By the grace of God, on February 5th 2001, I could organize this St.Thomas Apostle Parish, with the inspiration and collaboration of some of our far-sighted parishioners--such as Jay Joseph, Nixon, Nelson, Kunjumon and a few others--in Yorba Linda. At that time, we didn’t have a penny or cent of land as our own; all the Church vestments etc. I had to bring from India--this was all before we had a Syro-Malabar Diocese; Bishop Angadiath was not yet ordained a Bishop. And our St.Thomas Parish Church was the first church to be bought by parishioners’ own money. We have not received a single penny from Chicago or anywhere for this parish--it is completely parishioners’ own contribution.
By Divine Providence, and by the untiring work of its Founding Pastor (myself) and people of good will, we have been growing steadily, day by day: First, we procured the Church in Fullerton, and then ( by 2006 August), we possessed this Church at Santa Ana. Though this one-acre land with the Church building costs more than $ three million, the Orange Bishop, considering my services in his Diocese earlier as an Associate, sold it to us just for $ one and a half million. In fact, ours is the ‘Best Parish’ on all accounts in the Syro-Malabar Diocese--that is the reason why many are eager to come down to this parish.
With no, or Nominal Salary. In order to make our Parish a full-fledged Parish with the Pastor permanently residing in the Church campus, at the beck and call of the parishioners, I had to make a lot of sacrifices: In the early years of this parish, I was rendering service absolutely gratis to our parish, without burdening our parishioners at all. Later, after moving to Santa Ana, I have been taking only $ one thousand ( $ 1000 ), while the normal salary for priests in the Orange Diocese is over $ three thousand. Even in our Syro-Malabar Diocese, priests are give car, and car allowance and house allowance for which I never made a claim. I came here, not for any pecuniary gain, or for popular adulation; but, to serve the Lord; I lived a solitary life in this Rectory, doing my own cooking, dish-washing etc. (with occasional help from some good people).Now, I am happy, there will be one more priest, my own student, the new pastor, in this campus. I now really rejoice that our parish, like the mustard seed of the Gospels, has grown to this vast dimension. Of course, the little financial savings I have, I spend for the Missions, and for helping others.
Residence Right, and Social Security Benefits. Bishop Angadiath (whose Guru I am) has been urging me from 2005 on, to retire, and return to India. If I had consented to his urging then, now there would not have been this lovely, thriving parish in Santa Ana.
For the last two years, he has been telling me persistently to retire. Finally, I said, ‘O.K. ‘As the Bishop of the Diocese, you may appoint a new pastor. I welcome your new appointee. He too is my student’. But Bishop Angadiath, was insisting that I should go back to India, since my residence in the Rectory will be a financial burden to the parish, and since the Rectory is small. No Financial Burden; No Shortage of Space. Since I get the Social Security Benefits from the government, I will not be a Financial Burden to anyone. And since there is ample space here in the Church Campus, there is no residence problem either for the new Pastor--so none of the objections are valid.
Illegal. Besides, it is against the law of this country, to force a person to quit his residence where he has been living over four years; any co-operation to this illegal attempt, is illegal as well.
Finally, my dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, I will be living quietly here in this old rectory, doing any service I can to anybody. My presence here, far from being a block to the progress of this parish community, will surely be, a help, especially to the new pastor. I intend to launch into the vast field of Mission work worldwide for the Lord; also for the writing Apostolate.’The Harvest is plenty’. I visited recently Japan and North Indian Missions with a missionary motivation. We should obey God rather than men’(Acts, 5.29).
Thanks to one and all of you for your co-operation and support so far.
If anyone of you has offended me, or if I have offended anyoneof you, let us forget it all, and erase it from our heart and soul and mind. ‘It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned’--sings St.Francis of Assisi. Let us all sing Halleluya to the Lord for all His wonderful deeds.
