Combat Arms and Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox VG
{{Infobox Saint
|name=Saint Alphonsa Muttathupadathu or Sister Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception|birth_date={{birth date|1910|08|19|df=yes}}
| title = Combat Arms
|death_date= {{death date and age|1946|07|28|1910|08|19|df=yes}}
| image =
|feast_day=28 July
| developer = Doobic Studios
|venerated_in=[[Roman Catholic Church]]
| publisher = [[Nexon Corporation|Nexon]]
|image=Saint_Alphonsama_icon.jpg
| distributor =
|imagesize=200 px
| designer =
|caption=Saint Alphonsamma
| license =
|birth_place=[[Kottayam district]], [[Kerala]], India
| series = 1
|death_place=[[Bharananganam]]
| engine = Lithtech
|titles=first Indian woman [[Saint]]
| version = 2.0
|beatified_date=8 February 1986
| genre = [[First-person shooter]]
|beatified_place=[[Kottayam]]
| modes = [[Multiplayer video game|Multiplayer]]
|beatified_by=[[Pope John Paul II]]
| ratings =
|canonized_date=12 October 2008
| platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]]
|canonized_place= [[Vatican City]]
| media =
|canonized_by=[[Pope Benedict XVI]]
| requirements = '''Minimum'''
|attributes=
*[[Windows 2000]]
|patronage= against bodily ills<br />against illness<br />against sickness<br />against the death of parents<br />sick people
*[[Intel Pentium III]] 1 [[Hertz|GHz]]
|major_shrine= Saint Alphonsama Church, Bharananganam, Kerala, India.
*256 [[Megabyte|MB]] [[Random Access Memory|RAM]]
|suppressed_date=
*[[GeForce 2 MX]]
|issues=
*[[DirectX]] 9.0c
|prayer=
*2.0 [[Gigabyte|GB]] free [[Hard disk drive|HD]] space
|prayer_attrib=
*128 kbit/s [[Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line|ADSL]] or equivalent
'''Recommended'''
*[[Windows XP]] or [[Windows Vista Home Premium]]
*[[Intel Pentium 4]] 2.4 [[Hertz|GHz]]
*512 [[Megabyte|MB]] [[Random Access Memory|RAM]]
*[[GeForce FX 5600]]
*[[DirectX]] 9.0c
*2.0 [[Gigabyte|GB]] free [[Hard disk drive|HD]] space
*128 kbit/s [[Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line|ADSL]] or equivalent
| input = [[Keyboard (computing)|Keyboard]], [[Mouse (computing)|Mouse]]
}}
}}
'''''Combat Arms''''' is a [[free-to-play]] [[multiplayer]] [[first-person shooter]] developed by [[South Korea]] based developer Doobic Studios and published by [[Nexon Corporation|Nexon]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/875/875998p1.html |title=Combat Arms Explored |accessdate=2008-06-01 |date=[[2008-05-22]] |publisher=IGN }}</ref>.


'''St. Alphonsa Muttathupadathu''' (also '''Saint Alphonsamma''' &ndash; The Passion Flower) (19 August 1910 – 28 July 1946), is the first Indian woman to be elevated to sainthood by the [[Roman Catholic church]].She is also the first Saint of [[Syro Malabar Church]].
==History==
The closed beta started on [[May 30]], [[2008]] exclusively through [[FilePlanet]] and ran for one week. It ended on June 6th.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/5010730/nexon-announces-combat-arms-open-beta |title=Nexon Announces Combat Arms Open Beta |accessdate=2008-06-01 |date=[[2008-02-23]] |publisher=Kotaku }}</ref> This beta was limited to users from [[North America]], [[South America]] and [[Oceania]]. In the closed beta, 4 maps and 30 weapons were available. On June 26, Combat Arms went into in Pre-Open Beta Phase, whereby the game was open to the public, but it was still being tested and changed to prepare for Open Beta.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://combatarms.nexon.net/|title=Welcome to Pre-Open Beta |accessdate=2008-06-26 |date=[[2008-06-26]] }}</ref> Pre-Open Beta was also limited to users from [[North America]], [[South America]] and [[Oceania]]. The Official Launch of Combat Arms started on July 11, 2008.
On the 8th of August 2008, Nexon announced<ref>{{cite web|url=http://combatarms.nexon.net/News/View.aspx?boardNo=101&contentNo=00111&pageIndex=1 |title=Nexon Announces Combat Arms Europe |accessdate=2008-08-12 |date=[[2008-08-08]]}}</ref> that a Combat Arms service shall be started by Nexon Europe, for European Players. On 25 September 2008, the Combat Arms Europe Teaser website<ref>{{cite web|url=http://combatarms.nexoneu.com/ |title=Combat Arms Europe |accessdate=2008-09-25 |date=[[2008-09-25]]}}</ref> was activated by Nexon Europe.


