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Fr Kuruvila Cherian SJ, former Principal of Loyola School, died in British Guyana yesterday, confirmed a source at the headquarters of Kerala Jesuits.
Born on 18 July 1941, Fr Cherian taught in various Jesuit schools in Kerala for three decades, and was Principal of AKJM (Kanjirappally), and later Loyola School (Trivandrum). In May 2000, he left Loyola and joined the Jesuit Refugee Service in Nepal. He served there as the Assistant Project Director of the educational programme, in camps set up for refugees from southern Bhutan, who had been expelled from their country in 1991 for being of Nepalese origin.
After a stint in East Africa in the Jesuit Refugee Service, Fr Cherian moved to British Guyana, the English-speaking country in South America. There, among other things, he worked in Berbice on the east coast, at the Human Development Center, a Jesuit training centre for children, young adults, and women.
Towards the end of February 2010, Fr Cherian suffered a stroke and was admitted to St Joseph Mercy Hospital in Georgetown. While in hospital he also suffered from a lung infection, but recovered and was discharged on 5 March. According to a news flash from the Jesuit residence in Georgetown, announced via Facebook, “his night was not too restful so he was left dozing until after 9.30am [on 6 March]… and then he was sitting up and having something simple to eat to take down the tablets. Although he was responding to people, his responses were somewhat dazed and sleepy.” Around 10.20 in the morning on Saturday (1820 hrs IST on 6 March), Fr Cherian collapsed again. He was rushed to the hospital but did not recover.
At Loyola, for many years in the 1970s and 1980s, Fr Kuruvila Cherian was Vice-Principal. He was “a great support to all of us in this venture,” acknowledged Fr C.P. Varkey, reminiscing on the new approach to students adopted in those years. Fr Cherian had worked with Giles Francis on the design of logos of houses. In his last years in Loyola, he encouraged student representatives like the School Leader to get involved in decision-making about the school. But he was also perceived among the staff, as a priest who pushed Christ and Christianity in Loyola. That might not be entirely unfounded; as reported earlier on this blog, Vice-Principal Kuruvilla commissioned a series of paintings on Jesus Christ (Jesus as a toddler, a young boy, and so on), one to be hung in each classroom, .
In 1982, Fr Cherian took a break, left for the US and successfully completed a two-year Masters programme in School Administration. Although he came back in 1984 to Loyola, he spent much of the late 1980s and 1990s in AKJM. In 1998, he returned to Loyola, this time as Principal. Alas! School and society had changed. Swimming against the tide, he tried to place emphasis on students’ extra-curricular activities, rather than academics. After an unusually brief tenure, he left Loyola (and Kerala) for good in 2000, amidst rumours over difference of opinion with the then Jesuit Provincial, and against the backdrop weeks ahead of the announcement of a poor academic result in Loyola. [Readers are advised to see the comments section of this blog, especially Fr Toby’s clarification.]
Since starting this blog, I’ve repeatedly tried to contact Fr Kuruvila Cherian by e-mail. He replied with silence. Perhaps he did not wish to take credit for his work in Loyola, or share his views in public about the changing face of Loyola in the 1990s. I should not have expected a bull in the china shop; after all, he was our karadi.
Hat tip: Fr Toby e-mailed to me the news of Fr Kuruvila Cherian’s death.
When we were kids, when we ALL were kids, there used to be arguments about everything and anything. Invariably many of these ended with “il take u to father”
It was so once in 4th standard that me and a cllassmate, Mathews got into a horrible argument. I don’t remember what it was about, but i remember that both of us were pretty angry.
And we decided to go see principal about it. Two fourth standard kids who thought themselves important enough to let the school principal solve it.
We walked into principals office “faather.. this boy called me this”
And we see Fr. Kuruvilla sitting in his chair and eating “chocos” buscuit.
He asked us to sit down. He opened a new packet of buscuits and gave us half each and asked us to eat it. Three of us sat and ate in silence, after which we were very kindly told that we could go.
The issue was solved.
It was really shocking… I still remember his times @ loyola. He came while i was in the Juniour School. He changed the rules, students were no more subjected to those wooden scale beatings, and sticks were thrown off. He made a difference.
