BACKGROUND AND EARLY EDUCATION

Fr. Abraham Mutholath was born in October 1954 in Mutholath family at Cherpunkal, a small village of Kottayam District, in the State of Kerala in India. His parents are M.C. Chacko and Achamma. Chacko was a hardworking agriculturist and Achamma was a good housewife. 

He has one brother M.C. Jacob who is the eldest and five sisters. Gracy Joseph Pazhayadath, Jaseentha Joseph Attail, Valsamma Joseph Vattamattathil are his elder sisters and Sr. Saly S.V.M. and Lilly Philip Ottappallil are his younger sisters. His brother Jacob is a Mechanical Engineer in Los Angeles, USA. His father Chacko and all sisters except Sr. Saly are now in California with their families. Sr. Saly is a member of Visitation Congregation of the Catholic Diocese of Kottayam and is now serving in a District Hospital as nurse at Faido in Switzerland. She is also superior of the convent.

Abraham’s school education was in Government Lower Primary School at Puliyannoor, Holy Cross Upper Primary School in Cherpunkal and St. Mary's High School at Kidangoor. After completing tenth grade in March 1971, he joined St. Stanislaus Minor Seminary at Sacred Heart Mount in Kottayam for a three-year course. During the second and third year of Minor Seminary course he attended Pre-degree course at C.M.S. College in Kottayam. His Major Seminary Course was in St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary Aluva from 1974 to December 1980. He gained Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (B.Ph.) and  Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) from Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy, Aluva.  

Bro. Abraham used to write articles for periodicals during his seminary training. He published his first book "Ningalkkum Nethavakam" (You Too Can be a Leader) while he was a student in the Theology section based on his thesis in Philosophy Course. He was an editorial board member of Preshithakeralam Monthly published from the seminary to promote vocations. He served as "Kochachan" of the periodical for one year dealing with a special section for children. During the seminary course he won prizes for speech and pencil drawing competitions.

Abraham was ordained a priest on December 21, 1980 by Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry, Bishop of Kottayam on his Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee Day. Fr. Abraham offered his first Holy Mass in his parish SS. Peter and Paul Church Kalloor in Cherpunkal on December 22 afternoon. 

REFORMATION IN VELIYANAD PARISH

The first assignment of Fr. Abraham was as assistant vicar at St. Stephen's Church Uzhavoor from January 1981. During his assignment there, he revived the Knanaya Catholic Youth League (KCYL) unit of Uzhavoor parish. KCYL Uzhavoor unit won the best unit trophy from the diocese that year. Fr. Abraham started writing a series of articles on priestly leadership that was published regularly in Apna Des, the diocesan periodical.

Fr. Abraham was vicar (pastor) at St. Michael's Church at Veliyanad from 1982 to 1985. During that period he organized neighborhood groups of parishioners called Kudumba Sammelanam according to the principles of Basic Christian Communities. At that time it was an innovative approach to parish ministry and was successful in coordinating the parishioners who are scattered allover Kuttanad. He also organized four batches of Charismatic Retreat for the spiritual renewal of parishioners and other Christians in the area. That had a great impact in the region. He also conducted youth seminars on Sundays and won diocesan trophies for best KCYL unit and best Sunday school for Veliyanad parish.

Fr. Abraham gave leadership in constructing the Visitation Convent in Veliyanad and established a nursery school and primary school close to the parish. He was the organizer and first president of Veliyanad YMCA. So he kept good relations with people of all Christian denominations. 

He was also a friend of people belonging to other religions. He was a constant speaker representing Christian community in the Cultural Meetings of SNDP and Cheramar Sanghams. Once he was an invited speaker at a state level SNDP convention at Sivagiri Ashram in Varkala. Fr. Abraham used to visit the house of people of any religion as soon as he knew that someone in the family died. Thus Fr. Abraham was loved by people of all religions in Veliyanad and nearby villages. 

WRITER AND ADMINISTRATOR

Bishop Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry transferred Fr. Abraham Mutholath In 1985 from Veliyanad to Pachira parish as vicar. At the same time bishop appointed him as chief editor of diocesan periodicals: Apna Des and Sacred Heart Monthly. He was also assigned as the Manager of Catholic Mission Press and Jyothi Book House. Until that time these diocesan periodicals and institutions were running at a loss and the diocese had to give subsidy to run them. Bishop Kunnacherry advised him to make them self-sufficient. Within a short time Fr. Abraham Mutholath improved the quality of these and made them economically self-reliant.