'''Alphonsamma''' as known locally was noted for her suffering, and suffering in silence. Incidents of her intervention began almost immediately upon her death, and often involved the children in the convent school. Her Cause began on 2 December 1953 at [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Palai]] and was declared [[Servant of God]].She was declared [[Venerable]] on 9 July 1985 by [[Pope John Paul II]]. The beautifucation happened in 8 February 1986 by [[Pope John Paul II]] at Kottayam.
==Gameplay==
[[Image:Combatarms1.jpg|thumb|left|A screenshot from Combat Arms.]]
Combat Arms is entirely a multiplayer game with no single-player mode, and contains 4 game modes: Elimination (Team Deathmatch), One Man Army (Deathmatch), Search & Destroy (Bomb mode), and Capture the Flag, and as of now consists of 9 maps: Warhead (factory), Pump Jack (oil station), Snow Valley, (a missile launch site in the middle of snow-covered mountains), Gray Hammer (power station), Junk Flea (desert junkyard), Cold Seed (snow-covered mine), Two Towers (communications tower), Brushwood (a small jungle map, with a down plane hideout), and Sand Hog (unknown map coming october 16th). Size is also important to the players of the game. Warhead (Medium), Pump Jack (Large), Snow Valley (Large), Gray Hammer (Medium), Junk Flea (Extra Small), Cold Seed (Small), Two Towers (Large), Brushwood (Small). Sandhog, the unkown map, is bigger than Snow Valley, which is the game's largest stage. Nexon also plans to add a single-player, campaign game type. Players who start a room, (known as the Room Moderator/Master) are able to choose the map, game mode, set score and time limits, and controls the weapons other players can use or not use, (for example, Melee only, or No sniper rifles allowed). Players are able to obtain in-game money known as gear points (GP) and experience after a match, allowing them to rank up and buy new weapons and equipment, such as armor, uniforms, and backpacks for their persistent characters. There is a rental system of equipment instead of actual purchases of the weapons and gear. The rental periods are 1 day, 7 days, 30 days, and 90 days, each rental period costing more in-game money. This rental period has caused much criticism to the game as players are upset that they cannot own weapons that they buy forever and that they have to keep playing to make up for the GP they used to purchase weapons and gear. The game design was based on a game known as [[Heat Project]], a game made in Korea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/875/875998p1.html |title=Combat Arms Explored |accessdate=2008-08-16 |date=[[2008-05-22]] |publisher=IGN }}</ref> The game also uses a customizations system where players can buy silencers, larger magazines, and different types of scopes.
Added quite recently, Nexon allowed Nexon Cash Cards to be redeemed for weapons and other virtual items in the "black market"; before, weapons could only be purchased through Gear points only. In the "black market", you can use Nexon Cash to buy mercenaries, player and clan reset stat cards, and an emblem for your clan.


