Recollecting days with Fr Varricatt John

I was privileged to live with Fr John Varricatt during my practical training in Karunapuram. He passed away too in the same time. I, along with Prathap (then, a deacon) was honoured to attend his final Eucharistic celebration. However, that's another story.

Here I would like to record what I heard this morning during Mass from Fr C. Thomas and Fr Chacko about Fr VT John's earlier days. Fr John was already a Brother when Fr Chinnappa Thomas joined Sacred Heart, Tirupattur. He was a well known chemistry professor and was in charge of the lab. Later he was sent as the Parish Priest of the first Parish we Salesians took up in Andhra Pradesh. That was at Brahmanakoduru (the closest Salesian presence to that now is Chandur). Fr Chinnappa Thomas recollects Fr VT for his punctuality and passion to visit interior villages than merely concentrate on the main parish locality. His logic was that those near the parish can always come to the Church but those far off, need to be guided and met. Thus villages like Jupidi (from where Fr Remalla Thomas – then still a baby – hails) and Ethera were frequently visited for the one or two Christian families that were there.

Fr VT reached the place to take charge on May 31, 1972 – that was his b'day too. But he never told Fr C. Thomas who was already there. After four years, the need was felt to shift the differently-abled children whom they were already looking after in Brahmanakoduru to Mangalgiri – the chief reason cited was the non-availability of good drinking water. Fr P.C. Thomas asked Fr Chacko (who was free because the Kotagiri Parish was returned to the diocese), to assist Fr VT John. That marked the beginning of the historic Mangalagiri house under the guidance of Fr C. Thomas.