Fr. kuruvila started phonetics classes for students from junior school itself, we dint like it much but it really helped us I would say.
He then started a new system in assembly. He took out his camera box, poked hole in it and turned it into a suggestion box where each student could add his suggestions and complaints. These complaints and suggestions were to be read in assembly every weak and he commented and acted at that very moment.
He was one of the Jesuits who was pretty close to me at that time. I had spent a part of my vacation with him. Once I visited his office, he took a snap of me and my friend. Before he left school, he handed over the snaps in an envelope and shared few thoughts.
It was after meeting him, meddling with his pc @ his cabin, fixing it, some interests in these things grew in me. He encouraged my interests.
His contributions towards Loyola and my life were too much to be put down on words.
May his soul rest in peace.
Fr. Kuruvilla and his successor to the Vice Principal post (in the 80s) Fr. Pulickal were amongst the most unconventional (and daring) Jesuits I have seen in Loyola over the 12 years (1982-94) I have spent there. What I remember most from Fr. Kuruvilla’s term as Vice Principal in the 1980s was his keen interest and efforts to promote hockey in the school. May his soul rest in peace…
May his soul rest in peace.
Memories that well up are of a kind man; who cheerfully told us, a bunch of mortified kids to resume the game, after a powerful kick landed the football squat on his back; who left me and a friend ashamed when he just walked on after looking at us with a shocked expression when on one of his rounds, he saw us through the window, playing ‘hand-cricket’ during class.
It is sad to hear about the passing of Fr. Kuruvila Cherian. I have fond memories of him…a very kind, warm and sincere human being. He was someone we could approach with any problem and he would listen patiently and dispense words of wisdom with his trademark smile.
Thank you Fr. Kuruvilla Cherian for touching our lives. A part of you continue to live in all of us (your students).
Suresh Kumar Aravind
School Leader – 1977, on behalf of the Boys of Seventy Seven (BoSS)
Very Sad News!! Fr. Kuruvilla was one of those people who genuinely cared for students. He was probably the most student-oriented principals of Loyola in recent history. This is a great loss for Loyola School, us Loyolites who were privileged enough to get to know him and for the Jesuit Society as a whole. May his soul rest in peace!
I read Fr. Kuruvilla’s premature departure with sadness. Fr. Kuruvilla was a kindhearted gentleman who ruled over our minds as vice principal in the 70’s at Loyola. He was an effective English teacher and took equal interest in extracurricular activities as well. I pray for his soul to rest in peace.
Sunil
Boys of Seventy Seven
He truly was a wonderful person.
May his soul be at peace.
What a loss! Yet, many years after he taught us, his memories will ever linger. I have had many interactions with him across the time he was the Vice Principal – between ’75 and ’77, and he was always someone who was casual, gentle, friendly, and welcoming in his approach. I remember the time that I’d go down to his room during lunch break and listen to some of the LPs that he had. Ventures to Cat Stevens. He was definitely way ahead of time, the blue jeans that he used to wear sort gave away his freer thinking and attitude. He certainly was one of the few people who gave me the hope that life was a bigger canvas than what most of us thought in small Trivandrum. I am saddened in my own personal way that despite him taking the trouble of finding me and emailing me, I couldn’t take time out to write a longer note to him. And now, there’s just no correcting that for me. You were a great inspiration Fr. Kuruvilla, and how I wish more students had the privilege of being influenced by you. Rest in peace Fr. Thank you forever.
Prathap Suthan
Loyola 1977
Dear friends,
Fr. Kuruvilla Cheriyan was my class teacher and Vice Principal. He brought me into Hockey, we played Hockey together and he was just like any other player on the field without asking for any advantage of being the VP. We used to have the usual fights, arguments and even physical attacks as it happens in any match of hockey and he was also like us at that time. However, he took all of them sportingly and never took them outside the hockey ground.
Along with him, we made the Rink hockey field (now a basket ball court near the cycle parking area).
When he came back to Loyola after many years, from somewhere he found out my phone number and contacted me. Then his question was ‘why is your son not in Loyola?’ (the age rules prevented him to admit my son in Loyola)
Now I have lost one of my best mentors.
