In a prayerful and spiritually charged atmosphere at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict XVI, pronounced Blessed Alphonsa the first woman saint from India on Sunday, 12 October 2008 at 2.05 p.m. Indian Standard Time in the presence of a large congregation of Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Priests, Religious and Lay people from all over the world. It was a moment of great joy for the Indian Church and especially to the Syro-Malabar Church whose members were represented in great numbers during the ceremony. The Pope while canonizing Blessed Alphonsa called her as “an exceptional woman, who today is offered to the people of India as their first canonized (woman) saint.”
At the same time, Church- bells rang in all the Catholic Churches and Institutions as a sign of our joy and gratitude to God for this great gift to our Church as directed by a circular of the CBCI President. The event was brought live by various Television channels. In many Churches, Oct 12 was celebrated as a feast of Saint Alphonsa and some baptized children with the name Alphonsa. This event provided a proud moment also to our Indian Nation as well since she will be the second Indian National to be raised to sainthood.
The life of Saint Alphonsa is a challenge to the modern world which is running after success and pleasures by any means. Her life was confined to the four walls of her convent and according to the worldly standards there was nothing worthwhile in that life. But like St. Therese of Lisieux, she taught the world the little way to heaven by submitting herself totally to the will of God, even in the midst of sickness and cross. Her spirituality of accepting suffering in union with the crucified Jesus for the salvation of the world is a great challenge and a powerful reminder to our modern world of the salvific value of suffering in our lives. The world would have termed her useless as she did not measure up to the standards set by the world for greatness; but the Lord wanted to glorify her with a glory that goes beyond the four walls of her little world. As a saint, her glory will reach all the shores of the known world. Perhaps like St. Therese of Lisiuex who was declared the patron of all missions, Blessed Alphonsa may be declared the patron of the Missions of India.
As many bishops will be away in Rome to attend the canonization ceremony and the Synod of Bishops, the celebration in India is planned for 9th November 2008 at 2.30 p.m. at Bharananganam, the place where the mortal remains of Blessed Alphonsa is kept, in the diocese of Palai, Kerala. There will be a public meeting which will be inaugurated by Shri A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India and presided over by His Eminence Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. His Excellency Pedro Lopez Quintana, the Apostolic Nuncio to India will also be participating, besides Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops and great number of priests, religious and the laity. The public meeting will be followed by a solemn liturgical celebration of the Eucharist presided over by the Major Archbishop and concelebrated by the other Prelates and priests. May the example and intercession of St. Alphonsa give a new vigour and enthusiasm to the Church in India in the witness of Christian values to the people of our Country.