ST. JOSEPH KNANAYA CATHOLIC MISSION , WESTCHESTER & BRONX

Mission Director: Fr. Bipy Tharayil
670 Yonkers Ave.,
Yonkers, New York, 10704.
1-773-943-2290
tharayilbibyachan@gmail.com

MASS SCHEDULE
Sunday 5:00 P.M. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

HISTORY

Rev. Fr. Jose Saurianmakil started Holy Mass in Syro-Malabar rite in Our Lady of Victory Church, Mount Vernon, New York on every second Sunday from September 1993. Later in 1996, the Bishop of Kottayam Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry visited Archbishop of New York, John Cardinal O’Connor and requested to establish a Knanaya Catholic Mission under the Archdiocese of New York. He agreed to officially establish a Knanaya Catholic Mission in the Archdiocese. In April 1997, the archdiocese established the mission with Rev. Fr. Thomas Kottoor as the director.   

Rev. Fr. Abraham Kalarickal was appointed as the Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Victory Church, Mount Vernon, New York on December 20, 1998 in view of serving the Knanaya Catholic Community in the Archdiocese of New York.

With the establishment of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago in 2001, the mission came under the new diocese. Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Rev. Fr. James Ponganayil as the mission director from November 1, 2007 replacing Rev. Fr. Abraham Kalarickal. Rev. Fr. Thomas Pralel was appointed as the mission director and Rev. Fr. James Ponganayil as the associate director with effect from August 17, 2008. Rev. Fr. James Ponganayil became the mission director with effect from January 1, 2009. Rev. Renny Kattel became the mission director from June 10, 2012. Fr. Jose Adoppillil was the mission director since December 20, 2015. Fr. Bipy Tharayil was appointed as the director from January 1, 2020. This mission serves 100 Knanaya Catholic families in Westchester County and Bronx County.

TIMELINE

1993 September: Fr. Jose Saurianmakil started Syro-Malabar Qurbana on every second Sunday.

1996: With the request of Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry, Archbishop of New York, John Cardinal O’Connor officially established the Knanaya Catholic Mission in the Archdiocese

1997 April: Fr. Thomas Kottoor was appointed as the director of the mission.  

1998 December 20: Fr. Abraham Kalarickal was appointed as the Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Victory Church, Mount Vernon, New York in view of serving the Knanaya Catholic Community.

2007 November 1: Fr. James Ponganayil was appointed as the mission director.

2008 August 17: Fr. Thomas Pralel was appointed as the mission director and Rev. Fr. James Ponganayil as the associate director.

2009 January 1: Fr. James Ponganayil became the mission director.

2012 June 10: Fr. Renny Kattel became the mission director.

2015 December 20: Fr. Jose Adoppillil was appointed as the mission director.

2020 January 1: Fr. Bipy Tharayil was appointed as the mission director.  

DIRECTORS

Fr. Jose Sauriamakil (1993 September – 1997 April),

Fr. Thomas Kottoor (1997 April – 1998 December 20)

Fr. Abraham Kalarickal (1998 December 20 –

Fr. Thomas Pralel (2008 August 17 – 2009 January 1)

Fr. James Ponganayil (2007 November 1 – 2012 June 10)

Fr. Renny Kattel (2012 June 10 – 2015 December 20)

Fr. Jose Adoppillil (2015 December 20 – 2020 January 1)

Fr. Bipy Tharayil (2020 January 1 – )

PAST AND PRESENT DIRECTORS

Fr. Jose Sauriamakil (First Mission Director), Fr. Thomas Kottoor, Fr. Abraham Kalarickal, Fr. Thomas Pralel, Fr. James Ponganayil,
Fr. Renny Kattel, Fr. Jose Adoppillil (Former Directors), Fr. Bipy Tharayil (Present Director).