May his soul rest in peace .
Joy
Based on what I’ve heard and read, I have no doubt that if he had remained in Loyola after 2000, the school would today be a fundamentally different place. He probably was the last good Jesuit in Loyola — somebody who truly loved students, was articulate, confident, and had clear and superb ideas about education.
Thank you Syam, Ashok, Sandeep, Asif, Suresh, Krishnadev, Sunil, Asti, Prathap, and Joy for touchingly sharing your personal stories, and showing us different facets of Fr Kuruvila Cherian.
Yes Ashok, truly he was indeed the last jesuit who had a significant part in bringing up what we call the loyola culture.
I remember his focus on ‘English – speaking’.
I was not in Loyola during his stints there. But a relative of mine, who studied in AKJM, Kanjirapally in the 1980s regards him highly. He says Fr.Cherian was the one who showed them a computer for the first time (which he had brought from the US). He, and many of his school friends now in the US, also credit Fr. Cherian for giving them the idea that they could aim at going abroad.
Regarding his last stint in Loyola, I wonder (from what I’ve heard) if (most of )the staff and parents didn’t understand or appreciate his vision.
Dear Ashok,
It was terribly sad to read of the passing of yet another teacher.
In summarising his time at Loyola, you provided us with a link to Fr Joseph and his problems. In the interest of objectivity, I guess you should also provide links to “the other version” – namely, a different perspective of things – for instance, the memories of the events in the words of Fr John Manipadam, who was the provincial referred to.
Father John had actually written to our yahoo group on this issue. Please let me know if you would like to publish excerpts from this letter.
I have sort of gone to the trouble of writing to you simply because, having stayed in the hostel, in close proximity to these priests, I tend to remember things differently. Fr. Kuruvilla, for instance, was no pushover: it would have been quite difficult to send him somewhere against his will or without his consent.
Having said that, both of us still know that this is never the full story.
We were perhaps too young to realise the undercurrents during those days!
Regards,
Rajesh (Raj; 1985 Loyola)
Fr. kuruvilla was our v.princi in the late seventies and was also a chemistry teacher.He was keen on hockey and the school had a hockey team for the first time.He laid the foundation stone for the indoor stadium in loyola.I remember taking my son for the interview to get him admitted to UKG.No questions were asked,and my son was admitted.He is in std 10 now.I was also there for his sendoff organised by the PTA of loyola school.
May his soul rest in peace.
Rajiv Varghese
1977.
Sad news indeed. He was the vice principal during my years in the senior school (76-81). Always affable, approachable and passionate about sports. Others have mentioned about his support for hockey. What I vividly remember is his unstinted support for cricket in a basket ball crazy Loyola of those days. His chemistry tests were a different cup of tea however and used to bring the best of us to tears. I feel particularly sad that he breathed his last in a place far away from Kerala where he had influenced so many lives. May his soul rest in peace.
Here is what some of my batchmates had to say when I broke the news to them:
K.A. Varghese
Sad to hear this news, and – May his soul rest in Peace
Remember him clearly with his collection of songs, his hockey stick and his enthusiasm to play with boarders, his tennis racquet etc.
Antony Joseph
After our last visit to school, it was obvious that Loyala has/had lost its sheen on extracurricular activities. I guess Fr.Karadi had a role in keeping it balanced during our stint there….
Sanjeev Sivan
this is shocking….. the one person whom i admired….i have lost a friend…. just can’t take it.
Issac Philip
Really sad to hear this. Still remember the chemistry classes in 10th and the after school hockey.
Its really shocking….. we all loved him……… loves him……
Ravi Mathew
Former AKJM product!
This is to inform you of the outline details of Fr Kuru’s funeral & burial.
Monday 15th March 2010
11.00am Simple Prayer & Intercessions (Brickdam Cathedral, Georgetown) followed by transfer of body to Berbice.
