CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

---

1981 January

Knanaya Catholics in Chicago requested the Bishop of Kottayam Mar Kuriakose Kunnassery to send a priest from Kottayam diocese to offer pastoral serve to them.

1981 March 18

Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry wrote to His Eminence John Cardinal Cody, Archbishop of Chicago expressing his willingness to provide a priest to serve the Knanaya Catholics in Chicago.

1982 February 16

The Archdiocese of Chicago rejected the proposal to start a Knanaya Mission in Chicago.

1982

Get together of the Knanaya Catholics in Chicago on alternate Saturdays after 5:30 P.M. Latin Mass at St. Alphonsus church. They also arranged Syro-Malabar Qurbana at the basement chapel of St. Alphonsus Church whenever a Syro-Malabar priest was available.

1983 September 27

Rev. John C. Hergenrother, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Chicago held a meeting with two representatives each from four Knanaya and non-Knanaya Catholic associations and decided to accept Fr. Jacob Chollampel proposed by Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry to serve all Kerala Catholics in Chicago.

1983 October 28

Fr. Jacob Chollampel reached Chicago and started special ministry to the Kerala Catholics while living in the rectory of St. Ita church.

1984 October

Non-Knanaya Syro-Malabar Catholics in Chicago wrote to Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Conference and Syro-Malabar Bishop’s Conference asking for a separate ministry for Non-Knanaya Catholics in Chicago.

1985 August 25

The Archbishop of Chicago established separate Syro-Malabar ministry for non-Knanaya Syro-Malabarians while maintaining the ministry by Fr. Chollampel for Knanaya Catholics. Thereby the Knanaya Ministry in Chicago came into effect.

1985 September – December

Fr. Jacob Chollampel returned to India and the community could not get a Knanaya priest from Kottayam diocese because of the membership dispute of the Knanaya ministry.

1985 December 3

Fr. Anthony Kurialacherry, the spiritual director of Syro-Malabar Catholic Community of Chicago and a hospital chaplain Fr. C.T. Vayalil from the Archdiocese of Changanacherry helped the Knanaya ministry to continue Syro-Malabar Mass at St. Benedict’s Church on every Saturday evening.

1987 January 23

Rev. Robert L. Kealy assigned Fr. Zacharias Elapunkal, the then director of the Syro-Malabar Ministry to coordinate the services of the Syro-Malabar priests who were celebrating the liturgy for the Knanaya Syro-Malabar Ministry.

1988 May 31

Archbishop of Chicago appointed Fr. Cyriac Manthuruthil as director of Knanaya Catholic Mission while residing as St. Ferdinand’s Church in Chicago.

1988 July 23

Inauguration of a new “Knanaya Catholic Mission” at St. Henry’s at 6:30 P.M. Mass was offered at St. Henry’s Church every other Saturday night at 6:30 P.M.

1995 August 16

Archbishop of Chicago appointed Fr. Simon Edathiparambil as the director of Knanaya Catholic Mission with his residence at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.

1999 June 25

Archdiocese of Chicago appointed Fr. Philip Thodukayil as the director of Knanaya Catholic Mission with his residence at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish.

2003 February 16

Vicar General Fr. Abraham Mutholath moved to Chicago and started living at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Chicago while working as chaplain at Our Lady of Resurrection Hospital at Addison and Central in Chicago.

2003 October 29

Mar Jacob Angadiath officially recognized the Knanaya Catholic Mission of Chicago, along with nine other Knanaya Catholic Missions in the USA, as a mission of the St. Thomas Diocese of Chicago. He also confirmed the appointment of Fr. Philip Thodukayil as the director of this mission. Mar Jacob Angadiath extended the boundary of the mission to include all Knanaya Catholics living in the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

2004 July 1

Fr. Philip Thodukayil left for India. Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Abraham Mutholath, the vicar general, also as the director of the mission.

2004 September 4

An additional Syro-Malabar Qurbana was started at St. Peter’s Church in North Lake on every Saturday at 5:00 P.M.

2004 September 11 & 12

Started Religious Education School at North Lake and IHM school.

2005 May 22

Mar Mathew Moolakkatt requested the Knanaya Catholics in Chicago to establish our own church during his homily at IHM Church. The planning to have our own church started.

2005 June 18

Mass for Chicago Suburb was moved from St. Peter's Church in North Lake to the hall of St. Joseph's Church in Addison.

2005 September

The Sunday 5:30 P.M. mass was shifted from IHM to Our Lady of Victory (OLV) church.

2005 October 2

Search committee formed to find a suitable church to buy for the mission.

2006 April 30

Mar Jacob Angadiath officially declared the establishment of Knanaya Catholic Region at OLV Church Chicago and appointed Vicar General Rev. Fr. Abraham Mutholath as the Region Director.

2006 June 24

Fr. Abraham Mutholath revealed the location of the church to be bought during the Music Concert by Rev. Fr. Paul Poovathumkal at Thaft High School Auditorium. The music concert was a fundraising program organized by the women ministry for the purchase of the new church.

2006 July 15

Originally planned date of inaugurating the former St. James Church in Maywood as Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Church. Because of a severe objection on the location of the proposed church, Mar Jacob Angadiath suspended the plan for purchase of the church.

2006 July 16

Originally planned Parish Inauguration Banquet at Crown Jewel Banquet Hall in Des Plaines. During this banquet, more than 400 families submitted a petition in favor of purchasing the church. Based on that, Mar Jacob Angadiath announced his decision to purchase St. James Church in Maywood for Knanaya Catholic Mission.

2006 September 3

Inauguration of Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Church in Maywood at 10:00 A.M. by Vicar General and mission director Rev. Fr. Abraham Mutholath and parish council members.

