time he leaned toward a decision, they reminded him: rethink and free-think. His calling, they believed, had to be authentic; not born of obligation, but conviction. The foundation of Fr. Joshy’s priestly ministry is deeply rooted in the unwavering determination, fervent prayer, and steadfast support of his family. His father, George, was a man of upright character marked by integrity, purity, and a quiet strength that shaped the family’s spiritual environment.

Piercing Prayers and Sharpened Responses: Mother Mariam

His mother, Mariam, was a woman of deep prayer and conviction. Her heart bore silent sacrifices. She instilled in her son the unshakable belief that it is better to face death than to fall into sin. Her prayers, like a sacred incense, rose continually to heaven, enveloping her son with divine grace throughout his journey. Her constant prayer echoed the devotion of Saint Monica.

Many years later, Fr. Joshy approached her as a seasoned priest, yet for a guidance on a situation that was bit turbulent as was unusual to the core of his upbringing. It was a painful occurrence, unexpected and unpredicted also unplanned. Meeting was taking place in his parish were church construction was underway. A lighter conversation went heated up. What was started as a fun-filled exchange of opinions turned to become an ego issue. Two of the parish council members came closer, but with anger, face to face. They started to push each other, refused to calm down for few moments; they never knew that they are creating a storm in the heart of their priest. Matter ended up faster; for the time being. Fr. Joshy took a decision to take a decision to seek a transfer from the parish, thinking, it would be the best that he can offer to the parish from his side. As usual, the idea was presented at home; mother asked him a question, what would be the outcome when you make yourself away from the conflict. What will happen there?

Fr. Joshy went back with clarity and withdrawing his idea of moving away from conflicts. The incident had strengthened him further. He went, as usual, to the altar whenever he had something to decide or act on. It remain a regular habit for him to take everything from the abundance of the heart of Jesus.

Caring Brother Guarding Sisters:

Fr. Joshy’s brother, Moncy, embodied obedience and brotherly love. Even as a young student, he accepted with maturity to take significant responsibilities beyond several years. True to his word, he pursued his goals with diligence and faith. God, seeing the sincerity of his heart, blessed his endeavors and made his dreams to take flight, expanding his business far and wide.

His sisters, Jessamma and Laisamma, stood beside him like guardian angels. Eever watchful and ever loving. They offered their quiet strength and spiritual protection, guiding him away from error and shielding him from sin with a sisterly grace that mirrored divine care.

Two months prior to his priestly ordination; on the final day to submit his consent to become a priest, the deadline was 7:00 PM. His father, a man of unwavering values, gave him an instruction: “Keep everything ready; but, sign and submit it at 6:59 PM. Until then, let the door of decision to join or not to join stay open.”

But once the decision was made; once Fr. Joshy chose to walk the path of Christ, the clarity in the family became even more defined. His father told the other son with firmness: “Never let him bring a rupee home from the church. And now it is your responsibility to care for your brother. He belongs to the people of God.” Those who visit the family, today, may not see anything substantial in this; the family is well-off. One should go back and trace those days the family had a modest living but great respect on account of the value systems followed and the dignity maintained. It is also a message for those who are having a modest living today to know that the future is created with dignity and integrity.

Come back to the directive of Fr. Joshy’s Father to his brother. That brother, equally young and uncertain at the time, obeyed without question. What followed could be described only as divine favour; his business life flourished, his ventures expanding across states and even nations, as if grace itself moved through his honesty and obedience.

There are stories that explain a man’s greatness; and then there are stories that reflect the values that shaped him. One day, Fr. Joshy brought a cake home; a simple gesture. Perhaps it had been gifted in gratitude by a parishioner. But his father, with his eyes trained on eternal truths rather than sweet temptations, quietly refused to cut it. His words were simple, yet profoundly piercing:

“If the cake was given to the parish priest, it belongs to the parish; not this home.” Such clarity. Such reverence for the vocation of his son. It was never about the cake; it was about boundaries, integrity, and a fierce commitment to the dignity of the priestly calling. “In case you wish to bring home something, let that be a chocolate bought from the coins from your allowance; that would make me happier much more than you bringing what belongs to the parish home.”

It is rare to encounter such alignment between a man’s mission and his family’s clarity about that mission. And yet, Changanassery; this land crisscrossed with waterways, chapels, and centuries of Christian faith; is not unfamiliar with such stories. There are many such families here; homes where vocations are nurtured, not pushed; where sacrifice is not mourned, but embraced; where the priest or nun in the family is not an escape from responsibility but the beginning of greater accountability for everyone else.

This land; this blessed soil of Changanassery; has always carried a unique power. From its tranquil backwaters to the candle-lit sanctuaries, it has produced countless priests and nuns who serve far and wide, often unnoticed, yet deeply impactful. Their roots are here, in the silence of these courtyards, the strength of these families, and the unshakable rhythm of faith that has passed down for generations. As Veroor St. Joseph’s Church marks 75 years, and Fr. Joshy his 25th in priesthood, we are reminded not only of milestones but of meanings. Of choices made quietly. Of support offered without strings. Of faith that isn’t just practiced on Sundays but lived out in every whispered decision.

When Tears Baptized the Unconscious: A Son’s Anointing and a Father’s Return

It was just the 28th day of Fr. Joshy’s priestly life; a time when every newly ordained priest dreams of offering his early days in prayer, celebration, and humble service. But for Fr. Joshy, the joy of his sacred beginning was abruptly shaken by a devastating blow. His father, the very man who had nurtured his vocation with silent strength and moral clarity, suffered a massive brain haemorrhage. The diagnosis was grim. The doctors, seasoned in such tragedies, offered no false hopes. Survival, they said, was unlikely.

According to Catholic tradition, when a person is nearing death, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is administered to prepare the soul for the final journey. In most cases, another priest would be called upon to perform the sacred ritual for the family of a fellow priest. But Fr. Joshy did not hesitate. He approached his Vicar with a solemn request: “I wish to anoint my father myself.”

And so, with trembling hands and a heart torn between priestly composure and filial sorrow, he stood beside his unconscious father. His newly anointed fingers traced the cross on the forehead of the man who had raised him, guided him, and told him to sign the priesthood consent form at 6:59 PM to ensure total freedom.

As he anointed his father, tears fell like baptismal drops, rolling down his cheeks and landing gently on the face of the man who lay still. But God had a different script. He slowly started showing the early signs of recovery.

An emergency neurosurgery was deemed necessary. The pressure inside the brain had to be relieved immediately; and for that, a delicate and life-saving device called an External Ventricular Drain (EVD) was required. This slender, sterile catheter is inserted into the ventricles of the brain to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid and blood, easing the crushing pressure inside the skull. Without it, the brain damage would escalate rapidly. But there was a crisis. The hospital didn’t have the EVD in stock. The nearest source was miles away, and time was running out.

And then; as if divine intervention had been planted days in advance, a junior doctor recalled something peculiar. Months earlier, a medical representative had given him two sample EVD kits, which were lying untouched in his medical bag.

They were located, sterilized, and swiftly brought to the surgical team. The procedure went ahead; a race against time, with prayer and precision in equal measure. Miraculously, Fr. Joshy’s father survived. He would go on to live not just days, but seven more years; a full cycle of seasons, stories, and many evenings with his wife and children. Years in which he witnessed his son not only grow into priesthood but become a calm guide for many, just as he had once been for him. It was a moment where medicine met mystery; where tubes and tears, sacraments and science, all aligned under the unseen orchestration of grace.

Some stories are too sacred to analyze. They are not made for headlines. They are made to be whispered from soul to soul, as proof that love, when grounded in faith, can walk hand-in-hand with miracles.