3.00pm Funeral Mass (St Francis Xavier’s Church, Port Mourant) followed by burial in the SFX Parish cemetery
Our deepest sympathies to Fr Kuruvila’s family and friends. We continue to remember Kuru in our prayers.
the Jesuits in Guyana
http://www.guyanajesuits.org
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=316247259130
You are THE MOST and THE BEST……
Dear Loyolites
This is a very sad news, Father has made a unique contribution to all us.
I was a very average student given Loyola’s high academic standards, I passed out in 1999. Father spoke to me several times regarding my problems, he encouraged me not to pursue a career in engineering and medicine.
I took up a graduation course in economics and my life changed. He used to joke at times saying that it looks like you are an ” ugly duckling”. He was the one who gave me the courage to pursue what I wanted.
Its very sad that Father left us all on 6th. I feel more sad because I got into another Jesuit Institution XIM- Bhubaneswar as a faculty on 9th March.
Father, your message of building the character of students will be a guiding light for me as a teacher.
His legacy has been the indelibe impression he has left on all of us. As is written on the small memorial to Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, ’si monumentum requiris, circumspice’, or, ‘if you need a memorial, look around you’.
Thank you father, I will always be inspired by you.
Jeevan
It is to bring to the editor’s notice and the viewers of this blog one factual error that has creeped into it. It is not true that Fr. Kuruvilla left Loyola in the backdrop of poor academic results (failures) in ISC in 2000. It is true that three ISC students failed that year. However, I was personally present when the said results were downloaded when Fr. Varghese had already taken the reins of Loyola. Fr. Kuruvilla left in April 2000. Fr. Varghese reached in May 2000. I reached here on 12th May 2000. The results were published sometime in the 3rd week of May. There was no connection whatsoever between Fr. Kuruvilla’s leaving and the poor academic results….. Hope things are clear now….
This downpour of memories and tributes — from 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s — is overwhelming. I am grateful to Anish for his initiative (yet again!) to present his batchmates’ notes. Thank you, Anish, Vishnu, Joseph, Rajiv, Ravi, Deepu, Jeevan for enriching this blog.
Fr Justin Prabhu deserves special thanks for the update regarding the funeral.
Rajesh, I’ll be happy to link to Fr Manipadam’s version, when it’s available on the Web. I didn’t say that Fr Kuruvila was sent away from Loyola against his will.
Fr Toby, thank you for the chronology. Though I didn’t say that Fr Kuruvila left because of the poor academic result, I was wrong in putting “the academic result” as the backdrop. To those who returned to school after the summer vacation, the scene was: Fr Anikuzhy stands in place of Fr Kuruvila, behind him is a picture of poor academic result. This led people to associate the two. Interestingly, even today (after your comment) people confirmed that the Principal’s departure and the result were linked. Your correction, however, helps to set the record straight. Wish more people would read this blog and the comments. 🙂 But is it correct to say that there was “no connection whatsoever”? I will agree with you once we arrive at the real reason(s) behind Fr Kuruvila’s departure in 2000.
We will not forget Kuruvila Achan who brought pants for uniform, wrote new school anthem, arranged computer classes, martial arts training, music training, cricket coach, basket ball coach, special class for week students, free education for poor……etc for the students, implemented various revolutionary reforms in the school and thereby gave the students maximum opportunities to learn and grow. Thank you father for all your contributions to the community.
Suninsh Mathew
AKJM, 1988-89 batch
Father Kuruvila was a man who believed in us Loyola boys when others would not do the same. I remember a certain time in 1998 when there was a mini crisis of sorts due to a rather dull academic performance from Loyolites in the ISC examination. I recall him standing in our basket ball field, and told of us with unflinching confidence, “Whatever happens, no Loyolite will ever be a failure in life, this I am sure”. I was sceptical when I heard this, but Father Kuruvila truly believed that his boys would do well in life.
You could go to Father Kuruvila when the chips were down and he would not judge you. A stern word maybe, but never would he judge you.
Thank you Father Kuruvila for instilling self belief in ourselves. May your soul rest in peace. Thanks for all the memories and the kindness.
Strangely, whenever I say the word ‘pleasure’ I remember Father Kuruvila. That was the word that he spent maximum time on in our assemblies, making us repeat after him.Boys, it is not plessure, he would say.
