Parishioners of Smithville’s St. Paul Catholic Church gathered last week to welcome Pastor Reverend Pius Thekkevayalil Mathew with a Mass of Installation at the historic church on Mills Street. The new pastor, who asks to be called Father Pius, is originally from the diocese of Kanjirappally in Kerala state in India. He has been in the country for two years serving as associate pastor at St. Louis Parish in Waco.
He said he has been welcomed to Smithville, which has made his transition much easier.
“I am happy here,” Pius said. “The people are loving and it is through their sharing that I can easily interact with these wonderful people.”
Although when he arrived in Texas two years ago he could not write or speak English, he is now remarkably adept at the language. He smiles and says that his accent may be a bit hard to understand, but that it’s the same for him, too. One wonders if the “Texas twang” will rub off on him at some point.
“Please feel free to ask me to repeat something if you don’t understand me,” Pius said in his biography released by the church. “Please feel free to bring it to my attention when I do something different to the culture here.”
Regarding culture, a big challenge for Pius, who is a vegetarian, was landing in the middle of barbecue country. Fortunately for him, there are some very good gardeners in his congregation.
“There is barbecue and hamburgers everywhere, but it is not as easy to find vegetarian meals,” Pius said. “But I have been getting lots of vegetables here. People have been bringing squash, cucumbers, melons, tomatoes and a variety of wonderful vegetables from their gardens.”
Pius was ordained into the priesthood on Dec. 31, 1990 and served as an associate pastor before becoming a pastor for 11 years. He also served as head of extension programs for the college in the diocese and as director of male students on the campus.
In 2007, his bishop asked if he would be willing to serve outside of India where there is a shortage of priests, leading to his move to the U.S.
Pius’ heritage derives from the Saint Thomas Christians, an ancient body of Christians who trace their origins to St. Thomas the Apostle, who traveled to India in 52 A.D.
Pius said that St. Thomas baptized his ancestors, beginning a Catholic heritage of almost 2,000 years.
“Of course, you know, years of heritage and ancestry won’t do any good for us or for others unless we live our faith,” Pius said.
Pius comes from a large family, having three sisters and four brothers all living in the same state in India. His father passed away 16 years ago.
Possibly the biggest challenge for Pius has been being so far away from his mother, who is 96. As he shows pictures of her looking very healthy, with blue-gray eyes and the large hoop earrings that are part of their tradition, he talks about connecting with her via Skype, an online telephone and video application.
“It has been difficult for her, she still cries when I talk to her, which makes me a little upset,” Pius said. “Although we can talk through the connection and we can see each other through the video, she always says, ‘but I cannot touch you.’”
Pius said he learned many of life’s lessons from his mother, giving him the ability to deal with people in a positive way and to work to help his parishioners.
“I believe we are all God’s children: No color, race or religion,” Pius said. “I want to consider everyone – rich, poor, Hispanic, white, black. I am seeing the face of Jesus in everyone.”
Pius said he began praying for the Smithville parish on May 22, the day he was appointed to St. Paul.
“I believe it is Jesus who called me to share his priesthood and sent me here to serve you,” Pius said. “I need your prayers. As I am away from my family and friends, now you are my family and friends.”