Fr. Mutholath was the Souvenir Committee Chairman and chief editor of the souvenir published during the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of the Diocese of Kottayam. That souvenir is a historical document of the diocese and its various institutions.

Fr. Abraham Mutholath published four books: 

(1) Ningalkkum Nethavakam (You Too Can Be a Leader) was published twice by Janatha Services Thewara and a third edition was published by Current Books, Kottayam.

(2) Neethruthwa Pariseelanam (Leadership Training) was published by D.C. Books Kottayam and had two editions.

(3) Bible Games was published by Janatha Books and had two editions.

(4) Veridika Nethruthwam Innu Nale (Priestly Leadership - Today Tomorrow) was published by Deepika Book House, Kottayam. 

STUDIES IN THE UNITED STATES

Fr. Abraham Mutholath went to Los Angeles in November 1987 for higher studies in Communications. He studied journalism and completed a certificate program in Television Production from California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, California and gained Master of Arts in Communication (TV Production) from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles.

During this time Fr. Abraham was resident priest at St. Jerome Church in Los Angeles, part-time chaplain at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in Inglewood, Chaplain of Knights of Columbus in Westchester, Spiritual Director of Kerala Catholic Association, initiator of Knanaya Catholic Congress of Los Angeles (KCCLA) and Knanaya Catholic Youth League of Los Angeles KCYLLA). He was also actively involved in the formation and drafting of constitution of Knanaya Catholic Congress of North America (KCCNA).

While in the United States, Fr. Mutholath used to write articles in Apna Des on issues of American Malayalees. He wrote a satirical novel on the life of immigrants in the United States in Kerala titled, "Annammacheduthy Americayil" that was serialized in Apna Des and was widely read and appreciated by the readers. Mr. Raju Joseph Paralel, a resident in New York produced a Malayalam film titled "Dollar" based on that novel. Fr. Abraham Mutholath was the screenplay writer of the movie. Mr. Sasikumar, the popular Malayalam film director worked with Fr. Abraham in finalizing the screenplay. The film was screened in the movie theaters and TV channels in India and a few theaters in the US.   

DIRECTOR OF PASTORAL CENTER

When Fr. Mutholath returned from the United States in November 1992, Bishop Kunnacherry appointed him as the diocesan chaplain of Knanaya Catholic Youth League (KCYL), director of Communication Media and Contact Person for Diaspora Ministry. Fr. Mutholath did these while staying at the seminary of St. Pius X Missionary Society at S.H. Mount. He also was the Chairman of Souvenir Committee and chief editor of the beautiful souvenir published in commemoration of the Episcopal Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Bishop Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry.

As chaplain of KCYL, he traveled the main cities of the Untied States to establish KCYL units in the United States. This led to the formation of KCYLNA (KCYL North America). He also attended KCYLNA conventions held in the United States. He organized KCYL International Camps at Chaithanya Pastoral Center.

As the director of Communication Media, Fr. Mutholath led classes on Media as visiting professor at Madnaha Institute of Theology at Thellakom, St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary Vadavathoor, and Mahathma Gandhi University in Kottayam. He also led various seminars in different parts of Kerala. He produced and directed many tele-films on social issues.

As Contact Person of Diaspora Ministry, Fr. Mutholath collected the census of all Knanaya Catholics living outside Kerala and India and prepared a database in the computer. He stared a computerized marriage bureau at Chaithanya that became a great success. He also started a website for the Diocese of Kottayam and along with it a free Internet Marriage Bureau that can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

In 1994, Bishop Kuriakose Kunnacherry appointed Fr. Mutholath as the director of Chaithanya at Thellakom. Fr. Mutholath was the first resident director of Chaithanya after it was transferred in the newly constructed building in Thellakom. There was only a bare low-lying land and a big building when he started as the director. Without much financial support from the diocese, he managed to build up Chaithanya as a prestigious institution in India. He started an agricultural nursery also at Chaithanya premises. 