I remember the suggestion box. That was an extraordinary thing to do, and a dangerous one too.
I remember how, one day during lunch, I got up to greet him as he passed by. That day he told me to ‘never get up while you are eating, even if the king comes by’.
I remember how he used to come to our class during free hours and play quiz with us. Once it was anthakshari, and I remember the look on his face when one of us got up to sing ‘Thazhampoo manamulla thanuppulla raathriyil, thanichirunnurangunna cheruppakkari..’. I think we were in class six then.
I believe he was a good man, and a great man.
Thank you, father.
Father Kuruvilla Cherian stepped into our lives when we were in the throes of stepping out into the world.
It was class 11 and 12, the toughest 2 years of our lives in Loyola – with the typhoons of entrance exams, ISC exams and tuition classes wrecking every bit of our lives as kids.
Fr. Kuruvilla was that calm tide that helped us reach the shore. His focus on extra curricular activities while everyone and their mothers were pushing us to study more was such a welcome change.
I fondly remember the excursion which he accompanied us to Chennai and Black Thunder. Although we were all looking forward to the amusement park, he was insistent that we go to a nearby place and watch the migratory birds in the region.
He was also the guiding light behind our school play – supporting us, despite missed classes and schedules… he was the silent guiding light that lead us through those 2 years which turned to being the 2 most enjoyable years in our lives.
Fr. Kuruvilla.. I hope.. no.. I know that your soul will rest in peace…
From the Students of ISC 99 batch
Binu Ninan Kovoor
When I was at school Father was the Principal. The relation that we shared had never any comparision. Please forgive me but my English has started to slowly decay as I rarely converse in english as I used to…
Father had noticed this boy in school who was rather too quiet and not even in the fields like the regular Loyolite. He called me into the indoor sports room and handed me his table tennis bat. It was the first time I ever played a game. Our course had never played any indoor games and I was among the first who started playing table tennis. It soon started a revolution in the class; everyone was rushing to play table tennis. Even behind my TT racket was story. Father started to give me his racket for the first few times then he bought and gave me a racket which I paid back for in installments. All this happened when I was in class seventh.
It was at the same time he had introduced me to computers. I used to go to his office and sit and play on his computer, games like dave or a quiz and so on. Now this was never a trait you could ever find in other Principals.
But now as I start to remember many of the things he did for me as an individual it would seem very trivial to you but I have become who I am today because of Father… He had taught me to believe and have faith in the smallest of our talents. He helped me gather new skills which I use till date.
Father was in every sense a priest, a father who cared for his children. Words seem futile just as flowers on a deathbed but I thought to write this seeing that I’m not alone. Father had fathered many to where we are right now. I just wanted to give my support to those who remember him.
Yet another light has gone out of our lives here, and continues to shine brightly from the heavens above.
Keep watch over your little sheep, O Wise Shepherd.
Tributes to Fr Kuruvila in Guyana Catholic weekly News paper
called CATHOLIC STANDARD !
please click the link below to read it!
http://www.diocese.cc/upload/images/originals/19%20march%202010%20CSt.pdf
Justin Prabhu SJ
Message from Fr. John Manipadam to Batch of 85 – 1
(courtsy. Pradeep Suthan. Batch of 85)
Dear Gentlemen of Loyola Batch 1985,
SHALOM ! I was surprised when I read the news in our monthly Newsletter and then thought that Fr Kuruvila (I called him Kuru at his request) would recover. I went to xxxxxxxxx to conduct a Programme for Jesuits and returned yesterday evening. When I read the sad news, I was shocked. This was totally unexpected by me. Since we have a Monday Evening Jesuit Community Mass, I prayed for the repose of his soul and I invited my fellow-Jesuits here to do the same. I wrote to my Guyanese friend from our days together in England, Fr Malcolm Rodrigues S.J., but he has not yet replied. I know that all of you loved him and that he had a lasting impact on you. While waiting for news from Malcolm, let me share some information with you.
