HISTORY OF KNANAYA CATHOLIC MISSIONS

IN GREATER NEW YORK

   

From the Catholic Eparchy of Kottayam alone we have about 2000 families living in North America.  The Knanaya Catholic Community has at present ten Missions, such as Philadelphia, Houston, San Jose, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and four in Greater New York.  Greater New York is the second largest Knanaya Catholic Community in the United States, after Chicago.  There are four Missions established - two in the Archdiocese of New York, one in the Archdiocese of Newark and one in the diocese of Brooklyn and Rockville Center.

 

The history of KNANAYA CATHOLIC MISSION OF GREATER NEW YORK is fascinating.  Here the Greater New York means the Tri-State area which includes New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.  In the late 1960-s the Knanaya Catholic Nurses belonging to the Diocese of Kottayam migrated to the city of New York in search of job and better lives.  They mainly concentrated in Manhattan.  While there were only around 100 families in 1975,  now there are more than 400 families in Greater New York area.  Knanaya Catholics living in Tri-state area established “Indian Knanaya Catholic Association” under the Spiritual Leadership of Rev. Fr. James Kudilil in 1976. Mr. Mathewkutty Vattakalam was its first president.  Through the initiative of the Association, Diocese of Brooklyn established a Knanaya Catholic Ministry in March 27, 1993.  Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry, the bishop of Kottaym sent Rev. Fr. Joseph Saurianmakkil to serve as its first director. The official inauguration of the mission was on April 17, 1993 during the Easter Celebration of Indian Knanaya Catholic Association of Greater New York. Fr. Sauriamakil organized Holy Masses in Syro-Malabar rite in Brooklyn, New Jersey, Rockland and Westchester-Bronx.  Thus four Knanaya Catholic Missions emerged in Greater New York.