Father Jos Kandathikudy, a pioneer of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago, entered eternal life on December 23, 2024. 

Born on May 30, 1945, as the first child to his loving parents, John and Thresiakutty Kandathikudy of Kanhirapuzha, Muthukurisi, Palakkad District of Kerala state, young Jos showed promise in his early life. He completed his high school studies at KTMH School, Mannarkad, and entered St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary at Tellicherry in 1961 and St. Thomas Major Seminary at Kottayam in 1963, answering the Lord’s call. In the second year of theology in 1965, he was sent to Rome for higher studies. He completed his master’s degrees in philosophy and theology with distinction “summa cum laude” from The Urban University in Rome before receiving his priestly ordination on March 27, 1971, from His Eminence Angelo Cardinal Rossi. His first assignment was as assistant parish priest at Christ the King Church, Manimooly of Tellicherry diocese.

During 1972-1995, before coming to the Syro-Malabar Mission in Chicago, he founded several parishes, served as vicars there, and was the chancellor of Mananthavady diocese, secretary to Bishop Jacob Thoomkuzhy, and the diocesan director for Family Apostolate. The parishes he founded include Parathottam, Kalpetta, Edapetty, Charity, and Olivumala in the Wynad district of Kerala, and Coonoor, Burliar, and Aruvankad in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. He also worked overseas during this period in several parishes in northern Italy, New York, and West Germany. He was proficient in six languages: English, Italian, German, Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi.

In 1995, as per the decision of the Syro-Malabar Bishops’ Synod, His Eminence Mar Anthony Cardinal Padiyara took him from the diocese of Mananthavady and sent him to the Archdiocese of Chicago to be appointed as the director of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission in Bellwood, Chicago. During his four years’ tenure, he gave vigor and glamour to the mission and made it a vibrant community. First, he visited all the mission’s families, studied the geography, divided the mission into 12 wards, and started Bible studies and monthly prayer meetings in each ward. He started evening Mass on all Sundays at St. Timothy Church in 1996.

He mobilized his people to send petitions to Rome requesting the Holy Father to erect a Syro-Malabar diocese in the United States. He started yearly pilgrimages to the Holy Land and Rome, and several mission members were blessed to have him as the guide in the Holy Land. He started the observance of Bible Month with Bible procession and Bible enthronement in the church. Bible Quiz and competitions were conducted and concluded with the preferred Bible Quotation Banner procession. He also started the observance of one-week intensive Malayalam language programs. He trained and encouraged lay people to lead prayer meetings and adorations and even to give reflections during the Way of the Cross on all Fridays during Lent. He started several pious associations in the mission: St. Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Mothers Association, and Cherupushpa Mission League.

His homilies and sermons attracted many faithful to the Sunday services. His weekly short talks on the local radio program were also a joy to listen to. All parishioners appreciated his leadership abilities and Gospel preaching ability. In the final analysis, he is a priest par excellence, and his tenure as the director was a golden period in the history of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission in Bellwood, Chicago.

In 1999, he was transferred from Chicago to New Jersey and New York to start new missions. Within three years, he established several missions in these states. He found St. Valentine’s Church in the Bronx, and the Archdiocese of New York agreed to allot this church for the Syro-Malabar Community. It was blessed by Mar Jacob Angadiath, the first bishop of the newly erected diocese of Chicago, and he renamed it St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and made it a parish and appointed Father Jos its founding vicar and pastor on March 24, 2002.

His efforts, guidance, and leadership have immensely contributed to the growth of the Syro-Malabar community in Chicago, New York, New Jersey, and beyond.

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