Kuru joined the Jesuits one year after me and I am a year older than him. (His Father and my Daddy had been friends as students at St Joseph’s College, Trichy.) We were together for one year at Beschi College, Dindigul. Later we were together again for two years at Loyola College, Madras. Then I went to England for three years. After my return, we used to meet during the Summer Vacation up to 1969. (Incidentally, he was first in Loyola in 1964-65 or so and I was there in 1968-69.) For our study of Theology, I first went to Kurseong (Darjeeling District) and then to Delhi; Kuru went to Poona. We were transferred to different places and were together again in 1984 when he returned to Loyola. We lived and worked together as friends. I was taken by surprise when I was told that he was urgently needed in our School in Kanjirapally and I was not able to retain him. Since he was from Changanacherry, he was judged to be specially fit for dealing with the Parents and the public of Kanjirapally, some of them being related to him and a good number being old Old Boys of Loyola. After his successful spell there, he returned to Loyola as Principal. By that time, I was in charge of the young Jesuits of Kerala and frequently on the move.
The blog hints at and tells another story. Actually, what happened is different. I know it since I was involved. It is I who sent Kuru to the last three places, each time at his specific request. I became the Provincial in May 1997 and, even though I supported Kuru in his work at Loyola, after a time he kept on making representations to me that he wanted to leave Loyola. He felt an inner call, inviting him to serve elsewhere. I took the matter up with my 4 Consultors and in response to his own request, I missioned him to the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Damak, NEPAL. In fact, I had been there earlier to take a Course for the Teachers in that huge JRS Camp. When Kuru was settled there, I visited him there and he was very happy with another old colleague and friend of ours, Fr P. S. Amalraj S.J., now the Director of JRS (South Asia), based at Indian Social Institute (I.S.I.), Bangalore. It was during my visit there that our friend, Fr Mathew Pulickal, passed away. I was indeed quite sad because we belonged to the same community, Christ Hall, Calicut, and his departure was sudden. When Kuru began to sense that the Refugees (they are still there — a large number of Nepali-origin Refugees, rich and poor, who had lived in Bhutan for years and years and who had been forcefully evicted from Bhutan) might be re-settled through the intervention of UNHCR, he asked me to mission him to St Augustine’s University College in TANZANIA, where he came to know of an urgent need for a Professor. I had correspondence with the Provincial of East Africa (whom I knew from a meeting in Rome) and Kuru was missioned there. After a few months there, he found that the standard was rather low and that his talents were not being used properly. So he asked me whether I could mission him to GUYANA. (Before Independence it was called British Guiana and I myself had volunteered to serve there! lt is the only English-speaking country in South America !)
The Regional Superior of Guyana was Fr Joseph (from Kerala), a friend of mine and a friend of Kuru. He was desperately in need of men. So I missioned Kuru to Guyana. We used to write to each other when he was in Nepal, in Tanzania and in Guyana, but his letters became few and far between. Last year he took a holiday in U.S.A. where he spent time with his relatives and Loyola Old Boys. There he met the present Rector of Loyola, Fr Joye James. Later Kuru wrote to me — that was his last letter — that he had been appointed Superior of the Pakaraima Region, that he would often have to travel on horse-back and that his work would be among the Amerindian Tribes there.
Kuru’s life was a colourful life. There was always a sense of freshness, because he was open to Life. He made use of the talents God endowed him with and his outreach was remarkable. May his soul rest in peace in God ! My Dear Friends, let us cherish the gift of life that each one has received. Let us make our lives bear fruit, fruit that will last. Stay well. With Love, Best Wishes and Prayers,
John FJ Manipadam SJ
This email was sent to the batch of 85 by Fr. Manipadam.
Hi
This news shocked me. I was student of the same year but left school in fourth std. My memories traveled back more than 20 years back. I don’t think anybody can recollect me but i still carry the photographs of the old times. You can keep in touch with me in orkut byjudas@gmail.com.
Regards
Byju E Das
Sad…Rest in Peace, Fr.
fr. kuruvilla cherian had taught me scriptures…..also he was the principal during my 10th stnd (SSLC’99)..may your soul rest in peace..
Father Cherian was ever kind and interested in teaching proper English to students.
I still remember the times when he told how to spell Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Those were the days.
I truly miss him. May his soul rest in peace.
