ST. MARY'S KNANAYA CATHOLIC PARISH OF ROCKLAND, NEW YORK
Pastor / Vicar: Fr. Bipy Tharayil
46 Conklin Ave, Haverstraw, NY 10927
1-773-943-2290
tharayilbibyachan@gmail.com
HOLY MASS SCHEDULE
Sundays at 9:45 A.M. CCD / Holy Mass in English
11:00 A.M. Holy Mass in Malayalam
Tuesdays at 7:00 P.M. Holy Mass and St.
Antony's Novena
Fridays at 7:00 P.M. Holy Rosary and Holy Mass
Saturdays
at 10:00 A.M. Holy Mass and Novena of O.L. of Perpetual Help
First Fridays
7:00 P.M. Holy Mass and Night Vigil up to 10:30 P.M.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SCHOOL
Sundays at 9:45 A.M.
Number of Students: 40
Staff: 20
MAIN FEAST: Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary on weekend close to September 8th.
OTHER ACTIVITIES: Feasts of St. Joseph and St. Thomas, Parish Picnic, Religious Education School anniversary, Annual Retreat.
HISTORY
Rev. Fr. Jose Saurianmakil started Holy Mass in Syro-Malabar Rite in
Rockland with the Christmas Eve Mass on December 24, 1994. Later in 1996
Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry, the Bishop of Kottayam visited Archbishop of
New York, John Cardinal O’Connor requesting him to establish a Knanaya
Catholic Mission in Rockland under the Archdiocese of New York. Thus,
the mission became official under the Archdiocese of New York.
The Archbishop of New York appointed Rev. Fr. Abraham Kalarickal on
December 20, 1998 as the Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Victory Church,
Mount Vernon, New York in view of serving the Knanaya Catholic Community
in Rockland area. Fr. Thomas Kottoor and Fr. Abraham Kalarickal worked
together until Fr. Thomas Kottoor moved to Detroit for studies.
With the establishment of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese
of Chicago in 2001, this 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 01, 2009. Rev. Fr. Renny Kattel became the mission director from
June 10, 2012. Fr. Jose Adoppallil was appointed as mission director
since December 20, 2015.
This mission bought a church from the
Archdiocese of New York at 46 Conklin Ave., Haverstraw, New York, 10927
in September 2017. The church was blessed and rededicated on September
23, 2017 by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath who elevated the mission as a
parish on September 23, 2017. Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkatt offered
the first Qurbana of the church after the blessing and inaugurated the
parish by lighting the lamp. Fr. Jose Adoppallil was appointed as the
first pastor of this parish. Almost all priests from the Knanaya
Catholic Region and nearby parishes as well as people from many parts of
the U.S. attended the function.
This parish hosted pre-marriage course of the Knanaya Region from December 1-3, 2017. Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Bipy Tharayil as the associate pastor of the parish from September 20, 2019. Fr. Bipy Tharayil became the present pastor from January 1, 2020.
Under the leadership of Fr. Bipy Tharayil the parish bought a parish
cemtery close to the church from Rockland County on December 6, 2020.
This mission serves around 120 Knanaya Catholic
families comprising of Rockland County and Upstate New York.
TIMELINE
1994 December 24: Fr. Jose Saurianmakil started Holy Mass in
Syro-Malabar Rite with the Christmas Eve Mass.
1996: At the recommendation of Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry, during his
visit to Archbishop of New York, John Cardinal O’Connor, the archdiocese
officially established the Knanaya Catholic Mission in the Archdiocese.
1998 December 20: Fr. Abraham Kalarickal was appointed as the Parochial
Vicar of Our Lady of Victory Church, Mount Vernon in view of serving the
Knanaya Catholic Community. Fr. Thomas Kottoor worked with Fr. Abraham
Kalarickal until he moved to Detroit for studies.
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 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 Adoppallil was appointed as mission
director.
2017 September: The mission bought a church from the Archdiocese of New
York at 46 Conklin Ave., Haverstraw, New York, 10927 under the
leadership of Fr. Jose Adoppallil.
2017 September 23: Mar Jacob Angadiath blessed and elevated the mission
as a parish with Fr. Jose Adoppallil as the pastor. Mar Mathew
Moolakkatt was the main celebrant of the first Qurbana after the
blessing and inaugurated the parish.
2017 December 1-3: Knanaya Region pre-marriage course hosted by the
mission.
2019 September 20: Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Bipy Tharayil as
the associate pastor.
2020 January 1: Fr. Bipy Tharayil was appointed as the pastor.
2020 December 6: The parish bought a cemetery close to the church from Rockland county.
DIRECTORS / PASTORS
Fr. Jose Sauriamakil (1994 December 24 - 1998 December 20)
Fr. Thomas Kottoor (1998)
Fr. Abraham Kalarickal (1998 December 20 - 2007 November 1)
Fr. Thomas Pralel (2007 November 1- 2008 August 17)
Fr. James Ponganayil (2007 November 1 - 2012 June 10)
Fr. Renny Kattel (2012 June 10 - 2015 December 20)
Fr. Jose Adoppallil (2015 December 20 - 2020 January 1)
Fr. Bipy Tharayil (2019 September 20 - )