Priest Profile: Fr. Augustine Laiju Kandanattuthara Mathew

Like many parts of the Western world, the Diocese of Gallup is also experiencing a shortage of priests and religious. Fortunately, many African and Asian countries – Nigeria and India in particular – have enough vocations that they are able to send clergy to foreign countries in order to fill the need for priests.

The Voice of the Southwest will feature a series of interviews with these priests and religious who have courageously and generously answered the call to travel so far from their homes and families in order to serve the people of our diocese.

Fr. Augustine Mathew is assigned to St. Teresa Parish in Grants, NM, and he also serves in the Tribunal Office of the Diocese, helping to adjudicate matters of Canon Law, especially those concerning marriage and annulments.

Can you tell us about your home?

I’m from the southern part of India. The state is called Kerala. We speak various languages – for every state we have got another language. So I speak Malayalam. And my neighboring states are Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Father Raja [Yeruva, also in our diocese], is from Andhra.

Are there many Catholics there?

Christians and Catholics. And we are living in an inter-ritual culture. Inter-ritual means there are Syro-Malabarans, Syro-Malankara, and Latin churches. So we went together for our formation in the seminary. Latin is the majority.
I joined my seminary quite early. We have the formation in high schools. And from minor-seminary onwards, the college starts. And from major-seminary, we have philosophy and a lot of studies. I had one of my studies in Kerala itself, and I had my Canon Law studies in Bangalore, in a neighboring state. I was there for four years.

And how did you discern that you were called to be a priest? You knew from early on?

I joined the Seminary quite early because of the great devotion of my mother. That is the real inspiration. She was a very, very devout, very pious lady.
When we are in very young age, we don’t have much of a concept about priesthood and so on. Gradually, we come to know about what priesthood is. Because we see some priests, we are appreciate some priests. Gradually, I came to know this is my call.
I had a very bad accident when I was in this minor Seminary. I was at the gym. We have the gym in the Seminary itself. We have football or basketball, everything. But there is a gym, too. So when I was taking a dumbbell, it fell on my side. From that incident, I was admitted in the hospital…at that age, emotional things are different. I was about to leave the Seminary at that time, so this incident made me stick [with it].

And was your mom happy when you joined?

She was extremely happy. But my father was not at all happy. He was so totally against it. He never visited me even once, you know, in my life in the Seminary. But he too had an accident in the workplace and he had some injury on his nose and it turned out to be cancerous. That was the last moment he was happy. That means when he was sick and he was bedridden, he wanted to visit me at the Seminary, but he couldn’t. But my mother was totally happy and she was there for the ordination.
And so there should be parents sitting our right and left when we celebrate the first Holy Mass. During the first Holy Mass, it will be in our own parish. So my mother was there and my elder brother was there, instead of my father.
I got ordained in 2002, December 27th.

Have you spent almost all that time in India?

Yeah, except when I went for studies. At least four years I was outside the diocese in another state. But I was working in the same diocese, studying for the diocese.

And then you got a Canon Law degree. How did you decide you wanted to do that?

Actually, I didn’t decide to do that. I was not at all interested in the Canon Law. So when we were chosen, it’s not our choice. When the Bishop decides to send somebody for studies, he picked me and asked me whether I want to go for Canon studies. And I said, I don’t have any interest at all for Canon law studies. My interest is moral theology and psychology and counseling.
Then he said, it is not that you decide for the diocese. The Bishop decides what is needed for the Curia, what is needed for the diocese. But he said, “gradually, you’ll like it.”
Actually, he was correct. Now I am liking it. Now I am almost in it over 15 years.

And did you help with the Tribunal in your diocese too, back in India?

Yeah. I was there as the same post, you know, as associated with the Judicial Vicar.

How did you end up coming over to the United States?

I desired an outside exposure. But at that time they were not willing to send me, because they need me in the tribunal. There was one Fr. Nelson in the Diocese of Phoenix. We were together in the same tribunal in Kerala. So when he told me, there is an chance here in Gallup, in the tribunal, then I was interested.
If it is only for the pastoral life, I may not be coming here. I’m not blaming anything – real pastoral life is there in Kerala because the church will be packed every day. And here when we celebrate the Daily Mass , I’m embarrassed to see one or two in the church. But every day [in Kerela] our church will be packed.
I just wanted to have a different exposure to different parts of the world.

