Servant of God Monsignor Dr. Joseph C Panjikaran, was a great visionary in the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, who dedicated his life to the spiritual, educational, and social upliftment of people in Kerala. He was born on September 10, 1888, in the village of Uzhuva near Cherthala, in a wealthy family, as the third son of Chacko and Mariam Panjikaran. After completing his school education locally, he earned B.A. and M.A. degrees from St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli (in the erstwhile Madras State). Yet Joseph, with a deep calling to serve souls, chose to forgo promising career opportunities to become a Catholic Priest. He joined the Seminary and was ordained in 1912, achieving the remarkable milestone of becoming the first postgraduate Priest in the Syro-Malabar Church. His academic achievements established him as a leader committed to both faith and learning.
Joseph's parents were also very spiritual. Though his father was rich, he was a noble person. A letter written to Fr. Joseph by his father shows the depth of his virtue!
Although his Bishop initially appointed him to a teaching position, Fr Panjikaran preferred to work directly with the poor and less fortunate. To reach the marginalized, he founded Sathyavedashramam (സത്യവേദാശ്രമം), along with a reading room, sports club, and an Ayurveda clinic.
Fr. Joseph Panjikaran was not only a prominent figure in the Kerala Syrian Catholic community but also a renowned social worker, devoted to uplifting the underprivileged across religious lines. To support the livelihoods of economically disadvantaged Ezhava and Dalit communities, he initiated various enterprises, including boat transport services, a coir factory, and soap-making units.
To share religious and social values, he founded the popular Catholic Malayalam weekly Sathyadeepam (സത്യദീപം) and also served as the managing editor of the only Catholic daily of that time, The Malabar Mail.
Monsignor Panjikaran’s compassion for the poor led him to establish the Sisters of the Destitute (SD) in 1927, a congregation devoted to serving the marginalized, sick, and destitute. In addition, he founded Dharmagiri (Charity Mount) Hospital in Kothamangalam—the first hospital in Kerala under the Syro-Malabar Church. Dharmagiri extended healthcare to underserved communities and embodied his vision for compassionate care. He also founded the "Medical Sisters of St. Joseph (MSJ)", with a mission to "heal the body and win the soul."
From November 1st to 4th, 2024, the 75th death anniversary of Monsignor Panjikaran was commemorated in a grant manner by the Medical Sisters of St. Joseph (MSJ) and the Catholic Eparchy of Kothamangalam. This celebration highlighted his legacy of service and his lasting impact on faith-based healthcare in Kerala. A Holy High Mass was celebrated by the Diocesan Bishop and many Priests, and after the Mass, numerous faithful who had received miraculous favors through the intercession of Monsignor Panjikaran shared their testimonies.
As Servant of God Monsignor Joseph Panjikaran’s life of heroic virtue is reviewed in the process of beatification in the Universal Catholic Church, he remains an inspiring figure whose legacy resonates throughout the Syro-Malabar Church and beyond. Many devotees anticipate and pray that he will, God-willing, be beatified and then ultimately canonized as St. Joseph Panjikaran very quickly.
