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Removing link(s) Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Amal Jyothi College of Engineering (2nd nomination) closed as delete (XFDcloser)

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{{Use Indian English|date=August 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
[[File:Mar Mathew Arackal with Pope.jpg|thumb|right|300px| Mar Mathew Arackal, Bishop of Kanjirapally, with Pope Benedict XVI.]]

''' Mar Mathew Arackal''' (born 10 December 1944) is a [[Bishop]] of the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Church|Syro Malabar Catholic Church]] and an active champion in issues of the environment and the society. He served as Head of the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Kanjirappally|Eparchy of Kanjirappally]] from 9 February 2001 to 2 February 2020. He was also the Chairman of the Syro-Malabar Church Commission for the Laity.

==Early life and education==

Bishop Arackal was born at [[Erumely]], in the [[Kottayam]] [[District]] of [[Kerala State]], [[India]]. He studied at St. Thomas High School, Erumely, and St Berchman's College, Changanacherry, and then pursued his priestly studies at St. Thomas Minor Seminary, Changanacherry, and at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, [[Kottayam]].{{fact|date=December 2020}}

==Career==

Mathew Arackal successfully completed philosophical and theological studies at the age of 25 and was [[ordained]] to the priesthood on 13 March 1971 by Archbishop Cardinal [[Mar Antony Padiyara]]. During 1971-1974, he served as the Assistant Vicar of Amboori Church, Director of Samaritan Hospital, Amboori and the Estates Manager for the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanassery]]. In 1974 he was appointed Assistant [[Procurator (Catholic Church)|Procurator]] of the Archdiocese of Changanacherry. During that time, he helped to establish the first Labour [[Co-operative Society]] in Kerala.

When the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Kanjirappally|Eparchy of Kanjirappally]] was erected in 1977, he was appointed the [[Vicar]] of Peermedu and Murinjapuzha by Bishop [[Mar Joseph Powathil]]. In 1980, he started the Peermedu Development Society (PDS) and served as its [[Executive Director]] till 2001.<ref>{{cite book|title=Resurgence|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M2MkAQAAIAAJ|year=2003|publisher=H. Sharman|page=31}}</ref> PDS's purpose was to protect the interests of the aboriginal tribes in the mountain ranges as well as their [[ecology#Physical environments|environment]]. Bishop Arackal is an advocate of [[organic farming]] methods and [[organic food]] crops. He helped found a charitable trust to arrange gainful employment for women and the marginalised sections of the community. He also established the High Range Medical Centre (HRMC) at Pothupara, [[Idukki]], Sahyadri Ayurvedic Pharmaceuticals at Kuttikanam, two major residential training centres for rural development with research wings and lab facilities in Biotechnology and Eco-farming. He initiated the establishment of [[Marian College Kuttikkanam|Marian College, Kuttikkanam]] in 1995.

Mathew Arackal was involved in the International [[Red Cross]]. He was appointed to serve in various secular offices of the government. He was the Governing Board Member of the Kerala State Continued Education; the Member of the Kerala State Academic Council; the Technical Advisor for the Rajeev Gandhi Water Mission of the [[Government of India]] and the [[Department of Science and Technology (India)|Department of Science and Technology]] of the Government of India. He was selected as the Resource Person of CAPART (Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural Technology) of the Government of India, Kerala State Farming Corporation; The Task Force for Participatory Planning; State Council for Education, Research and Training; Watershed Development and Management Evaluation Team. Until 2007, he was the only representative from [[Asia]] and [[Africa]] to the International Delegate Assembly of Naturland, [[Germany]].