Was there something in particular that made you decide you want to visit other countries or the United States in particular?

Anywhere. Because I just want an experience outside India. I made a visit in 2018 to the United States. I have gone to many parts of America: Florida; New York; Charleston, West Virginia; even Phoenix in 2018, the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.
And New Mexico was – I know so many states, but New Mexico, I didn’t even hear about New Mexico. Then the moment I heard about New Mexico I was just googling, you know. And then I got some letters from [Chancellor] Deacon Randy describing the climatic situation and the elevation. And I was prepared, but initially it was a little funny.

Is the part of India where you’re from more tropical?

We live on the sea level. You know, that is the main difference.

So now you’ve been here some time, what’s your impression?

Initially all my friends were in Phoenix. I was happy to have somebody who speaks our language. Because I find it very difficult initially to have the “American ear”. In a sense I could follow the language, but the accent, it was totally different.
At first I was a little bit worried and I was a little sad. But when I went to Tucson for retreat [with other diocesan priests], from that day onward, I was really happy because I met all my friends and the situation and the spiritual talks, everything was good.
And then I started the very hectic stage. I was sent straight away to Grants and I had only three days experience with Father Avella [before his death]. That day was really hectic in the sense that I didn’t even have the key of the church or the sacristy. And I was just thrown into an area without knowing anything. That was a different experience.
But God provided everything. I started to learn everything slowly. Now it is okay. Then I thought everything will be initially a little tough because we are in a different country, different people, different culture, different food.
So anyway, I am accustomed to everything and I’m happy. I can adjust with any food. But sometimes we will urge for some of our own cooking.

Have you tried green and red chile?

I like chile. But it’s totally different here. It tastes different.

How do you like Grants and the parish there?

Here the culture is different. But people come and talk to me, and every Wednesday, I have Mass for the students, so the school kids and teachers are very much familiar to me now. And there are some choir groups, they are very much familiar to me. Gradually getting into the culture is like that.

And in your free time, what kind of things do you like to do? Do you play sports, read?

I like the gym. There is one in the rectory, a small gym. And I stay in the cathedral when I come here. And there’s a gym in the cathedrals. Otherwise I read.
I have done courses from Kerala just before I came here. I have to do some book reviews – nine book reviews for my dissertation topic. And when I get some time, I have to do the defense. My topic is on women – “The Dignity of Women in Christian Marriage”. And the pastoral and theological perspectives.

How did you choose that topic?

There was no doctoral degree in India for Canon Law. It’s all abroad. So I thought, I will take something on marriage and women because when I was doing these tribunal cases, all the cases are related to women – torture, domestic violence – so I thought I should choose the dignity of women in Christian marriage. That will be of good use for me when I do my cases for the tribunal.

There is one point I noted when I was doing all those years in the tribunal – there are different grounds when you do the marriage cases. But domestic violence against women in marriage is never considered as a ground, ecclesiastical ground. Because it is taken in a different way. There is a canon called 1095, “lack of due discretion in fulfilling”, that there’s a clause. It all comes under that particular ground and particular canon.
So, my point is, the whole idea, the crux of the dissertation will be, we should be adding another ground, making a petition before the Holy See.
Civilly, it is a good ground to get divorced. Canonically, it won’t be considered as a proper ground.

Is there anything else you wanted to add?

I just admire the people here and the culture. Because here we greet each other for everything and anything. We give thanks, you know.

And the second thing is my spiritual life is very much better here. Here we have a chapel inside the rectory. Usually the concept of the people is that priests should celebrate Mass every day. That is their best prayer. It’s the wrong idea. That is highly recommended, but the most recommended and obligatory thing is the divine office. Here I think I have done almost every day my divine office. So my spiritual life is far, far better. And I have enough time to read.

So I’m really happy that this visit to U.S., working in the Diocese of Gallup, made a lot of difference spiritually, mentally.