My Catholic Life – The Foundation
I was born in the western part of Cochin, in a small town in Kerala, India. My family were carpenters, and we lived in deep poverty. Many days were marked by struggle — simple meals, patched clothes, and constant worries about the future. Yet in the midst of these hardships, our home carried something far richer than material wealth: a deep love for one another and a steadfast devotion to the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Daily Mass and Eucharistic Devotion
Each morning, my grandfather would take me by the hand and lead me to Holy Mass at our parish church. The quiet streets of our town came alive with the sound of the church bell, calling us to worship.
At the altar, I watched my grandfather bow deeply before the Blessed Sacrament. I did not yet understand all the mysteries of faith, but I knew with certainty that Jesus was truly present. In those early mornings, I learned that the Holy Eucharist is our strength, our peace, and our greatest treasure.
Every week, we also took part in Eucharistic Adoration. Sitting in silence before the Lord, even as a child, I felt His loving gaze upon me. I knew in my heart that Jesus was close, and that He cared for even the poor carpenter’s family I belonged to.
Evenings of Family Prayer
At night, our small house became a little church. Around a simple wooden altar — with a crucifix, an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and a picture of the Blessed Mother — our family gathered for prayer.
Together we prayed:
- The Holy Rosary each evening
- The Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Prayers for the souls in purgatory
- onsecration prayers to St. Joseph and the Holy Family
- Prayers to the Archangels and the Holy Spirit
- A reading from the Bible, especially Psalm 91
Month by month, we joined the devotions of the wider Church: March for St. Joseph, May for Our Lady, June for the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and November for the Holy Souls. These rhythms united our little home with the heartbeat of the universal Church.
After prayers, we would sing hymns. Our voices were simple, but filled with love for God and His Mother. Even today, those hymns still echo in my heart, reminding me of God’s presence in our poverty.
Novenas and Catholic Traditions
Every week, we joined novenas — especially to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and to St. Joseph. These devotions gave us courage to face hardship, reminding us that the saints were close companions in our struggles.
The Church calendar guided our lives. We celebrated feast days, observed fasts during Lent, and joined parish processions. These traditions made the Catholic Church feel not like an institution but like family.
Poor in Wealth, Rich in Faith
We lacked money and possessions, but we were never without faith. In fact, our poverty made us lean more deeply on God’s providence. Prayer was the rope that held us together. The Rosary was the chain that bound us to heaven.
The Foundation of My Life
Looking back, I see clearly that those boyhood years laid the foundation for everything I am today. They taught me:
- To love the Holy Mass and the Eucharist above all things
- To trust in the power of the Rosary
- To believe that a family united in prayer is stronger than any hardship
Even now, living far away in another country with my wife and children, I keep these same traditions alive. Each evening, when we gather to pray the Rosary, I feel the same peace I felt as a boy in that little house in India.
That is the foundation of my Catholic life — born in poverty, raised in prayer, and rooted in the Holy Family. It is the greatest treasure of my life.
Closing Prayer
Jesus in the Eucharist, be my strength. Blessed Mother, be my guide. St. Joseph, be my protector. Holy Family of Nazareth, make every home a house of prayer. Amen.
