Fr Cyriac Kulirany, SJ, breathed his last on 21st November, 2021. In 1971, during his first year of ordination itself he was tested of his will power, endurance and perseverance as he had a fall from the sunshade of the school building where he was watering plants. Both his legs suffered multiple fractures, as he landed on his feet. Though the doctors advised amputation of legs, he refused that, and asked them to put all the broken bones together. After a few months in the hospital, his legs were fully healed and he leapt back to life.
Fr Cyriac is from a traditional Catholic family in Kadaplamattom in Kottayam District.
He joined the Society of Jesus on 20th June 1957 and was ordained a Priest on March 26th, 1971, and was definitively incorporated into the Society on February 2nd, 1980. He was an effective teacher, able administrator and zealous missionary. As a parish priest he smelt the smell of his sheep. Being a gentle person, he was a well sought-after Spiritual Guide.
He always wanted to do things on his own, even when he was suffering from pain – the remnants of the old accident. When it was difficult to walk, he used a wheel chair which he tried to push by himself. He never spoke ill of others and encouraged and inspired many by words and deeds. A noticeable character of Fr Cyriac was his attitude of gratitude: even for small services we did to him, he used to thank us sincerely.
Fr. Cyriac Kulirany was a self made man and always wanted to stand on his own feet.
Mani Manimala, SJ
