165-year-old Catholic church in Alappuzha appoints first woman trustee

Suja Anil with Fr. Xavier Chiramel after her appointment as a trustee of Our Lady of Assumption Church, Poomkavu in Alappuzha.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

In a rare move, a 165-year-old Catholic church in Alappuzha has appointed a woman as a ‘kaikari’ (female trustee), a role traditionally held by men.

Suja Anil (39), of Poomkavu took the oath and assumed charge as a trustee of Our Lady of Assumption Church, Poomkavu under the Diocese of Cochin in a ceremony held at the church earlier this week. She was appointed alongside two male trustees (Kaikaran).

According to Fr. Xavier Chiramel, vicar of Our Lady of Assumption Church, the decision to appoint a woman as a trustee was made in line with the church’s commitment to “women empowerment”.

“Suja is the first woman to serve as a Kaikari in the long history of Poomkavu church. Until now, only men have held this position. To the best of my knowledge, she is also the first female trustee in any church under the Diocese of Cochin. There are no known instances of a woman having served or currently serving as a trustee in Catholic churches across Kerala before this,” says Fr. Xavier.

Describing Suja as an active church member and a dedicated social worker, Fr. Xavier notes that her appointment will send a “strong, positive message.”

Fr. Xavier had earlier urged the Parish Pastoral Council to consider appointing a woman as a trustee. A few weeks ago, the Diocese of Cochin approved Ms. Suja’s nomination, as recommended by the council.

“I am honoured to be appointed as a trustee of the church. This is a significant step toward women’s empowerment. I look forward to working with my fellow trustees,” says Ms. Suja.

A degree holder in Sociology, Ms. Suja has been appointed for a two-year term. She also serves as the unit secretary of the Kerala Latin Catholic Association at Poomkavu church. As a people’s representative, she represented Ward 11 in Mararikulam South grama panchayat between 2015 and 2020.

As a trustee, Ms. Suja, along with her co-trustees N.D. Sebastian and P. Manoj will assist the church vicar in managing the finances and assets of the church.

Our Lady of Assumption Church, located on the outskirts of Alappuzha town, was consecrated in 1860. The church with 2,000 families is a major pilgrim centre.