Hundreds of miraculous cures are claimed for her intervention, many of involving straightening of clubbed-feet, possibly because of her having lived with deformed feet herself; two of these were submitted to the [[Congregation for the Causes of Saints]] as proof of her miraculous intervention. The continuing cures are chronicled in the magazine PassionFlower.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://saints.sqpn.com/sainta1g.htm |title=Patron Saints Index |publisher= SQPN }}</ref>
==Maps & Plot==
Combat Arms has ten maps, each in a variety of different environments, like desert, snow, jungle and urban. The maps "Cold Seed" and "Snow Valley" are in a snowy environment, while "Pump Jack" and "Junk Flea" are desert. "WarHead", "Gray Hammer", and "Two Towers" are urban, and "Brushwood" is in a thick jungle. The latest map to be released is "Sand Hog". Another stage to be released in the future is "Rattlesnake", which has a similar look as Brushwood. All the stages have their own location in the world, due to the wide range of environments. In the map "Cold Seed", a mine named Oskrov is mentioned on the loading screen, suggesting it is in Russia. There is no specific plot to the game, other than that there is a war going on, involving terrorists. There are only a couple mentions of a faction, the United Alliance, in the map "Pump Jack" and "Two Towers" loading screen. Each of the loading screens display a hint to the player, such as mentioning various game controls.


On Sunday 12 October 2008, She was formally canonized by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] at a ceremony at [[St Peter's Square]] .<ref>{{cite web |url=http://saints.sqpn.com/sainta1g.htm |title=Patron Saints Index |publisher= SQPN }}</ref>
==Criticisms==
Combat Arms suffers from numerous cheating attempts by its users. Players desiring an unfair advantage in the game can download and use free software that provides them with in-game cheats. Such cheats include the supernatural ability to fly, move much faster than usual, an inability to die and much more. Cheaters can amass myriads of experience points that will help them achieve a higher ranking in the game. Zero in-game moderation and an inability for roommasters (those that create the room) to kick cheaters from the game makes it extremely easy and safe to cheat. Nexon's attempt to patch these cheats are often futile due to new cheat softwares being introduced to the public regularly. Nexon also utilizes the help of a hackshield to detect any cheating attempts, but the shield is easily bypassed by many cheat softwares.


She is the first woman and the second person from India to be declared a saint by the [[Roman Catholic church]].
Players don't have to download cheats to get an unfair advantage in the game. Some crafty players take advantage of the glitches the game suffers from.
== Early life ==
Born as Annakkutty (little Anna) in Kudamaloor, a rural village in [[Kottayam district]], [[Kerala]], India, to Joseph and Mary Muttathupadathu. She was baptized on 27 August 1910 at Saint Mary's Church in [[Kudamaloor]] under the patronage of [[Saint Anna]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://saints.sqpn.com/sainta1g.htm |title=Patron Saints Index |publisher=Catholic Church }}</ref> . Anna's mother died when she was young, so her maternal aunt raised her. Anna was educated by her great-uncle, Father Joseph Muttathupadathu. When Anna was three years old, she contracted [[eczema]] and suffered for over a year .<ref>{{cite web |url=http://saints.sqpn.com/sainta1g.htm |title=Patron Saints Index |publisher= SQPN }}</ref> .


In 1916 she started school in [[Arpookara]]. She received [[First Communion]] on 27 November 1917. In 1918 she transferred to the school in Muttuchira. In 1923 Anna was badly burned on her feet when she fell into a pit of burning chaff. This accident left her permanently disabled.
In-game harassment is another problem that Nexon has not addressed. Players sometimes spam messages and radio-commands to try and annoy teammates.


She arrived at the [[Poor Clares]] convent at [[Bharananganam]] on [[Pentecost]] 1927. She received the [[postulant]]'s veil on 2 August 1928 and took the name ''Alphonsa''. In May 1929 she entered the Malayalam High School at Vazhappally. Her foster-mother died in 1930.
Many players also complain about guns locking up. For example, sometimes when a player attempts to fire a sniper round, nothing will fire. It can take a second and sometimes even a third attempt to fire before the gun actually discharges a round. Usually by this time however, the player will have been killed by the opposing player.
{{Ciiportal}}
{{Catholicismportal}}


When a player is killed, he/she will respawn and for 3 seconds will be completely invulnerable to attacks while he/she is able to fire and hit any enemy in site. Some players find the 3-second invulnerability upon respawn an unfair rule. This rule is thought to be unfair because a player that runs into a respawned enemy has an extreme disadvantage. Supporters of this rule argue that the rule prevents people from sitting in one area waiting for the enemy to spawn.