Mar Mathew Arackal was appointed [[Bishop]] of [[Kanjirappally]]<ref>[http://www.kaumudiglobal.com/innerpage1.php?newsid=14329 "Bishop Mathew Arackal welcomed at Bristol".] ''Kaumudi Global''</ref> by [[Pope John Paul II]] on 19 January 2001.<ref name="Chrysostom2001">{{cite book|author=Society of Saint John Chrysostom|title=Eastern Churches Journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=69wkAQAAIAAJ|year=2001|publisher=Society of Saint John Chrysostom|page=324}}</ref> He took the call of Jesus Christ in John 10:10 'Life in its fullness' as his episcopal motto. He embarked various spiritual, cultural, social and development projects for the diocese and the State. He established the Amal Jyothi College of Engineering Kanjirappally and the Sahyadri Co-operative Bank. He piloted various development works at [[Marian College Kuttikkanam|Marian College]], Kuttikanam; MMT Hospital Mundakayam and various other schools, infirmaries and institutions. He also continued his work with the Malanadu Development Society and the Peermeade Development Society.

In 2003 Arackal was appointed Advisor to the Planning Commission of India<ref>[http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=21812 "Bishop Appointed to Federal Commission in India April 15, 2003"] ''Catholic Culture''</ref><ref name=reception>[http://www.ukmalayalee.com/latest-news/news.php?id=MjU1Ng "Bishop Mathew Arackal given civic reception in Bristol"]. ''Ukmalayalee'', by Rajesh Joseph]</ref> and later in 2010, the Judging Committee Member of the Indira Gandhi Paryavan Puraskar (Environmental Award) constituted by the [[Government of India]]<ref name=reception />

He was the Chairman of Kerala Social Service Forum (KSSF) 2001-2010, an umbrella organisation of the Catholic Social Service organisations in the State of Kerala; Chairman of KCBC Commission for Justice, Peace and Development; Member of the CBCI Commission for Scheduled Caste, Tribes and Backward Classes and the Bishop representative of Functional Vocational Training Forum (FVTF) of the CBCI. In the Media, he previously served as Chairman of the Jeevan Telecasting Corporation Ltd and Chairman of Rashtra Deepika Ltd.<ref>[http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/muslim_businessman_takes_over_keralas_centuryold_catholic_daily/ "Muslim businessman takes over Kerala's century-old Catholic daily"]. ''Catholic News Agency''.</ref> Apart from his diocesan duties, he is also heavily involved in the worldwide Church as the Chairman of the Laity Commission.

In 2013, Bishop Arackal was in the news as a spokesman for the poor farmers in [[Idukki District]] who were protesting because their livelihood was being threatened by changes in Kerala environmental regulations.<ref>[http://mattersindia.com/kerala-court-seeks-government-stand-on-bishops-hate-speech/ "Kerala court seeks government stands on Bishop's “hate” speech"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140217125643/http://mattersindia.com/kerala-court-seeks-government-stand-on-bishops-hate-speech/ |date=17 February 2014 }}. ''Matters India'', 12 December 2013</ref> In 2015, he led a group of farmers in a fast to protest low crop prices.<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/farmers-demand-remunerative-price/article7253747.ece "Farmers demand remunerative price"]. ''The Hindu''. 28 May 2015.</ref> He rejuvenated many lives in the region.<ref>[http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2014/11/23/Brother-Fortunatus-Put-on-the-Path-to-Sainthood/article2536538.ece "Brother Fortunatus Put on the Path to Sainthood"]. ''Indian Express News Service'', 23 November 2014</ref><ref>[http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2014/11/24/St-Chavaras-Work-in-Education-Hailed/article2537955.ece "St Chavara's Work in Education Hailed"]. ''Indian Express News Service'', 24 November 2014</ref>

==References ==

<ref>[http://www.non-gmoreport.com/articles/mar10/india_no_gm_eggplant.php "India says No to GM eggplant"]</ref>
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/barackal.html] Catholic Hierarchy
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130409091429/http://kanjirapallydiocese.com/bishop/] Kanjirapally Diocese

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Arackal, Mathew}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Indian environmentalists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Christian clergy from Kottayam]]
[[Category:Syro-Malabar bishops]]
[[Category:Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Kanjirappally]]

Mathew Arackal - Revision history

>Daniel: Removing link(s) Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Amal Jyothi College of Engineering (2nd nomination) closed as delete (XFDcloser)