2006 September 24

Blessing of the interior architectural work of Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Church and declaration of Knanaya Catholic Mission as Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Parish and appointment of Mission Director Rev. Fr. Abraham Mutholath as pastor of the parish by His Excellency Mar Jacob Angadiath.

2006 December 25

Vicar General Fr. Abraham Mutholath sent a circular announcing the formation of St. Mary’s Unit for those Knanaya Catholics who continued attending OLV church for their pastoral needs with effect from January 1, 2007.

2007 January 1

Start date of St. Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Parish Unit in Chicago.

2008 August 3

Holy Mass by Mar George Palliparambil and homily by Mar Mathew Moolakkatt at 5:30 P.M. at OLV Church for St. Mary’s Unit. Fr. Abraham Mutholath handed over sponsorship amount to Bishop Mar George Palliparambil to construct a church in the Diocese of Miao in the name of St. Mary on behalf of St. Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Unit in Chicago.

2009 August 16

General Body at OLV church decided to buy a Jewish Synagogue at 7800 W. Lyons St., Morton Grove, IL 60053 for St. Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Church.

2009 November 30

Closing of Morton Grove property for the second church at Morton Grove.

2010 January 14

St. Mary’s Unit officially bought the synagogue today.

2010 May 2

Consecration of the Cathedral of the Diocese of Miao. The sanctuary of the Cathedral is sponsored by Sacred Heart Parish and St. Mary’s Unit.

2010 June 11

Inauguration of Morton Grove Knanaya Church Auditorium at Morton Grove by former Chief Minister of Kerala State Mr. Oomman Chandy along with Ramesh Chennithala and M.M. Hassan.

2010 July 18

Consecration of St. Mary’s Church in Morton Grove by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath, Mar Mathew Moolakkatt and Mar Joseph Pandarasseril. The unit was elevated as a parish and Fr. Abraham Mutholath was appointed as its pastor. The Visitation Convent building at 7801 W. Maple St., in Morton Grove near St. Mary’s Church was blessed by the bishops on the same day after the consecration of the St. Mary's Church in Morton Grove.

2010 August 3

Reception to Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo, the Archbishop of Ranchi along with Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakatt and Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath at 7:00 P.M.

2010 August 6 – 8

First Solemn Feast of B.V. Mary at St. Mary’s Church. Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath, and Bishop Mar George Palliparambil were celebrants. Archbishop of Agra Most Rev. Dr. Albert D’Souza inaugurated the Kala Sandhya.

2011 October 25

Reception to Major Archbishop Mar George Alancherry by both churches at St. Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Church and blessing of the remodeled front elevation of the St. Mary’s Church.

2012 July 22

Blessing of Knanaya Catholic Cemetery Shrine at Maryhill Cemetery, Niles by Vicar General Fr. Abraham Mutholath.

2014 October 18

Mar Jacob Angadiath transferred Fr. Abraham Mutholath from St. Mary’s Parish to the Sacred Heart church for a second term and Vicar General Fr. Thomas Mulavanal took charge as the pastor.

2015 September 12

Chicago Forane Bible Fest held at St. Mary’s Church in the presence of Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkatt and Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath.

2016 September 10

10th anniversary celebration of Knanaya Catholic Region. Over 200 Regional representatives (priests, religious and Laity) from 12 parishes and 9 missions of the Knanaya region gathered at St. Mary's Knanaya Catholic Parish, Chicago. Major Archbishop George Cardinal Alancherry, Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Michael Mulhall, Bishop of Penbrooke, Canada, (delegate appointed by the Oriental congregation for the Knanaya issues), Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakatt, Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath, Bishop Mar Joy Alappatt were present at the daylong celebration.

2017 June 30 – July 2

Knanaya Region Family Conference held at St. Mary’s Knayana Catholic Parish, Chicago. Bishops Mar Jacob Angadiath, Mar Joseph Pandarasseril, and Mar Joy Alappatt were chief guests. Rev. Dr. Joseph Pamplaniyil, Fr. Joseph Puthenpura, Regi Kottaram, Thomas Pulickal were speakers of the conference.

2017 June 30 – July 2

Knanaya Region Youth Conference was held at Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Forane Parish, Chicago. Bishops Mar Jacob Angadiath, Mar Joseph Jose Pandarasseril, and Mar Joy Alappatt were chief guests. Br. Regi Kottaram, Fr. Thomas Loya, Mark Nemo, Dr. Alex Gotay, and others gave message.

2018 July 26

Bro. Joseph (Ankit) Thachara received his Minor Order Karoya from Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkattu.

2018 September 28

Regional representatives meeting at St Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Church, Chicago attended by 68 participants including priests, religious sisters, and lay representatives. Vicar General Fr. Thomas Mulavanal officiated the Holy Mass along with priests of the region. Mar Jacob Angadiath was the chief guest at the concluding session. The meeting discussed on the working of existing commissions and future endeavors of the region.

2019 March 14

St. Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Church Youth Ministry arranged a Campus Ministry initiative at De Paul University on this day including celebration of the Holy Qurbana and dinner gathering.

2019 May 01

St. Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Church Youth Ministry arranged a Campus Ministry initiative at Marquette University on this day.

2019 May 05

Conducted Koodarayogam Bible Quiz under the name ‘Biblia.’

2019 May 26

Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkatt has given Bro. Joseph the sub-diaconate order at St. Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Parish, Chicago

2019 May 26

Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkatt blessed the new house purchased by the parish for rectory.

2019 September 1

KCYL Global meet in connection with its 50th anniversary celebration at St. Mary’s Knanaya Catholic Parish, Morton Grove, IL (“Gathering of the generations” Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkattu was the chief guest).