On 19 May 1930 she received her religious habit at Bharananganam. Three days later she resumed her studies at [[Changanacherry]], while working as a temporary teacher at the school at [[Vakakkad]]. On 11 August 1931 she joined the [[novitiate]]. She took her permanent vows on 12 August 1936. Two days later she returned to Bharananganam from Changanacherry.
Combat Arms also suffers from sporadic server crashes and lag spikes.


She taught elementary school, but was often sick and unable to teach.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://saints.sqpn.com/sainta1g.htm |title=Patron Saints Index |publisher= SQPN }}</ref>
==References==

== Health declines ==
In December 1936 she was reportedly cured from her ailments through the intervention of Saint [[Thérèse of Lisieux]] and Blessed [[Kuriakose Elias Chavara]], but on 14 June 1939 she was struck by a severe attack of [[pneumonia|double-pneumonia]], which left her weakened. On 18 October 1940, a thief stumbled into her room in the middle of the night. This traumatic event caused her to suffer amnesia, and weakened her again.

Her health continued to deteriorate over a period of months. She received [[extreme unction]] on 29 September 29 1941. The next day it is believed that she regained her memory, though not complete health. Her health improved over the next few years, until in July 1945 she developed a stomach problem that caused vomiting. <ref>Malayala Manorama ''News articles about Sister Alphonsa'', Kottayam, March 2, 2008 </ref>.

==Death==
She died on 28 July 1946, aged 35. She is buried at [[Bharananganam]], [[South India]] in the Diocese of [[Palai]].

Her tomb in Bharananganam has become a pilgrimage site these days as miracles have been reported by some devotees.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200802261751.htm |title=Sister Alphonsa's canonisation date to be decided on March 1 |publisher=The Hindu}}</ref> The miracle attributed to her intercession and approved by Vatican for the canonization was the healing of [[club foot]] of an infant in 1999. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?programId=1073753693&contentId=2512288&contentType=EDITORIAL&articleType=Malayalam%20News&BV_ID=@@@| title=Malayala Manorama News Story, March 7, 2008|publisher=Malayala Manorama}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2007/09/02/stories/2007090250100500.htm | title= A life of suffering, Sep 02, 2007|publisher=The Hindu}}</ref>

==Beatification ==
On 2 December 1953, [[Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Cardinal Tisserant]] inaugurated the diocesan process for her beatification. [[Pope John Paul II]] formally approved a miracle attributed to her intercession and Alphonsa was declared ''[[Servant of God]]'' on 9 July 1985 and she became known as Venerable Sister Alphonsa. She was beatified along with [[Kuriakose Elias Chavara]] at Kottayam.
Following is an extract from speech of [[Pope John Paul II]] during the Apostolic Pilgrimage to India on 8th February,1986 at [[Nehru Stadium]],[[ Kottayam]]. <blockquote> "From early in her life, Sister Alphonsa experienced great suffering. With the passing of the years, the heavenly Father gave her an ever fuller share in the Passion of his beloved Son. We recall how she experienced not only physical pain of great intensity, but also the spiritual suffering of being misunderstood and misjudged by others. But she constantly accepted all her sufferings with serenity and trust in God, being firmly convinced that they would purify her motives, help her to overcome all selfishness, and unite her more closely with her beloved divine Spouse. She wrote to her spiritual director: "Dear Father, as my good Lord Jesus loves me so very much, I sincerely desire to remain on this sick bed and suffer not only this, but anything else besides, even to the end of the world. I feel now that God has intended my life to be an oblation, a sacrifice of suffering" (20 November 1944). She came to love suffering because she loved the suffering Christ. She learned to love the Cross through her love of the crucified Lord"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alphonsa.com/Content-13/BEATIFICATION.html| title=Beatification speech of Pope John Paul II |publisher= Aplphonsama site}}</ref>.</blockquote>.

==Cannonization==

Pope Benedict had cleared Sister Alphonsa's name for canonisation on June 1, 2007, a process that was started 55 years ago. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1986 in Kottayam, 40 years after her death, in recognition of the numerous miracles associated with her.

