At the request of Bishop of Kottayam Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry, Archbishop of New York John Cardinal O’Connor established a Knanaya Catholic Mission in the Archdiocese in April 1997 with Fr. Thomas Kottoor as the director. Fr. Jose Saurianmakil was formerly offering monthly Holy Qurbana in the Syro-Malabar rite since September 1993.
Fr. Thomas Kottoor served the mission until Fr. Abraham Kalarickal was appointed as the director on December 20, 1998.
While Fr. Abraham Kalarickal was serving as the director of the Knanaya Catholic Mission, Rockland from December 20, 1998 Fr. Thomas Kottoor also served the mission along with Fr. Kalarikkal until Fr. Thomas Kottoor moved to Detroit for studies.