John Palocaren
Encyclopedia
Fr. John Palocaren was the founding principal of St. Thomas College, Thrissur
. Palocaren was born on 8 September 1886 in the Nadathara
Palocaren family, an ancient Syrian Christian
family of Kerala
State, India
.
He was ordained as a minister in 1915, served at the St Thomas High School in Thrissur for three years, and was appointed the principal of St Thomas College
when it was founded in April 1919. Soon after, he obtained MA in English Literature with distinction from the University of Edinburgh
. In 1924 he returned as principal of St Thomas College, a status he retained until 1948. In 1937, he was awarded the status of Monsignor (Domestic Prelate
). Palocaren died on 19 August 1948.
, Thursday 8 September (accessed 19 September 2011)
, Thursday 8 September 2011 (accessed 19 September 2011
, Friday 9 September 2011 (accessed 19 September 2011)
, Friday 9 September 2011 (accessed 19 September 2011)
Among Palocaren's former students are internationally respected spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran
, former Kerala Chief Minister E.M.S. Namboodiripad, former Bishop George Alappatt, and former Chief Justice M.S. Menon.
Palocaren was an editor of Keralam.
Historian George Menachery
stated that Palocaren played a key role in the construction of the Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours
, the largest church in India and the tallest in Asia.
(1910–1999), whose writings on the spiritual life have been translated into more than 20 languages, recalled that Palocaren "taught only one class, Shakespeare. I sat right in front, my eyes riveted, not missing a word ... Father John was a true Christian. He taught me more about Christianity than all the books I have read.
Easwaran stated that
Raised a Hindu, Easwaran
stated that "it wasn't a creed or religion I was drawn to, but the sheer nobility of the man himself. I never considered converting, and nothing in my relationship to Father John ever made me think he expected me to ... [it was] through the lives of individuals like Father John that the message of Christ first reached me."
M. A. Thomas, founder of the Ecumenical Christian Centre
(Bangalore
), recalled organizing an inter-religious conference for students in 1936. Father Palocaren "encouraged students to participate in the conference even though he had some misapprehension about the prospects of an Inter-religious conference. He told me that though it was not pure milk, some milk with water would be good for the students."
E.M.S. Namboodiripad (1909–1998), former Kerala Chief Minister
, recalled that during his student days at St. Thomas College,
Similarly, another former Kerala Chief Minister, C. Achutha Menon
(1913–1991), recalled that "When Fr John Palocaren began his speech in Malayalam, all of us in the audience were surprised – since he was considered a brilliant scholar in English. He spoke such chaste Malayalam, fluent enough to engage us all."
St. Thomas College, Thrissur
St. Thomas College, Thrissur is located in Thrissur city, the cultural capital of Kerala State, India. Founded by Mar Adolph Medlycott in 1889, this college played a very important role in the development of Kerala. It gave birth to the thoughts of the communist leader and Kerala's first chief...
. Palocaren was born on 8 September 1886 in the Nadathara
Nadathara
Nadathara is a census town in Thrissur district in the Indian state of Kerala. Nadathara is Ward 22 of Thrissur Municipal Corporation.-Demographics: India census, Nadathara had a population of 12,593. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%...
Palocaren family, an ancient Syrian Christian
Syrian Malabar Nasrani
The Syrian Malabar Nasrani people, also known as Saint Thomas Christians, "'Nasrani Mappila'" and Nasranis, are an ethnoreligious group from Kerala, India, adhering to the various churches of the Saint Thomas Christian tradition...
family of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
State, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
He was ordained as a minister in 1915, served at the St Thomas High School in Thrissur for three years, and was appointed the principal of St Thomas College
St. Thomas College, Thrissur
St. Thomas College, Thrissur is located in Thrissur city, the cultural capital of Kerala State, India. Founded by Mar Adolph Medlycott in 1889, this college played a very important role in the development of Kerala. It gave birth to the thoughts of the communist leader and Kerala's first chief...
when it was founded in April 1919. Soon after, he obtained MA in English Literature with distinction from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. In 1924 he returned as principal of St Thomas College, a status he retained until 1948. In 1937, he was awarded the status of Monsignor (Domestic Prelate
Honorary Prelate
An Honorary Prelate of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges as regards ecclesiastical dress...
). Palocaren died on 19 August 1948.