The miracle attributed to her intercession and approved by Vatican for the canonization was the healing of [[club foot]] of an infant in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?programId=1073753693&contentId=2512288&contentType=EDITORIAL&articleType=Malayalam%20News&BV_ID=@@@| title=Malayala Manorama News Story, March 7, 2008|publisher=Malayala Manorama}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2007/09/02/stories/2007090250100500.htm | title= A life of suffering, Sep 02, 2007|publisher=The Hindu}}</ref>
She was elevated to sainthood on 12 October 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080068465&ch=10/12/2008%201:51:00%20PM | title= Kerala nun Sister Alphonsa is now Saint Alphonsa, Oct 12, 2008|publisher=ndtv.com}}</ref>

The final ceremony for the canonisation began on 12th October 2008 with the holy relics of Alphonsa being presented to the Pope by Sister Celia, mother general of the Franciscan Clarist congregation - the congregation that Sister Alphonsa belonged to. Celia was accompanied by Vice Postulator Father Francis Vadakkel and former Kerala minister K M Mani, all holding lighted candles. Speaking in English, the Pope declared Sister Alphonsa a saint, after reading excerpts from the Holy Bible. The Pope himself read out the biography of Alphonsa after the ceremony.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Sister_Alphonsa_becomes_Indias_first_woman_saint/articleshow/3586924.cms| title= Sister Alphonsa becomes India's first woman saint |publisher=The Times of India}}</ref>

The ceremony was attended by around 25,000 people of Indian origin - many waving Indian flags - as well as a large delegation from India. A 15-member official Indian delegation, led by Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes, attended the ceremony.

Even as Sr. Alphonsa was raised to the realm of saints by the Vatican on Sunday, the Catholic Church in Kerala celebrated the canonisation of the first Indian saint from an Indian Rite. Across the State, church bells tolled as [[Pope Benedict XVI]] named her St.Alphonsa of Immaculate Conception.

The cemetery where the Franciscan Clarist nun was buried 62 years ago at St Mary’s Forane Church at [[Bharananganam]]has now been turned into the chapel which houses her mortal remains. The canonisation was greeted with bursting of crackers and toll of church bells.
St Mary’s Forane church at [[Kudmaloor]], the parent parish of the saint, too held special Mass.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/13/stories/2008101356541300.htm| title= Catholic Church celebrates Alphonsa’s canonisation |publisher=The Hindu}}</ref>

==Feast==
Thousands converge on the small town of [[Bharananganam]] when they celebrate the feast of Saint Alphonsa from 19 to 28 July each year.

==See also==
* [[Catholic Church]]
* [[Saint]]
* [[Canonization]]
* [[Syro Malabar Church]]
* [[Blessed Chavara]]
* [[Carmelites of Mary Immaculate]]
* [[Saint Thomas Christians]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
==External links==
*{{official|http://www.alphonsa.com}}
*[http://combatarms.nexon.net/ Official Website]
*[http://www.alphonsamma.org/Photo/Photo.htm Photographs associated with Blessed Alphonsa]
*[http://www.combat-tools.com/ Combat-Tools Website]
* [http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta1g.htm Alphonsa of India] at Patron Saint Index
* [http://www.alphonsa.net/Bharananganam.htm Shrine of Blessed Alphonsa]
* [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/1986/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19860208_stadio-kattayam_en.html Pope John Paul II On Blessed Alphonsa of India]
* [http://www.dailylight.wordpress.com/2008/10/13/saint-alphonsa/ Exegesis on her life and good links]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muttathupadathu, Alphonsa}}
[[Category:Syro-Malabar Catholics]]
[[Category:Poor Clares]]
[[Category:Indian nuns]]
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:1946 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Christian saints]]


[[Category:First-person shooters]]
[[Category:First-person shooter MOGs]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer online games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Korea]]


[[it:Combat Arms]]
[[de:Alphonsa]]
[[ml:അൽഫോൻസാമ്മ]]
[[pt:Anna Muttathupadathu]]

