Remembering Fr. Cherian and Sr. Thressiamma | KAIROS GLOBAL | JULY 2021

Author:  Fr. Shibu Xavier OCD

A Prince and Princess of love but God’s Paupers – Always with a smile

One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear and at once blood and water came out (John 19:34). A heart, throbbing with love. A prince and a princess of love on this earth – our Cheriachan and Sr. Thresiamma – have gone to heaven, a place of divine love. Like the pierced side of Jesus, they fully expended themselves for the world, the Church and the Jesus Youth movement. They have diffused into the world the sweet fragrance of love. We have never seen them without a smile. Love alone matters and love alone suffices. Love was their language. The love and care they showed to everyone they met even when they were tired after work, cannot be compared.

A Diocesan sanyasi and a Franciscan sanyasini¹ 

God’s Pauper – the poor of Yahweh – a style of life contradicting this world was the life of Cheriachan and Sr. Thressiamma. St. Francis of Assisi was their model and example. They preached Jesus without making any noise. They whispered but it resonated all over the world. The words of the Carmelite Saint John of the Cross suit them well, ‘The path of perfect spirit is nothing, nothing, nothing.’ ‘In order to arrive at having pleasure in everything, desire to have pleasure in nothing.’ It is the path of perfect freedom and perfect love.

Cheriachan always introduced himself as the smallest of the small. (The word Cheria-achan means small priest in Malayalam). The desire to be small was embedded in his DNA. We have seen him always travelling with a small bag and few clothes whether in India or abroad, be it for one day programme or for one month programme. We have seen him only in three kurtas². Finally, Cheriachan’s room was examined after his demise. Nothing was found, only few items of clothing, a small sum of money, few pieces of paper and cups for decoration and an overused bike outside. No bank account or anything the world considers worthwhile.

Playful walks in the rain, sessions by the riverside, meditations in the garden, spiritual guidance in the forest, refreshing drinks at a juice shop – a real sanyasi priest. He never walked alone, was always accompanied by youth. It is not strange that the rain accompanied him on his final journey to heaven. 

Sr. Thresiamma being a Franciscan sister lived true to her charism. She was always simple. Always dressed simple. We have seen her dancing with children in the playground. Seen her meditating under a tree. Seen her in the garden speaking to children, guiding them spiritually. An unassuming sister with a smile.

A loving Pappa and a Loving Mamma – Cheriachan and Thressiamma

The Jesus Youth family has lost a loving Pappa and Mamma. Both of them travelled together as animators of different teams. In Thailand during the International training they were present as Pappa and Mamma. No more will we hear their endearments, Molu (daughter) and Mone (son). No doubt this is a great loss the youth will experience in future. They were really a father and a mother to countless youth. We will no longer be able to experience the warmth of love that filled their hearts.

Cheriachan and his kidney-mate. 

Cheriachan became a real father after donating his kidney to a young girl. He made sure that she was healthy and joyful thereafter. Cheriachan was a father to Ria, a transgender and their group. The warmth of love and support they experienced in his presence cannot be explained. Cheriachan was a loving father to many in India, Africa, Europe, America and Australia.

A daring priest and a daring sister imbued with the Holy Spirit. 

Pope Francis in his Encyclical Evangelii Gaudium – Joy of the Gospel writes the need of the hour is for Spirit-filled evangelisers. Evangelisers, fearlessly open to the working of the Holy Spirit. They are evangelisers who pray and work. Both Cheriachan and Sr. Thressiamma were always led by the Holy Spirit. They were always on mission with joy.

Back in 1999, I have seen Cheriachan, then a young priest, with a video camera shooting various liturgical as well as spiritual programmes to air on the local cable channel. Cheriachan, a big missionary, always walked ahead of his time fearlessly. Evangelisation through media when it was not common at all. 

His circle of friends included everyone, young and old, married and unmarried, rich and poor, people of other religions, people of different cultures, different continents. Love beyond borders was his lifestyle.

Sr. Thressiamma was also a daring sister. When she was the animator of Kerala Teens ministry she dared to open the four walls of the convent at Kaloor for training and gatherings of the youth and teenagers. Her bold step helped other sisters to accompany the youth and eventually that convent became an open house for youth and teenagers. We have seen her travelling even in old age, fearlessly to form youth in India and abroad. She was always bold and committed but unassuming.

A joyful priest and a joyful sister but always behind the scenes.

Cheriachan made every celebration joyful. He had a particular charism to transform every celebration into a heart touching one. He always carried gifts or sweets when he visited people. He helped everyone experience the new taste of the town, be it a new juice, a new dish, a new hotel or a new juice shop. He made young priests come together to sing and dance, which became a good time of worship and celebration as well as a means of evangelisation. 

Sr. Thressiamma also made every gathering joyful. She would make sure to meet everyone and enquire about their welfare. I have seen her especially during communion programmes, taking the effort to speak to all sisters and make their gathering joyful. She would also make the travel joyful with different types of food items. She was a joyful presence in every gathering and training.

To conclude

‘I am a mission on this earth, which is why I am here in this world. We have to regard ourselves as sealed, even branded, by this mission of bringing light, blessings, enlivening, raising up, healing and freeing.’ Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium. Cheriachen and Sr. Thressiamma were good missionaries on earth. Like Mother Teresa of Calcutta, they walked with soft, gentle steps that would not have even hurt the ground. In the footsteps of St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Francis Xavier, they travelled widely to share Christ’s love. Poverty was their style of life and nature was their dancing ground, modelled on St. Francis of Assisi. Like the Little Flower, St. Therese of Lisieux, love always overflowed from their heart. We wish a warmest Bon Voyage to heaven. Love you and we miss you a lot. Long live the prince and the princess of love.