OBITUARY

FR JOSEPH KALLEPALLIL, S.J.

(22.9.1943 – 06.06.2024)

Fr Joseph Kallepallil left us for his eternal reward on 6 June 2024. Born into a family of farmers in Perumbaikad in Kottayam District as the second of four sons on 22 September 1943, Fr Joseph Kallepallil (fondly called Kalleppally), was a hyperactive child. He readily would help his mother in the kitchen and his father in the house or the farm. He was an average student in the school, never considered an intellectual. But he made his presence felt in the classroom, and more on the play field with his extraordinary managerial skills. 

After his Pre-University course at St Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapally, Kalleppally entered the Society of Jesus on 15 June 1962 at Christ Hall, Kozhikode. Taking his First Vows on 16 June 1964 he continued at Kozhikode for four more years - one year for Juniorate at Christ Hall, and three years for BSc at St Joseph’s College, Devagiri. Later, he earned a B.Ed from St Xavier’s College, Calcutta. He completed his priestly studies at Shembaganur and Pune. As a Jesuit scholastic, he would go beyond the call of duty to make life more comfortable and secure for others. On the basketball court and in the hockey field his real enthusiasm for games manifested itself with occasional flare of anger. He is also remembered as one of the pioneers of the well-known SALT programme of the Kerala scholastics, an innovative step when Jesuit scholastics in most provinces had no organised summer programme. 

Fr Kalleppally was ordained a priest on 20 March 1976 at St Joseph’s HS Thiruvananthapuram by Bishop Bernard Pereira. He made his final commitment to the Society of Jesus on February 2, 1982. After his ordination, his first assignment was to St Joseph’s H.S. Thiruvananthapuram. With the unstinted support of Fr Varkey Cheruvally, the then Headmaster, he could put up a four-story building comprising 28 classrooms for the school. This monumental work stands as the first significant memorial for Fr Kallepally. Gradually, he evolved into an expert builder for the Province. Credit goes to him for the five-story building at Loyola School, Trivandrum; the ground floor of this huge building is used for parking the school buses. He landed at St Joseph’s School, Kozhikode in 1985 and eventually took up the headmastership from Fr Thomas Anthraper. His innate uneasiness regarding the lack of classrooms and suitable halls for the school urged him to construct the present auditorium. As Provincial, he felt the need for spacious rooms for the Province offices and the outcome was the present Curia Building at Christ Hall with the refectory below and Province offices above. The Pre-novitiate building at Pachilakad shows the engineering feat of Fr Kallepally. He combines aesthetic beauty with comfort and convenience in a remarkable way.  

The most blessed and memorable event in his life was at the bi-centenary (1793-1993) celebration of St Joseph’s School at Kozhikode when he was the Headmaster. St Mother Theresa of Happy Memory visited the school and addressed the jampacked audience of parents, students and the general public on January 14, 1994. This was a glorious moment for St Joseph’s School and the entire credit for this goes to Fr Kallepally and his organisational skill.

He served the Society as a Provincial from 12 May 2009 to 14 June 2014. His earlier experience as Minister and Treasurer of Christ Hall and later Socius to the Provincial equipped him well for this key role. He always remained a friend reaching out to all whether they were students, parents, fellow Jesuits or co-workers. Wherever he worked, he proved himself to be a trailblazer. His genuine concern for persons urged him to do more for their wellbeing. After his retirement in 1996, he served as a Pastor in Newark Archdiocese, the USA, for three years. 

The last blow that broke this great man’s indomitable spirit was a paralysing stroke at Pachilakad. God’s ways are beyond human calculations and planning. Finally, we found him at Christ Hall waiting for the Lord’s final call. And that call came on 6 June 2024. 

A large number of students, teachers, parents and many sisters and priests came to pay their last respects to Kallepally. This manifests how he endeared himself to all those people who approached him for various needs. The Society can proudly say that he was a loyal son of St Ignatius. May the Lord of the harvest bless him and reward him with heavenly bliss. May he enjoy the fullness of life and love in God’s presence. Adieu, dear Fr Kallepally, till we meet again.

Fr Raphael Thottan, SJ & Fr Joseph Edasserry, SJ