Revision as of 05:14, 13 October 2008

Saint Alphonsa Muttathupadathu or Sister Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception
File:Saint Alphonsama icon.jpg
Saint Alphonsamma
first Indian woman Saint
Born(1910-08-19)19 August 1910
Kottayam district, Kerala, India
Died28 July 1946(1946-07-28) (aged 35)
Bharananganam
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church
Beatified8 February 1986, Kottayam by Pope John Paul II
Canonized12 October 2008, Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI
Major shrineSaint Alphonsama Church, Bharananganam, Kerala, India.
Feast28 July
Patronageagainst bodily ills
against illness
against sickness
against the death of parents
sick people

St. Alphonsa Muttathupadathu (also Saint Alphonsamma – The Passion Flower) (19 August 1910 – 28 July 1946), is the first Indian woman to be elevated to sainthood by the Roman Catholic church.She is also the first Saint of Syro Malabar Church.

Alphonsamma as known locally was noted for her suffering, and suffering in silence. Incidents of her intervention began almost immediately upon her death, and often involved the children in the convent school. Her Cause began on 2 December 1953 at Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Palai and was declared Servant of God.She was declared Venerable on 9 July 1985 by Pope John Paul II. The beautifucation happened in 8 February 1986 by Pope John Paul II at Kottayam.

Hundreds of miraculous cures are claimed for her intervention, many of involving straightening of clubbed-feet, possibly because of her having lived with deformed feet herself; two of these were submitted to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints as proof of her miraculous intervention. The continuing cures are chronicled in the magazine PassionFlower.[1]

On Sunday 12 October 2008, She was formally canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at a ceremony at St Peter's Square .[2]

She is the first woman and the second person from India to be declared a saint by the Roman Catholic church.

Early life

Born as Annakkutty (little Anna) in Kudamaloor, a rural village in Kottayam district, Kerala, India, to Joseph and Mary Muttathupadathu. She was baptized on 27 August 1910 at Saint Mary's Church in Kudamaloor under the patronage of Saint Anna.[3] . Anna's mother died when she was young, so her maternal aunt raised her. Anna was educated by her great-uncle, Father Joseph Muttathupadathu. When Anna was three years old, she contracted eczema and suffered for over a year .[4] .

In 1916 she started school in Arpookara. She received First Communion on 27 November 1917. In 1918 she transferred to the school in Muttuchira. In 1923 Anna was badly burned on her feet when she fell into a pit of burning chaff. This accident left her permanently disabled.

She arrived at the Poor Clares convent at Bharananganam on Pentecost 1927. She received the postulant's veil on 2 August 1928 and took the name Alphonsa. In May 1929 she entered the Malayalam High School at Vazhappally. Her foster-mother died in 1930. Template:Ciiportal Template:Catholicismportal


On 19 May 1930 she received her religious habit at Bharananganam. Three days later she resumed her studies at Changanacherry, while working as a temporary teacher at the school at Vakakkad. On 11 August 1931 she joined the novitiate. She took her permanent vows on 12 August 1936. Two days later she returned to Bharananganam from Changanacherry.

She taught elementary school, but was often sick and unable to teach.[5]

Health declines

In December 1936 she was reportedly cured from her ailments through the intervention of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara, but on 14 June 1939 she was struck by a severe attack of double-pneumonia, which left her weakened. On 18 October 1940, a thief stumbled into her room in the middle of the night. This traumatic event caused her to suffer amnesia, and weakened her again.

Her health continued to deteriorate over a period of months. She received extreme unction on 29 September 29 1941. The next day it is believed that she regained her memory, though not complete health. Her health improved over the next few years, until in July 1945 she developed a stomach problem that caused vomiting. [6].

Death

She died on 28 July 1946, aged 35. She is buried at Bharananganam, South India in the Diocese of Palai.

Her tomb in Bharananganam has become a pilgrimage site these days as miracles have been reported by some devotees.[7] The miracle attributed to her intercession and approved by Vatican for the canonization was the healing of club foot of an infant in 1999. [8][9]

Beatification

On 2 December 1953, Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Cardinal Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan process for her beatification. Pope John Paul II formally approved a miracle attributed to her intercession and Alphonsa was declared Servant of God on 9 July 1985 and she became known as Venerable Sister Alphonsa. She was beatified along with Kuriakose Elias Chavara at Kottayam.

