Joseph Kundukulam


Mar Joseph Kundukulam was the first metropolitan archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur, from 1970 to 1997. Kundukulam was succeeded by Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy. Kundukulam retired as archbishop in 1997 and died at Wamba, Kenya on 26 April 1998. His corpse was taken to Kerala by a special aircraft and was buried at Our Lady of Lourdes Metropolitan Cathedral, Thrissur on 29 April 1998.

Career

Kundukulam completed his ecclesiastical studies at St Mary’s Major Seminary in Trichur and at St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary in Aluva. Kundukulam was ordained priest on 20 December, 1942. Kundukulam was a member of the pastoral ministry until he was nominated to become a Bishop. He also served as the director of St. Anne's Charitable Institute from 1958 to 1970. In 1967 Kundukulam founded St. Christina's Home in Pullazhy, which a rehabilitation center for Unwedded mothers.
Kundukulam had a close relationship with Congress Leader K. Karunakaran. During the visit of Pope John Paul II to India in 1986, a visit to Thrissur had not been scheduled. Mar Joseph Kundukulam sent a request to Karunakaran to bring the Pope to Thrissur and Karunakaran was able to schedule a papal visit to Thrissur. Vinod Rai was the District Collector of Thrissur that time, and the necessary arrangements were made for the papal visit. Pope visited Thrissur on February 7th 1986.