In 1995, Bishop Kunnacherry gave him additional charge as the director of social work in the diocese and as the secretary of Kottayam Social Service Society (KSSS). Funding agencies were not willing to support KSSS at that time because KSSS was not strictly following the developmental approach in social work. Though Fr. Mutholath had no background in social work, he learnt social work by attending workshops and reading books and by implementing them. Since KSSS has adopted the developmental approach, the agencies began to offer more support. Thus every year the income of KSSS was at an increase. Self-help groups for women, widows, senior citizens, unmarried and unemployed girls, students from economically weak families, and of physically and mentally handicapped were introduced in parishes. The groups were encouraged to take up collective actions for their development and to start income generation programs and micro-credit union for their self-reliance. Animators were appointed in each parish and coordinators were appointed for each program and for each forane. He also introduced Village Development Groups in parishes to implement and monitor the social service activities of each village. The Community Based Rehabilitation Program for the Physically and Mentally Retarded became a great success. Thus Fr. Abraham could give job to many unemployed housewives and to give a renewed lifestyle for many low-income people.

Bishop Kunnacherry later relived Fr. Abraham from his appointment as the diocesan director of KCYL, and appointed him as the director of Caritas Ayurvedic Hospital. He was the first director of the hospital and has been involved in the establishment of this institution. 

BACK TO THE UNITED STATES

Bishop Kunnacherry allowed Fr. Abraham to serve in the United States as Chaplain at Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center in Hawthorne, Los Angeles and to take care of the pastoral needs of the Knanaya Catholics in Los Angeles. So he reached Los Angeles in December 2000 and served Kerala Catholic Community and Knanaya Catholic Community in Los Angeles and lived at St. Jerome Church in Los Angeles until he left to Chicago on February 15, 2003.

While serving as chaplain at Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center in Hawthorne, Los Angeles, Fr. Abraham Mutholath also attended Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Residency Program at UCLA Medical Center from September 2001 to August 2002 and has successfully completed the required four units of CPE.

Fr. Mutholath also took initiative in the establishment of Visitation Convent by bringing four sisters from Visitation Congregation at Kottayam in Inida to serve at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in Inglewood, Los Angeles. He has also helped in the establishment of St. Jospeh's Convent in West Covina, Los Angeles, by bringing five sisters of St. Joseph's Congregation from Kottayam in India to serve at a hospital in West Covina.

Because of his passion to help the less fortunate in the society, Fr. Abraham Mutholath established Agape Movement, a non-profit corporation in the United States. It is registered in California and Illinois.

VICAR GENERAL

His Excellency Mar Jacob Angadiath, the bishop of St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago appointed Fr. Mutholath on October 3, 2001 as the Syncellus (Vicar General) of the Eparchy. His special charges in the diocese are over Catechism, Youth, Pious Associations, Vocations, Family Apostolate and Special Concerns of the Knanaya Catholic Community. At the request of the bishop Fr. Mutholath has moved from Los Angeles to Chicago.

TO CHICAGO

Fr. Abraham reached Chicago on February 16, 2003 and started living as priest in residence at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Chicago and started serving as chaplain at Our Lady of Resurrection Hospital in Chicago from February 24, 2003. He has designed and maintains the following websites:

www.kottayamdiocese.com (Official Website of the Diocese of Kottayam)

www.knanayacatholics.com ((Website of Knanaya Catholic Community with free marriage bureau)

www.olvchicago.org (Website of Our Lady of Victory Parish and School with Sunday Bulletin)

www.agapemovement.org (Website of Agape Movement, a non-profit corporation established by Fr. Abraham Mutholath to help the less fortunate in the society).

www.mutholath.com (Website of Mutholath family).

www.eucharistichomeshrines.org (Website of Eucharistic Home Shrines that promoted devotion to the Blessed Sacrament).

www.blisusa.com (Website of BLIS in USA).

www.knanayacatholics.org (Website of Knanaya Catholic Mission in North America)

www.chicagoboychoir.org (Website of Chicago Boy Choir)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/knanaya (Discussion forum of Knanaya Community in yahoo group).

A STUDENT AGAIN

Besides his current responsibilities, Fr. Abraham is at present studying at DePaul University in Chicago for Master of Science in Public Service (MPS).