Following is an extract from speech of Pope John Paul II during the Apostolic Pilgrimage to India on 8th February,1986 at Nehru Stadium,Kottayam.

"From early in her life, Sister Alphonsa experienced great suffering. With the passing of the years, the heavenly Father gave her an ever fuller share in the Passion of his beloved Son. We recall how she experienced not only physical pain of great intensity, but also the spiritual suffering of being misunderstood and misjudged by others. But she constantly accepted all her sufferings with serenity and trust in God, being firmly convinced that they would purify her motives, help her to overcome all selfishness, and unite her more closely with her beloved divine Spouse. She wrote to her spiritual director: "Dear Father, as my good Lord Jesus loves me so very much, I sincerely desire to remain on this sick bed and suffer not only this, but anything else besides, even to the end of the world. I feel now that God has intended my life to be an oblation, a sacrifice of suffering" (20 November 1944). She came to love suffering because she loved the suffering Christ. She learned to love the Cross through her love of the crucified Lord"[10].

.

Cannonization

Pope Benedict had cleared Sister Alphonsa's name for canonisation on June 1, 2007, a process that was started 55 years ago. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1986 in Kottayam, 40 years after her death, in recognition of the numerous miracles associated with her.

The miracle attributed to her intercession and approved by Vatican for the canonization was the healing of club foot of an infant in 1999.[11][12] She was elevated to sainthood on 12 October 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.[13]

The final ceremony for the canonisation began on 12th October 2008 with the holy relics of Alphonsa being presented to the Pope by Sister Celia, mother general of the Franciscan Clarist congregation - the congregation that Sister Alphonsa belonged to. Celia was accompanied by Vice Postulator Father Francis Vadakkel and former Kerala minister K M Mani, all holding lighted candles. Speaking in English, the Pope declared Sister Alphonsa a saint, after reading excerpts from the Holy Bible. The Pope himself read out the biography of Alphonsa after the ceremony.[14]

The ceremony was attended by around 25,000 people of Indian origin - many waving Indian flags - as well as a large delegation from India. A 15-member official Indian delegation, led by Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes, attended the ceremony.

Even as Sr. Alphonsa was raised to the realm of saints by the Vatican on Sunday, the Catholic Church in Kerala celebrated the canonisation of the first Indian saint from an Indian Rite. Across the State, church bells tolled as Pope Benedict XVI named her St.Alphonsa of Immaculate Conception.

The cemetery where the Franciscan Clarist nun was buried 62 years ago at St Mary’s Forane Church at Bharananganamhas now been turned into the chapel which houses her mortal remains. The canonisation was greeted with bursting of crackers and toll of church bells. St Mary’s Forane church at Kudmaloor, the parent parish of the saint, too held special Mass.[15]

Feast

Thousands converge on the small town of Bharananganam when they celebrate the feast of Saint Alphonsa from 19 to 28 July each year.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Patron Saints Index". SQPN.
  2. ^ "Patron Saints Index". SQPN.
  3. ^ "Patron Saints Index". Catholic Church.
  4. ^ "Patron Saints Index". SQPN.
  5. ^ "Patron Saints Index". SQPN.
  6. ^ Malayala Manorama News articles about Sister Alphonsa, Kottayam, March 2, 2008
  7. ^ "Sister Alphonsa's canonisation date to be decided on March 1". The Hindu.
  8. ^ "Malayala Manorama News Story, March 7, 2008". Malayala Manorama.
  9. ^ "A life of suffering, Sep 02, 2007". The Hindu.
  10. ^ "Beatification speech of Pope John Paul II". Aplphonsama site.
  11. ^ "Malayala Manorama News Story, March 7, 2008". Malayala Manorama.
  12. ^ "A life of suffering, Sep 02, 2007". The Hindu.
  13. ^ "Kerala nun Sister Alphonsa is now Saint Alphonsa, Oct 12, 2008". ndtv.com.
  14. ^ "Sister Alphonsa becomes India's first woman saint". The Times of India.
  15. ^ "Catholic Church celebrates Alphonsa's canonisation". The Hindu.

External links

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