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January
23, 2006
VOL.
44, NO. 2Oakland,
CA
Priest brings myriad of skills to Fremont parish
Shortly before he said “yes” to his new
assignment as parochial administrator at Holy Spirit Parish in Fremont,
Father Mathew Vellankal had one request. He needed some time to talk to
God.
“It is just good to pray about it,” he said, explaining that
he always takes some God-time before stepping into a new role.
He also consulted his 81-year-old uncle, who had a long ministry in the
priesthood in his native India. “I had wanted his advice as well
because he had been a pastor for many, many years.”
His uncle reassured him that the offer was a good one. “If the diocese
asks you, it is the will of God,” he told his nephew. “The
Holy Spirit is speaking, accept the Holy Spirit.”
Father Vellankal will succeed Father Gerald Moran, who leaves after 20
years as pastor at Holy Spirit to become pastor St. Isidore Parish in
Danville. Both priests will begin their new positions on Feb. 1.
Father Vellankal, who turns 48 in May, brings to the Fremont a diverse
collection of pastoral and life experiences.
Born in the province of Kerala, India, he grew up as the middle child
in a family of three brothers and one sister, who is a nun.
He realized his calling to religious life at an early age. “When
I was a very young kid I felt the Lord was calling me to be a priest,
to be a missionary,” he said.
“My uncle, who was already a priest at that time -- he was already
a vicar general when I was a kid -- was an inspiration to me. I just wanted
to be like him, available to the people and to serve the people of God.”
Father Vellankal joined the Salesians of Don Bosco after completing the
10th grade. In doing so, he had to move from Kerala to the northeastern
part of India. “Kerala is extremely south and traveling over 2,000
miles by train in those days took five days. The trains go very slow,
unlike here.”
After completing the 12th grade, he entered the Salesian Novitiate, studied
philosophy and earned his bachelor’s degree. Then he was assigned
to a school to gain teaching experience before beginning his theological
studies at Salesian Seminary in northeast India at Shillong.
He was ordained to the priesthood in January 1987.
After ordination, he spent three years as an associate pastor at a parish
in northeast India and one year as headmaster of a large school.
During that period he also worked on obtaining a bachelor’s degree
in education.
He then spent two years as the Salesian youth director for the Salesian
province of Guwahati before being named principal of a large school in
the city of Guwahati. After two years as principal, he became youth director
for northeastern India, which included 10 dioceses.
During this time he was appointed by the Holy See to serve as international
youth chaplain of the International Movement of Catholic Agricultural
and Rural Youth. Based in Belgium, he traveled often to the U.S. to raise
funds for the organization, which served about two million youth in 65
countries.
As a result of dwindling funds,Father Vellankal decided to work on a part-time
basis and base himself in one of the U.S. dioceses.
He applied to the Oakland Diocese and the archdioceses of San Francisco
and Los Angeles. “It was the Diocese of Oakland that welcomed me,”
he said.
He was assigned as parochial vicar at Queen of All Saints Parish in Concord,
where he served for three years while continuing to work for the youth
organization in his spare time. For the past year-and-a-half he has been
parochial vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Fremont.
While doing pastoral work in the diocese he began to realize that God
was calling him to work more fully here so he applied for formal membership
(incardination) as a priest in the Oakland Diocese. That process will
be completed later this year.
In addition to his pastoral duties, Father Vellankal has continued his
ministry as a magician, using his magic shows to reach and catechize youth.
His interest in magic began as a hobby in his youth and over the years
he has pulled many a rabbit out of hats to raise funds for an orphanage
in India that cares for 200 children who had been abandoned in the streets.
A recent show raised over $4,500, he said.
He took his inspiration from Don Bosco, founder of the Salesians, who
did magic to attract young people and then taught them about God and the
Blessed Mother. “I have used magic for catechesis,” said Father
Vellankal.
“The magic does help me to reach out to so many people and make
them happy and cheer them up,” he added. “There’s nothing
like making everybody laugh and bring a bit of joy to the lives of people.
After all, that is what life is all about.”
Father Mathew Vellankal
