House of Kochi


The community of Bangalore took the initiative to open a house in Kochi (also known as Ernakulam). Fr Alfonso Ferrero the Provincial, Fr Vincent Gnarakatt and Bro Basil Chennamkulam went to Ernakulam to explore the possibility. The Paulines were not welcome in the Latin Archdiocdese of Verapoly (Ernakulam). But his Eminence Joseph Cardinal Parekattil, the Syro Malabar Archbishop, welcomed them and offered them accommodation in the Archbishop’s House while they were looking for a place for a house and a book centre. After a short period they rented a house at Palarivattom in the city and stayed there about one year while still looking for a suitable piece of land to build a house. 
Cardinal Parekattil offered to the Paulines the office room of Mar Louis Press for them to use as a provisory book centre. Thus, on 1 May 1977, was opened St Paul Book Centre in Kochi, managed by Br Carmel Kizhakel and Br MaggiorinoThattarayil (who later left the congregation and is now deceased) who were still staying in the rented house.

Soon Fr Vincent Gnarakatt joined them and began construction of the ground floor of the Kochi house at Kaloor, in a piece of land offered at very concessional rate by the Archdiocese of Ernakulam. Many years later the Archdiocese built close to our house the famous Cardinal Parekattil Renewal Centre. 
In July 1979 Br Basil came from Delhi to Kochi and was appointed in charge of the Kochi community. Under his leadership the first floor of the house was built and was blessed in 1981, a car was purchased, and the book centre at Mar Louis Press was renewed. St Paul Book Centre functioned there for nine years. 
In 1984 we purchased a piece of land on Broadway in Ernakulam, to build a new book centre there. Br Basil supervised the construction, and the book centre was inaugurated on 31 May 1986. It was then the largest Christian Book centre in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam. It is a three-storey building, with a book centre, Malayalam language editorial office and a centre for religious articles. 
From 2011, Bro Thomas Eanthanakunnel, one member of the house, is stationed at the shrine of Our Lady of Health, Velankanni, in Tamil Nadu state, and helps in filming and recording various programmes of the shrine and oversees the televising of daily Masses from the Shrine.


Kochi
Location Kochi
Address

Society of St Paul
Azad Road, Kaloor P.O.
Kochi ? 682 017, KERALA

Phone +91-484-234 6741
Email [email protected]


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