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Description
Religious Sister, Franciscan Clarist Congregation [Syro-Malabar Rite] (1910 - 1946)
Feast / Memorial Day: July 28 (Syro-Malabar)
Patronage: against illness, diseases related to feet, Cherupusha Mission League, India
Also known as Alphonsa of India, Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, Alphonsa of Bharananganam, Anna Muttathupadathu, Annakutty

+ SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:

St Alphonsa was bron on August 19, 1910 to Joseph and Mary Muttathupadathu in Kudamaloor, Kerala, India, and was baptized Anna. As a child, Anna was so fascinated by the life of St Therese of Lisieux that she set herself the twin-objective of becoming a "nun" as well as a "saint" through the practice of prayer and penance. However, an aunt who had brought her up since the untimely death of her mother, had marriage in mind for her. Resolved never to marry, and to escape from the betrothal, Annakutty made an attempt to disfigure herself and mar her beauty by getting her leg burnt in a pit used for burning chaff. But she accidentally slipped and fell right into the fire! Her recovery from the resultant burns was eventually followed by the necessary assent from her aunt to fulfill her dream.

Anna's preparation for entering religious life entailed further study, and so it was only in 1928 that she was finally able to join the Clarist Convent in Bharananganam as a postulant, taking the name Alphonsa. She received the habit in the year 1930, entered the novitiate in 1935, and took her vows on August 1936. Incidentally, illness in various forms, as well as misunderstandings and helplessness were to dog her life and formation. Yet, her virtues of steadfastness, human concern and patience, coupled with fervent devotion to St Therese and St Kuriakose Elias Chavara , stood her in good stead.

At one stage in life, she was also in a state of shock for some time after a thief broke into her convent, giving her a severe fright. Interestingly, her recovery was marked with the return of her ability to read which she had lost months earlier. She was also suddenly found to be gifted with proficiency in Tamil, a language she had hitherto not known.

In time Sister Alphonsa came to be known for certain special characteristics, like the gift of foreknowledge. People sought her advice and in her generosity of heart, particularly towards those who misjudged her or disliked her, she was a source of great amazement and edification to all.

In 1945, in answer to her prayer for further suffering, Alphonsa experienced bouts of convulsions, whereby she was unable to eat despite feeling hungry. Initially, these convulsions came on a Friday, each spell lasting some three to seven hours. But out of consideration for others she asked and received from the Lord the favor that the attacks may occur at specific times. When this prompted her superiors to suggest that she should pray for permanent relief, she answered, "I am ready to suffer not only this but anything. Let the Lord do with me as he wills, trampling over, wounding or piercing me, a humble sacrificial offering..." Amazingly, her sufferings notwithstanding, she generally appeared merely tired, causing those who visited her to forget her actual physical condition.

St Alphonsa breathed her last on July 28, 1946, just three weeks before her 36th birthday. She was beatified on February 1986 at Kottayam, Kerala by Pope John Paul II during his pastoral visit to India and was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at St Peter's in Rome on October 2008.

(AJM Mausolfe and JK Mausolfe, Saint Companions for Each Day)

+ FURTHER READING:
Wikipedia - Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception / FCC / St Thomas Christians
CatholicSaints.Info - Alphonsa of India
Vatican.Va - Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception
AnaStPaul - Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception
...

Description
Religious Sister, Franciscan Clarist Congregation [Syro-Malabar Rite] (1910 - 1946)
Feast / Memorial Day: July 28 (Syro-Malabar)
Patronage: against illness, diseases related to feet, Cherupusha Mission League, India
Also known as Alphonsa of India, Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, Alphonsa of Bharananganam, Anna Muttathupadathu, Annakutty

+ SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:

St Alphonsa was bron on August 19, 1910 to Joseph and Mary Muttathupadathu in Kudamaloor, Kerala, India, and was baptized Anna. As a child, Anna was so fascinated by the life of St Therese of Lisieux that she set herself the twin-objective of becoming a "nun" as well as a "saint" through the practice of prayer and penance. However, an aunt who had brought her up since the untimely death of her mother, had marriage in mind for her. Resolved never to marry, and to escape from the betrothal, Annakutty made an attempt to disfigure herself and mar her beauty by getting her leg burnt in a pit used for burning chaff. But she accidentally slipped and fell right into the fire! Her recovery from the resultant burns was eventually followed by the necessary assent from her aunt to fulfill her dream.

Anna's preparation for entering religious life entailed further study, and so it was only in 1928 that she was finally able to join the Clarist Convent in Bharananganam as a postulant, taking the name Alphonsa. She received the habit in the year 1930, entered the novitiate in 1935, and took her vows on August 1936. Incidentally, illness in various forms, as well as misunderstandings and helplessness were to dog her life and formation. Yet, her virtues of steadfastness, human concern and patience, coupled with fervent devotion to St Therese and St Kuriakose Elias Chavara , stood her in good stead.

At one stage in life, she was also in a state of shock for some time after a thief broke into her convent, giving her a severe fright. Interestingly, her recovery was marked with the return of her ability to read which she had lost months earlier. She was also suddenly found to be gifted with proficiency in Tamil, a language she had hitherto not known.

In time Sister Alphonsa came to be known for certain special characteristics, like the gift of foreknowledge. People sought her advice and in her generosity of heart, particularly towards those who misjudged her or disliked her, she was a source of great amazement and edification to all.

In 1945, in answer to her prayer for further suffering, Alphonsa experienced bouts of convulsions, whereby she was unable to eat despite feeling hungry. Initially, these convulsions came on a Friday, each spell lasting some three to seven hours. But out of consideration for others she asked and received from the Lord the favor that the attacks may occur at specific times. When this prompted her superiors to suggest that she should pray for permanent relief, she answered, "I am ready to suffer not only this but anything. Let the Lord do with me as he wills, trampling over, wounding or piercing me, a humble sacrificial offering..." Amazingly, her sufferings notwithstanding, she generally appeared merely tired, causing those who visited her to forget her actual physical condition.

St Alphonsa breathed her last on July 28, 1946, just three weeks before her 36th birthday. She was beatified on February 1986 at Kottayam, Kerala by Pope John Paul II during his pastoral visit to India and was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at St Peter's in Rome on October 2008.

(AJM Mausolfe and JK Mausolfe, Saint Companions for Each Day)

+ FURTHER READING:
Wikipedia - Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception / FCC / St Thomas Christians
CatholicSaints.Info - Alphonsa of India
Vatican.Va - Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception
AnaStPaul - Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception
...