City Journal (Thrissur)
City Journal is a daily English newspaper based in Thrissur, Kerala.-History:City Journal was started in August 2010. It is published from Thrissur district in Kerala and is currently the only English daily newspaper in the city. The paper aims to focus on local events and carries 16 pages of news,...
, Thursday 8 September (accessed 19 September 2011)
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, Thursday 8 September 2011 (accessed 19 September 2011
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
, Friday 9 September 2011 (accessed 19 September 2011)
City Journal (Thrissur)
City Journal is a daily English newspaper based in Thrissur, Kerala.-History:City Journal was started in August 2010. It is published from Thrissur district in Kerala and is currently the only English daily newspaper in the city. The paper aims to focus on local events and carries 16 pages of news,...
, Friday 9 September 2011 (accessed 19 September 2011)
Among Palocaren's former students are internationally respected spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian literature....
, former Kerala Chief Minister E.M.S. Namboodiripad, former Bishop George Alappatt, and former Chief Justice M.S. Menon.
Palocaren was an editor of Keralam.
Historian George Menachery
George Menachery
George Menachery is a professor, anthropologist, historian of Syro Malabar Church and history of Kerala. He is the editor the of the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India and the Indian Church History Classics.Menachery is also the recipient of the 'Order of Saint Gregory the Great', known as...
stated that Palocaren played a key role in the construction of the Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours
Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours
Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours is a minor basilica of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Thrissur in the Indian state of Kerala. The biggest and tallest church in Asia, it is famous for its Gothic style architecture...
, the largest church in India and the tallest in Asia.
Recollections
Eknath EaswaranEknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian literature....
(1910–1999), whose writings on the spiritual life have been translated into more than 20 languages, recalled that Palocaren "taught only one class, Shakespeare. I sat right in front, my eyes riveted, not missing a word ... Father John was a true Christian. He taught me more about Christianity than all the books I have read.
Easwaran stated that
During the four years I spent at college, without calling attention to what he was doing, Father John managed to work a great transformation in me. He helped me find confidence, but detachment as well. I was so grateful that I kept a picture of him in my room.
Raised a Hindu, Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran
Eknath Easwaran was a spiritual teacher, an author of books on meditation and ways to lead a fulfilling life, as well as a translator and interpreter of Indian literature....
stated that "it wasn't a creed or religion I was drawn to, but the sheer nobility of the man himself. I never considered converting, and nothing in my relationship to Father John ever made me think he expected me to ... [it was] through the lives of individuals like Father John that the message of Christ first reached me."
M. A. Thomas, founder of the Ecumenical Christian Centre
Ecumenical Christian Centre
Ecumenical Christian Centre was founded in the year 1963 by a visionary by name M. A. Thomas. ECC is located in Whitefield in Bengaluru on a campus.-Background:...
(Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
), recalled organizing an inter-religious conference for students in 1936. Father Palocaren "encouraged students to participate in the conference even though he had some misapprehension about the prospects of an Inter-religious conference. He told me that though it was not pure milk, some milk with water would be good for the students."
E.M.S. Namboodiripad (1909–1998), former Kerala Chief Minister
Chief Minister of Kerala
The Chief Minister of Kerala is the elected head of government of the state of Kerala, India. By the Constitution of India, the Chief minister is appointed by the Governor of the state....
, recalled that during his student days at St. Thomas College,
There were many teachers who had endeared themselves to us ... One among them deserving special mention was Principal Fr. Poulokaran [sic]. His subject was English. But in those days when English was compulsorily the medium of teaching even in high school classes, Fr. Poulokaran taught English with the help of Malayalam so as to make the students understand and enjoy the beauty of the English language.
Similarly, another former Kerala Chief Minister, C. Achutha Menon
C. Achutha Menon
Chelat Achutha Menon was a senior leader of the Communist Party of India . He was the Chief Minister of Kerala state for two terms. The first term was from 1 November 1969 to 1 August 1970 and the second 4 October 1970 to 25 March 1977. Achutha Menon is widely considered as the best Chief Minister...
(1913–1991), recalled that "When Fr John Palocaren began his speech in Malayalam, all of us in the audience were surprised – since he was considered a brilliant scholar in English. He spoke such chaste Malayalam, fluent enough to engage us all."
Works (selected)
- Palocaren, John (1925). The College and its Founders. The St. Thomas College Magazine, Vol. I, nos. 1 & 2 (June–September), pp. 4–11.