Father Cherian taught me to keep my head straight and closer when I am writing my exams. I will never forget the true moments and thoughts he shared with us.
We are going to miss you father… May your soul rest in peace.
Mithun Cheriyath
SSLC 1998
I don’t know him.but I read this page.I am so sad. Fr Kuruvila Cherian SJ was a great human been.
I shall be always remember him.
I am saddened by Fr Kuru’s death. He was a very helpful gentlemen. I am glad to read here that he also had a colourful and rewarding life ,always ghelping people. may his soul rest in peace.
the Lord brought Fr Kuruvila to our Parish, St Hedwig, Los Alamitos CA USA in 1982. He was the most gentle, kind, happy, loving priest. Every morning when he began to celebrate Mass, he bowed his head a bit, & said, ‘Good Morning, my friends’ in the sweetest way ! He became a dear friend & mentor to me & many others in our prayer group there. He lovingly called us (mostly women) the ‘Little Gang of Jesus’…….. we learned so much of the immense love of our Lord Jesus from him! What joy & encouragement we received from him during his time with us! We were saddened when his studies @ Loyola-Marymount were completed & he returned to Kerala! For many years now i have prayed for him, especially on his birthday, July 18. Just today, i searched for him on the internet, & am heart-broken that he went to be with our Lord last year!!!
may he rest in peace in our Saviours loving arms . He is ALWAYS in my heart xox!
Sincere prayers for the gentlemen that I have ever seen. Never seen him angry, always cheerful, childlike, gently and elegant. He taught us many things which at time a laughing stalk but so valuable as years pass by. Fr. you were the real “Guru” who lead us to the lights of wisdom from the darkness of ignorance. Cant forget you..Thanks God for sending such a wonderful gentleman to us.
AKJM (1988-1994)
I came on this blog by accident.I was in Loyola from 1963 to 1967. I was a boarder. The school had just moved to Sreekariyam.The Principal was Fr. Anthony Vachaparambil.
I am not very sure about this, but we did have 2 Prefects in the boarding Brother Kuruvilla and Br. Nambiaparambil.
If the Bro.Kuruvilla of my time was later the Fr.Kuruvila Cherian whom you knew, I have to tell you that memories of him, that of a nine year old boy who is now nearing 58, still hold, are very fresh. A very gentle person, who never used to resort to the cane like everybody else in those days.
He loved music, and, best of all for us kids, he loved comics!
Though comics were confiscated by others, never to be seen again, if Bro. Kuruvilla confiscated a comic, you could be sure that you got it back after he had read it, with a warning to be more careful and not to get caught by anybody else. That was Bro.Kuruvilla.
But was he later Fr.Kuruvila Cherian?
TM Joseph, I do not know whether the Kuruvillas are the same. Hope some boarder from those years will enlighten us.
Yes TM Joseph (Thumpasserry). Father Kuruvilla (along with Fr Nambiarparampil) was your prefect in 1964-65. You were in 4th standard in 1964. Mrs Muthunayagom was your class teacher in 1964. Your brother TM Sunny was in 3rd standard. Among your classmates were Raju Varghese, VJ Alex, KJ Jacob (Sainik), KJ Thomas, Stephen Abraham (Motty), Poulose Mathew and C Jairam.
Ashok, when I posted last time, om June 22nd, I had not gone through the other posts in this thread.
Going through them today I found something that got my attention in Syam Nath S’ post of “Message from Fr. John Manipadam to Batch of 85 – 1”
I quote here from that post:
Quote (Incidentally, he was first in Loyola in 1964-65 or so and I was there in 1968-69.) Unquote.
From this sentence it is evident Bro.Kuruvilla from my days in Loyala is indeed Fr.Kuruvilla Cherian.
Great follow-up comment, Mr. T.M. Joseph.
Hats off to the great man fr.Kuruvila.
Dear fellow Loyolaites, I was very fortunate to retrieve one of the photographs from my days at LES in the 60s. Your Father Kuruvilla is very much there Ext. Rear Left.I am fourth from the right in the second row.
I am sharing this picture in my Facebook Timeline
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=332339223559790&set=o.175589265876360&type=1&theater