"I did my duty as a fellow Christian" – Kerala church fondly remembers pontiff's timely help

Alappuzha – Even as the whole world is busy celebrating the elevation of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the new Pope, the believers of St. Mary’s Malankara Catholic Church in the small town of Alappuzha, Kerala, remember him fondly and emotionally for a different reason. In fact, they have extended an open invitation to the new Pope to visit their church – a church he helped build more than 25 years ago!

“A very progressive, moderate and kind person,” Pope Benedict XVI contributed around Rs. 600,000 rupees in 1978 to build the St. Mary's Malankara Catholic Church after a friend told him about funding problems being faced by the parishioners there.

"We did not have enough money to complete the construction and it was through a friend that I got introduced to Archbishop Ratzinger," recalled Father Abraham Kakkanattu, who was the parish priest then.

Fr. Abraham mailed a detailed project proposal and financial outlay but was not hopeful of a reply. But to his surprise, Archbishop Ratzinger wrote back with a contribution of 20,000 German marks or around Rs. 600,000.

“That was a major contribution, a great gesture, which helped us complete the church building,” he said. "As and when he comes to India, he should visit the church. It would have been impossible to build it without his help."

Fr. Kakkanattu also recalled that when he thanked Archbishop Ratzinger for his generous contribution, the Archbishop Ratzinger wrote a reply, saying, "Don't thank me formally. I did my duty as a fellow Christian. Please remember me and my parish in your prayers."

"I was touched by his simple and honest words," shared Fr. Kakkanattu.

The Alappuzha parish, which has about 75 families, has installed a marble plaque with Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger's name inside the church to acknowledge his contribution.

"I'm really proud of the fact that I'm presiding over a church, which the Pope helped build," said Father Stanislaus Kakkanattu, the current parish priest.

"We welcome him a thousand times to visit us and we will be hugely honored," he said.