Kattackal Achan July 30th 2010
13 comments:
Rev. Angadiath Bishop:
Please don't play landlord & God. Read Mathew 23:23-24. Rev. Kottackal cannot be evicted. This is not Kerala. You are brainwashing your brothers and sisters. You are just like one of them other than you wearing a KATHAKALI THOPI & A STICK. Be nice to Rev. Kottackal who is your teacher and older brother in Jesus.
Anybody who still attends or supports this scam of a church is a fool. Open your goddamn eyes and see that everyone from the top down, is about money, and there is nothing Christ-like about it. Jacob Kattackal (I refuse to call him Father) is a fraud whose sole purpose is to a. stay in America b. con the easily duped populous into providing him with a steady stream of cash.
What part of that don't you understand?
One more thing, if the public stopped giving money to this church today, Jacob would be out on the street. Kattackal, you sir have forgotten about EVICTION.
"Illegal. Besides, it is against the law of this country, to force a person to quit his residence where he has been living over four years; any co-operation to this illegal attempt, is illegal as well."
Oh, Mar Angadiath, here comes the legal argument! Another head ache for you, from your own ‘guru’! So, don't let any one under your control live in any property, under your control, for more than 4 years.
Call your ‘legal team’ right away.
You "faithful, obedient and generous" (lay people) losers you all are losers forever!! You will be prosecuted for illegal trespassing if you step in to the property you bought with your own cash for these clowns.
Freezing your bank account is much better than taking over (encroaching) your property by wanderers! Frozen will/did melt away slowly.
WARNING TO ALL U.S.-Syros: don't be excessively enthusiastic about the Sunday sermons for donations AND the weekly retreat preachers whose only aim is cash collection. Don’t you see the retreats all over – Fathers, Brothers, Retired college principal and peon team, just ordained young and immature preachers etc. DO NOT feed the cash hungry. If you have too much money send it to me!
OkcahC5 07/30/10
This is from one of the parishioners of Syro-Malabar Church in Santa Ana, California.
Oh!Kattackal, it may be little difficult for you to leave the church in Santa Ana, and take root in some other churches or place, as a matter of fact you may not have any problem to find one. Because your qualification itself is very profound and your deeds are very well written in every parishioners in this community.
Acho, I called you Achan because you wear the Loha, an outer wear meant for the priests, are you a priest? But I can say that all you have done here in California is just a show. From the very beginning of the story has not been told yet. You said on February 5th, 2001, you have organized this St. Thomas Apostle Parish with the help of the individuals you named there, but you did not even mention several others those who were part of the process from the concept of having a church of our own. At that point the birth of our Church has already begun. Are you ashamed of telling the truth, being a priest, how can you, how can you fool others to get temporary appreciation and consideration and favor from the community? Are you not calling the name of God every day? Are you not saying Holy Mass every day? Right after the Mass are your works turning just opposite what you have preached to the community? Yes, you are right, the greed for the money that is what drove you from the beginning till today and going to be the driving force for tomorrow also. You never told the community that we had an organization here and you requested their help in getting into this country to serve for the community? We have the proof of all your correspondence from Vadavathoor Seminary; we did bring you here with the help of Bishop Todd Brown, Bishop of Orange County, California. Do you know how many of us went to the Orange diocese to see Auxiliary Bishop Jaime Soto? chief accountant and the office manager to resolve all the financial issues and matter related to bringing a priest from Kerala, India?. When we got the appointment letter from the Diocese of Orange, appointing you as the parochial vicar in one to the churches in Orange County, that was our accomplishment in formation of our church.
See part 2
Part 2
Yes, you have been part of the movement of our community towards the growth and prosperity of our community in the beginning. We moved from place after places until we settle in Fullerton Church, Bishop Tod Brown was instrumental in funding money for our community for acquiring the Church and the rest of the money collected from the community. Do you recollect, that one day devil possessed in you, with the temptation of money wanted to sell the Fullerton church and buy a market place? The same Devil drove all these days and brought you thus far, fueled by the greed, thirst for dollars that was the only thing in your mind now.
