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Milestones

K nanaya was a vague term that I sporadically heard among my family mem-
bers. I did not really comprehend what it meant to be Knanaya and the cus-
toms pertaining to being Knanaya. I would occasionally attend church serv-
ices at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Our Lady of Victory, or in the basement
of St. Joseph’s Church in Addison; but I did not feel a special connection. After many
years of celebrating Holy Mass in these churches, the Chicago Knanaya community
decided that we needed our own spiritual home. In 2006, the Chicago Knanaya com-
munity made a dream come true by purchasing our very first Knanaya church in
Maywood, Illinois known as Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Church, which is the
first Knanaya Catholic church in North America. The establishment of Sacred Heart
Knanaya Church has not only benefited me in numerous ways but my friends and
family as well.
Prior to the founding of Sacred Heart, I attended catechism at Holy Family, a
Latin Catholic Church, in Inverness, Illinois. Under the previous pastor, their cate-
Arun Jeeno chism school was ranked as the best in the United States for two years consecutive-
Kothaladiyil ly. The class sizes were small and I was with the same group of people and teacher
until the sixth grade. They provided me many opportunities such as being Jesus in
reenactments in front of the whole community during Christmas and Easter. I am for-
ever grateful to Holy Family’s catechism school for providing me a solid foundation
for my Catholic faith. However, they could not provide the communal aspect of
Knanaya faith.
The first time I stepped into Sacred Heart Knanaya Church was on Sunday,
September 3, 2006 and I immediately felt a special connection and a sense of com-
munity. I felt a feeling of pride and my mom told me to give praise to the Lord for
the grace He has showered upon us to have the first Knanaya Church in North
America. My dad enrolled me in catechism class and although I was the new kid on
the block in the sixth grade; I was welcomed with open hearts by my peers. My teach-
ers really helped me learn more about our Christian faith and taught me what it meant
to be Knanaya.
I have been blessed by the formation of Sacred Heart Knanaya Parish. I did not
solely grow on a spiritual level but also as an individual. Programs like the Religious
Education Festival established by Father Abraham Mutholath helped me overcome
my stage fright. I attained more leadership skills as a teacher for younger catechism
students, whereas Holy Family does not allow youth teachers. The Bible Quiz
Program helped me learn more patience in dealing with younger children as the
leader of my group and helped all of us grow spiritually and learn more of the Holy
Scripture. I am very thankful to Father Abraham Mutholath for allowing me to serve
as an altar server and we all must thank the Lord for having a priest that is in tune
with the younger generation.
The establishment of our own Knanaya church has allowed me to meet many
wonderful people. One fantastic individual that I had a pleasure to encounter was
Finoy “Thomman” Lukose (Rest In Peace), who was like an older brother to me. One
day after Holy Qurbana, in the sacristy, Thomman told me something that changed
my life. He said, “Arun, it does’t matter if we get to swing the thurible or recite the
Qurbana text. The true honor is in partaking and we must do things not for our glory
but to serve God.” He instilled the sense of honor of being an altar server and we all
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