A Pilgrimage of Memories, Gratitude, and Quiet Grace
Our journey to Calicut was meant to be just a visit, but it slowly unfolded into a pilgrimage of memories, gratitude, and quiet grace.
The team was small but deeply connected by a shared mission: Johnson Jose, Chief Editor of Kairos Malayalam; Manoj Thalakodan, Director in charge of Administration; Shinjo Jose, Manager at Kairos; and myself.
We hoped to reach by noon, but when Johnson called Fr. Abraham Pallivathuckal — our beloved “Palliachen” — he gently asked us to come by 3 pm. We were a little disappointed, thinking we would be wasting time. But as events would later reveal, his sense of time was almost prophetic. After lunch, we reached Christ Hall, the Jesuit Provincial House, just a little after 3 pm — exactly as he had said.
We were asked to wait in a small room. A few minutes later, Palliachen walked in, and in his unmistakable style, he carried a box of cashew nuts. Before we could even greet him properly, he poured them into our hands with childlike affection. That simple gesture said everything about him — a shepherd who always came bearing love, never empty-handed.
Manoj and Shinjo did not have much acquaintance with Palliachen earlier. Looking at Shinjo, Palliachen asked, “Are you the new Chief Editor?” We were astonished. How did he know about the change in leadership at Kairos Global? Only later did we realize: after his cataract surgery, his eyesight had become clear, and every day he reads the Bible and is very regular in reading Kairos Malayalam, Kairos Global, and Jesuit publications. He had read the January 2026 issue and noticed the editorial by the new Chief Editor, Sijo Thomas. His mind was as sharp as ever. The awareness that people like Palliachen give such importance to Kairos was both deeply delighting and slightly bewildering. He expressed joy at the way Kairos Media is growing and spreading to different levels.
With Johnson and me, his questions turned personal. He remembered our families and asked about each member by name. We recalled the first Youth Convention in 1978, years before the movement was even called Jesus Youth in 1985. As he spoke, memories flooded back — how he had courageously championed the Charismatic Renewal in Kerala when it was misunderstood and even ridiculed; how Emmaus, the Charismatic Centre, and later the Laity Formation Centre, came into being under his vision and leadership.
Palliachen was always close to the youth — approachable, tender, yet uncompromising about what truly mattered. Punctuality, reverence at Mass, silence, and prayer in the early morning — these were sacred to him. He shared that he had recently suffered a minor stroke and had some difficulty with speech, yet his words were clear, steady, and full of life. His face was radiating grace as usual.
Every day, even now, he wakes at 4:00 am and spends half an hour with the Word of God before the Holy Mass in the morning. With a smile, he joked that he walks “six furlongs” daily — the distance from his room to the refectory and back. When asked about a family connection to the surname ‘Pallivathuckal’ at another place, he laughed and said, “How many palli (churches) are there in Kerala?” His wit and warmth were untouched by age.
He told us how the Jesuits lovingly care for their elderly priests and even take them to the beach once a month. Of his own family of eight siblings, he said quietly that he is now the only one left on earth. There was a moment of silence — heavy, yet peaceful.
He fondly remembered the Holy Land pilgrimage organized by Kairos Media in 2018, which he led. He had prepared reflection booklets for every sacred site, determined that it should be a spiritual journey, not just a tour.
And as always, no visit to Palliachen could end without going to the refectory. He insisted on serving us himself — coffee, snacks, and that unmistakable hospitality that flowed from a heart that had spent a lifetime loving people. Even though we had planned to take a photograph before leaving, he himself suggested that we take a selfie.
There may never be another priest who played such a decisive role in the early years of the Jesus Youth movement. His love for the young, his silent intercession, his willingness to carry the burdens of others, his gentle yet firm guidance — all these shaped a generation and the movement called Jesus Youth.
As I sat there, looking at him, I realized something deeply personal: this forty-year-long association with Palliachen has quietly, steadily, and lovingly helped shape my own life. Even today, his presence makes it feel more whole, more rooted, more surrendered to God.
We had gone to meet Palliachen.
We returned having touched a living chapter of grace.
Dr. Chackochan Njavallil
