The Church in India is mourning the death of a layman, who, along with some priests, founded what has been billed as Asia’s largest lay organization.

Pallattukunnel Chemmalamattom Abraham, also known as P.C. Abraham and popularly known as “Kunjettan” (little brother), died on Aug. 11 in a hospital in Kerala, southern India, nine days after he was involved in a road accident.

The funeral is scheduled for Aug. 13 at Chemmalamattam, his native parish in Palai diocese. Abraham was 84 and survived by his wife and seven children.

“I mourn the death of a person who led such an ideal Christian life,” Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil of Ernakulam-Angamaly, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, said in his condolence message. The prelate recalled that Abraham had inspired thousands of young people to become missioners working in India and abroad.

The cardinal said the Indian Church had honored Abraham for his contributions to the Cherupushpa (little flower) Mission League he founded 63 years ago.

The league is a forum for young people in parishes that helps missions by raising funds and offering prayers. It conducts regular programs on the life and needs of missions in India and overseas.

The league has some 1.7 million members and about 41,500 of its former members are now nuns and priests serving the Church throughout the world. Among them are 37 bishops. Three of Abraham’s four daughters are nuns.

“Kunjettan’s death is a great loss for the Church in India,” said Archbishop Joseph Perumthottam of Changanasserry in his condolence message. The archbishop, a former Mission League member, hailed Abraham as a “unique” lay missioner who was the lifeblood of his lay organization.

Archbishop Mathew Moolakkatt of Kottayam noted that the late lay missioner led a simple life and was inspired by the teachings of a local saint, Saint Alphonsa.

Abraham’s home village was near Bharananganam where Saint Alphonsa, a nun, spent the last 10 years of her life. He was 21 when she died in 1946.

In an interview with UCA News in 2008, Abraham recalled how the saint used to ask him to pray for missioners whenever he went to seek her blessings. He later joined a Capuchin seminary but was sent home because of his poor health.

Retired Bishop Joseph Pallikaparampil of Palai, mourning Abraham’s death, noted the layman spent six decades nurturing the growth of the Mission League. “He met with his accident while on a League-related journey. The Church has lost a big missioner,” he said.

Bishop Jacob Manathodath of Palghat said Abraham had sacrificed his entire life in selflessly serving the Indian Church’s missionary apostolate.

Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal of Kannur said Abraham played a leading role in maintaining the mission spirit in Kerala. According to him, the Mission League has been most instrumental in producing religious vocations in Kerala.

A sizeable number of priests and nuns working in India’s 160 dioceses come from this state.

Chacko Sebastian, secretary of the Syro Malabar Church laity commission, told UCA News “Kunjettan” was instrumental in him joining the Mission league when he was only 11. “Like me, thousands of children joined the movement. He always encouraged people to serve the Church without looking for positions or profit. He was a role model to all of us,” the 46-year-old lay leader added.

Joseph Thomas, a Catholic youth from Palai who had worked with Abraham, noted that the missioner had a positive approach to life. “His presence alone motivated people to serve people and the Church.”

Related posts:

1. Church mourns death of missionary congregation’s founder
2. Layman leads 72-hour prayer vigil
3. Church mourns Jesuit village reformer
4. Church mourns India’s first dalit prelate
5. Crowds flock to Asian lay rally in India