Michael Arattukulam

Bishop Dr. Michael Arattukulam (17 April 1910 – 20 March 1995) was the first bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alleppey and an Advocate of the Rotae Romanae.

His parents Andrew and Rosamma Arattukulam were members of the congregation of St. Antony's church, Perunnermangalam, Chennaveli. He was ordained on 29 August 1937.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Alleppey belongs to the Latin rite and was created on 19 June 1952 by the division of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cochin. Arattukulam was consecrated as the Bishop of Alleppey on 7 December of that year. Bishop Michael Arattukulam actively participated at the four sessions in the second Ecumenical Council of Vatican held at St.Peter's Basilica Rome during the period 1962- 1965. He was the first Bishop to publicly criticize the "Indianization" of the Church's liturgy, although some Catholic groups have protested against the use of Hindu elements in the Mass. Bishop Arattukulam identified the Sanctity of Sr. Fernanda Riva's life,asked that her Cause for Canonisation be introduced. Arattukulam founded colleges,schools,hospitals and other social service organizations and published two books on Catholic topics. Birth Centenary was celebrated at St.Antony's church perunnermanagalam, along with St.Antony's feast in the month of June 2010.

Education

Arattakulam holds the degrees Ph.D., D.D.C.L, B.B.Sc.

Foundations

• St. Michael's College, Cherthala
• Alleppey Diocesan Social Welfare Society
• St. Joseph's College for Women Alappuzha
• Credit Union
• Catholic Teacher's Guild of Diocese of Alleppey
• Corporate Management of Schools (Diocese of Alleppey)

Works

• Latin Catholics of Kerala
• A study of the Inter Rites and Inter-Rite Conflicts in the Varapoly Seminary
• St.Francis Xavier on the Malabar Coast(1968)

Translation to English : `Noticias do Reino do Malabar' [Information concerning the Kingdom of Malabar] (in Portuguese), By Mar Joseph Kariattil