| Denomination: | Knanaya Catholic |
| Church Name: | SMKC Parish, Chicago |
| Fullname: | St. Mary's Kananaya Catholic Church, Chicago |
| Country: | United States |
| Location: | Morton Grove, Illinois |
| Tradition: | Syro-Malabar Rite in Malayalam & English |
| Former Name: | Knanaya Catholic Mission |
| Founded Date: | 18 July 2010 |
| Dedication: | Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Status: | Parish |
| Diocese: | Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago |
| Province: | Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Forane Chicago |
| District: | Knanaya Catholic Region |
| Bishop: | Mar Jacob Angadiath and Auxiliary Bishop Mar Joy Alappatt |
| Priest: | Fr. Thomas Mulavanal |
St. Mary's Knanaya Catholic Church located in Morton Grove, Illinois, in the United States is the second Knanaya Catholic Church established on 18 July 2010 for Knanaya Catholics living in and around Chicago.[1] Formerly the parish was part of the Knanaya Catholic Mission that was established by the Archdiocese of Chicago on 28 October 1983 for the Knanaya Catholics migrated to Chicago and suburbs from Kerala.[2] With the establishment of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago in 2001, the mission came under the new diocese. The mission bought St. James Church in Maywood, Illinois, from the Archdiocese of Chicago in September 2006 under the leadership of the mission director and Vicar General Fr. Abraham Mutholath. Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath elevated the mission as Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Parish on 24 September 2006 with Fr. Abraham Mutholath as the first pastor of the parish.[3]
Considering the size and vast area of the parish, Vicar General Fr. Abraham Mutholath started St. Mary's Knanaya Catholic Parish Unit for the parishioners living in the north side of 90 Expressway with effect from 1 January 2007 and offered Holy Mass on Sunday evening at Our Lady of Victory Church, Chicago.[4] St. Mary's Parish Unit bought a synagogue in Morton Gove and remodeled it as a church under the guidance of the pastor Fr. Abraham Mutholath. Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath consecrated the church and elevated it as a parish on 18 July 2010.[5]
Now the parish comes under Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Forane, Chicago,[6] Knanaya Catholic Region, and St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago.[7] The parish serves around 800 families.
St. Mary's Knanaya Catholic Parish was formerly a part of the Knanaya Catholic Mission established by the Latin Archdiocese of Chicago from October 28, 1983 and later under the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago from July 1, 2001. Except the new generation born in the United States, the parishioners are migrants from India and were members of the Knanaya Catholic Archdiocese of Kottayam. The migration began in the 1950s and 60s seeking educational and job opportunities. Later many more came as family members of the early settlers. At their request through Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry, the Latin Archbishop of Chicago established Knanaya Catholic Mission with Fr. Jacob Chollampel as the first mission director from October 28, 1983. The following priests served the mission under the Latin hierarchy:
Pope John Paul II established the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago on 13 March 2001 with Mar Jacob Angadiath as its first bishop having jurisdiction over all the Syro-Malabar faithful including Knanaya Catholics all over the United States. The inauguration of the diocese and consecration of the bishop took place on 1 July 2001.[9] The Knanaya Catholic Mission then came under the new diocese.
Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath recognized Knanaya Catholic Mission of Chicago as part of his diocese and appointed Fr. Abraham Mutholath, as the first Knanaya Catholic Vicar General on October 3, 2001.[10] When Fr. Philip Thodukayil, the then director of the Knanaya Catholic Mission of Chicago left to India, Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Abraham Mutholath as the director of the mission on 1 July 2004 in addition to his charge as the Vicar General.[11] Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath established Knanaya Catholic Region on 28 April 2006. He inaugurated the region at OLV Church on 30 April 2006 and appointed Vicar General Rev. Fr. Abraham Mutholath as Region Director.[12]
The Knanaya Catholic Mission of Chicago, under the leadership of Fr. Abraham Mutholath bought St. James Church in Maywood[13] from the Archdiocese of Chicago and started offering Holy Mass on 1 September 2006. Mar Jacob Angadiath elevated the mission as Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Parish and appointed Fr. Abraham Mutholath as the first pastor on 24 September 2006.[12] However, Holy Mass was continued at Our Lady of Victory Church, Chicago on Sunday evenings for the convenience of the parishioners on the northern side. For convenience sake, St. Mary's parish unit with Sunday Mass at OLV Church was established for the parishioners in the northern area on 1 January 2007.[14] Since then, attempts were made to buy a church building for the St. Mary's parish unit.
A Jewish Synagogue at 7800 W. Lyons St., Morton Grove, IL 60053 was available for purchase. St. Mary's Parish Unit bought the synagogue for the establishment of a church on 14 January 2010. Thampy Viruthikulangara, Polson Kulangara, and Stephen Kizhakkekuttu were the fund raising committee coordinators. Biju Kizhakkekuttu, Peter Kulangara and Sabu Tharatthattel were the trustees and Saji Poothrukayil was the DRE. The consecration of the remodeled St. Mary's Church in Morton Grove was held on 18 July 2010. Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath, Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, Archbishop of Kottayam and Mar Joseph Pandarasseril, the Auxiliary Bishop of Kottayam were the celebrants. Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath elevated the parish unit as St. Mary's Knanaya Catholic Parish with Fr. Abraham Mutholath as its first pastor in addition to his other assignments as Vicar General and pastor of Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Parish, Chicago.[15]
The front elevation of the church was remodeled with the help of Artist Narayanan Kuttappan. Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church Mar George Alancherry, in the presence of Mar Jacob Angadiath, blessed the remodeled front elevation of the church on 25 October 2011.[16] Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath relieved Fr. Mutholath from the responsibility of Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Parish with effect from 1 January 2012 so he could focus more for the development of the St. Mary's Parish. Bishop Angadiath appointed Fr. Thomas Mulavanal as the Vicar General and Knanaya Region director with effect from 8 February 2014.[17] Bishop appointed him as the pastor of St. Mary's Parish with effect from 18 October 2014 and transferred Fr. Mutholath again as the pastor of Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Parish of Chicago. When Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath elevated Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Parish as a forane on 22 March 2015, St. Mary's Knanaya Catholic Parish became part of this forane.[18]
The parishioners wished to have a separate section for the parish at Mary Hill Cemetery in Niles. They approached the Archdiocese of Chicago for permission. The Archbishop granted that wish and the parish got a section at Mary Hill Cemetery. A shrine was installed there to mark the cemetery section in the name of the parish. Vicar General Fr. Abraham Mutholath blessed the shrine on 22 July 2012.
At the request of the parishioners, the Visitation Congregation from the Archeparchy of Kottayam started a convent near St. Mary's Knanaya Catholic Parish. Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath, along with Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolakkatt and Mar Jacob Pandarasseril blessed the convent on 18, July 2010 after the consecration of the church. The sisters serve the parish in its pastoral activities.
The parish is active with various pastoral programs with the support of many volunteers. It has a parish council with representatives from various wards, from different ministries, pious associations and other departments.[19]