13.08.1942-25.05.2022

Fr Ephrem was working as a psychogical animator and therapist in ICTA, Kalamassery, Ernakulam, since 2015. A few months ago, he had published a book titled “OK, Not OK, Still OK!”, which may be considered an epigrammatic statement of his philosophy of life. On May 16 afternoon, he concluded a five-day retreat and was planning for another from May 23. Unfortunately on the 18th May, 2022, he  suffered a cardiac arrest which seriously damaged his lungs and kidneys. And, despite excellent care, he passed away on 25th evening. The body was brought to Calicut and was laid to rest on 27th, in the Jesuit cemetry.

For his age, going to be 80 in August, Ephrem’s health was good. He took good care of it, preferring alternative medical systems whenever possible. And he was often on the social media offering counsel on healthy and happy living. Fr Ephrem’s home parish is Edoor near Iritty in Kannur district. His parents were honoured by the Thalassery Archdiocese as risk-taking pioneers of the immigration movement from central Kerala to Malabar. Three of Fr Ephrem’s sisters are nuns.

Fr Ephrem underwent pre-novitiate training and the pre-degree studies in St Joseph’s College, Trichi.In 1960 he joined the novitiate in Beschi College, Dindigul, and after five months came over to Kozhikode with the other Kerala men to continue the novitiate in Christ Hall. His ordination was in 1974, and his final profession in 1983.

Fr Ephrem is an example of people who smoothly pass from one effective career to another and proceed to make it also equally effective. For 25 years he was first a teacher and then the Headmaster in St Joseph’s High School, Thiruvananthapuram, with short stints also in Loyola, Thiruvananthapuram, and AKJM, Kanjirappally. The secret of his success as an educator was having ‘solid learning and an effective way of communicating it’, as our Constitutions demand, and his wide interests. He was one of the early resource persons in the province on the Ignatian Pedagogy Paradigm. He was also blessed with a geniality which won him the respect and the cooperation of his colleagues and students. On his retirement, the diocesan management of
St Joseph’s High School established in his honour an annual Fr Ephrem Basketball Tournament.

After his retirement from the school, Fr Ephrem took a Master’s degree in Counselling and he started his second career -- as psychological therapist and guide, first in SRC, Kozhikode, and then in ICTA, Kalamassery, in all about 20 years. In that life, he was an unstoppable learner of new skills and new knowledge. He was also an innovator and adapter. We see that in the title of of his book, “I Am OK, I Am Not OK, and That’s OK”, in place of the common cliché, “I Am OK And You Are OK”. Through his counselling and especially through the workshop he developed on Self-esteem, he helped vast numbers of people to hold their heads erect and walk confidently on this earth in the freedom of the children of God.

His unexpected departure deprives the province of a precious resource and leaves his family, clients and friends with a feeling of personal loss.

Fr Ephrem, remember that while you are perfectly OK up there, it’s not that OK with us down here. We should take a cue from you and say: “And that’s OK”!

Joseph Pulickal