Please open up the Holy Bible, open it randomly, read the chapter that appears to you first, that message is for you, for your good, a message that gives you the direction where you wanted to be and the responsibilities for you the rest of your days on earth. After all we have nothing against you, an elderly person, but we have strong fight for you, to get the Devil out of your mind, that is deeply rooted in you, with the help of our Lord Jesus Christ and Our Beloved Mother Mary, we will be able to expel the darkness and bring the light of salvation, that day you will be a good person. There is no forgiveness without correction, that correction has to start from you, open your heart to Mother Mary, you have denied her several times, you have to beg pardon for your acts, she will grant you peace and she will bring back to your good self. Keep your Pride away from you; your aim was Power, Prosperity and Pride. When you speak the truth to our community in an open confession, Holy Spirit will fall upon you and cleanse you for ever.
You do not have to worry, where to go, when to go, how to go all these are not your concern, let God takes care of it, you just move along with the Spirit. Your Bishop Angadiath says to come to Chicago or go to Kerala, let that be your final destination.
We wish you all good Kattackal. We do not expect that you will tell the truth to the community on your departure, if not time will tell them. We made a long journey together, but you betrayed many who trusted you the most, to get what you wanted, you do not know that none of these are going with you but only the things what you did to our community will remain here and that will be echoed up in above as well.
Good luck.
Post #1 John said...
Who is this ass kisser ?
You have to read whole..
There is NO JOHN like you in our parish.
Also read the other real comments from real parisners.
parish member,Santa Anna
Post #6, ARE YOU STILL IN OOLANPARA not in Orange County. May God bless you with some wisdom. You don't know how good Rev. Kattackal is. You with some others are tying to crucify him, as Jesus was crucified.
is this the way we all show examples to our kids?i don't know why anybody even bother to go to malayalam mass.i wish things were like the way we all wanted at the beginning.whether it is english or malayalam,if the parents or elders can guide kids in the right way towards Lord preserving our values and culture,that would be enough.sometimes we all are trying to be more christian than christ.Have mercy on all of us dear Lord!
i wish and pray for a beautiful church where OUR LORD stays.
How come Rev. Pope John Paul II was never asked to retire and go to Poland after 80 years old and even was very ill. Vatican money is also collected from various parishes. You brethren read Mathew 16:19&23 to see what Jesus told Peter after presenting great position & power. Rev. Jacob Kattackal gave the leadership even this Syromalabar Church was to be begun in U.S.A. In addition to Rev. Kottackal did great effort to make the church in the way it is now.
John
Please Don't be thankless....
I doubt if Fr.Kattackal at this age is not fighting for himself. He is trying to stay here for evangelization also. He can still preach and write wonderful articles against non-catholic attacks. His books are great.
Please don't kick him out to the streets.
Moone anonymous August 2, 2010 7:32 PM
U r just seeing the good side.
There are more than 20 families staying away from the santa Ana church. They helped formation of this church... who were insulted publicly and chased out of the church.
We hate politics ... but we want to save the church from Karunakaran and his gundas...
Nobody is kicking him out to the street.
He is a millionaire.
He is just trying to gather sympathy...
I think his plan is to hang around till he becomes a US citizen.
Yes ours is the best parish with the worst priest.
Anusaranam Baliyekkal Sreshtam...
U were taking only $1000 because u were making more than that from other sources using our church as a cover.
And u were always crying that u wanted 3000$
U were a burden the moment $ became ur God. And u r still a burden... So please get out of our rectory.
U *%^&%^& supporters might give u accommodation until u get ur US citizenship. Or why dont u dispose ur property in Kerala and buy some land in So Cal if u r in love with the weather over here.
Or if u r true, and u want to do evangelisation and mission work... pls go to Orrissa or other North Indian states and prove it... but u have to choose Christ over $ before u can do that.
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