A padre’s story

By the Grace of God: An Autobiography, Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, Kristu Jyoti Publications; Rs. 130, Pages 160 On March 4, 2016, a group of terrorists barged into a care-home for the destitute run by Catholic nuns in the poverty-stricken, war-torn Middle East country of Yemen. They shot 16 people, including four nuns and several locals dead, and kidnapped a Catholic priest from India. This book, the autobiography of Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, recounts the milestone achievements and experiences of his life, culminating in captivity for 557 days after that ill-fated day.  Explaining why he chose to relate his experience, Fr. Tom says: “The purpose of chronicling my experiences is in no way to create an impression that I am a saint or superhero. In fact more than anyone else, I can testify that I am far from all that. But I felt strongly impelled to write of my experience under the protection and mercy of God, especially during the time that I was in captivity.” Fr. Tom’s narrative is a record of how he brought faith to bear on the many challenges and obstacles he faced in life. It is a testament of the mysterious ways in which God works his wonders to perform. As he says, “Looking through the past years right from my childhood up to the present moment, I could find my God walking with me, taking care of me, not only in moments of joy but also in the most difficult situations of life. Even when there seemed no hope, He filled me with hope and courage. At times, when my prayers were seemingly unanswered, He held me close to Him… While He gave me trials on one side, He strengthened me with graces on the other. I knew that the Lord would act in His own time…” Born in rural Kerala into the home of a pious Catholic farmer, the author describes his early life within a loving family and dedicated teachers who instilled faith in him and shaped him from a young age to devote his life to God. We learn about the process of his induction into the clergy, about his career as a servant of God in different parts of India, and in institutions serving those whom Christ described as “the least among us”. A major turning point in Fr. Tom’s life came when he was posted to Yemen, where he served members of the country’s minuscule Catholic population and also in homes for the destitute run by Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity. We get a glimpse of the challenges confronting volunteers and peacekeepers in civil wars. The narrative then moves to the tragic events of March 4, when a group of terrorists stormed the centre run by the Sisters in Aden and, after killing several people, kidnapped Fr. Tom. How did this padre survive that harrowing time, for some 18 months? Only by the grace of God, he believes. Fr. Tom recounts how effectively divine intervention helped him to carry on his…