(11-01-1910 to 07-11-1996)
Rev. Fr. Herman Nondimakal OCD of St. Joseph passed away on 7th November, 1996, at the age of 86 in 62nd year of his Religious Profession.
Rev. Fr. Herman Nondimackal, born on 11th January, 1910 of the noble family of Nondimackal at Edamattom in the Diocese of Palai. He had his school studies at St. Thomas School, Palai. In 1931, he joined our Order of Discalced Carmelites at Carmel Hill Monastery, Thiruvananthapuram. After his Canonical Novitiate taking the new name Br. Herman Nondimakal OCD of St. Joseph, he made his Simple Profession on 24th June, 1932. Having successfully completed his philosophical and theological studies, he was ordained priest on 20th March, 1944 at Thuckalay.
Rev. Fr. Herman Nondimakal OCD of St. Joseph was conventual in our monasteries at Verapoly, Ernakulam, Thuckalay and Thiruvananthapuram. He served the Province in various capacities as librarian, and House Councilor etc. He had been parish priest in many parishes and mission stations of Thiruvananthapuram Diocese.
The immense services Rev. Fr. Herman had rendered to our Order, Church and the World as a literary figure, will remember all through the ages. He was a well-known poet, translator and a linguistic scholar. He had translated the world famous poems of Christian and Carmelite mystics into Malayalam. The Malayalam translations of the poem, Haunt of Heaven and Poems of Little Flower are the best example of his poetic Genera. The yeoman service of Rev. Fr. Herman in the field of Christian Literature is the translation of the Works of our Holy Parents – Sts. Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross and Autobiography of the Little Flower, from the original language Spanish to Malayalam. For that, he learned Spanish, French and Italian by himself and also he was well-versed English, Latin and Tamil. The important translations are Ascent of Mount Carmel, Dark Night, Spiritual Canticle, The Living Flame of Love, Minor Works, Way of Perfection, Interior Castle, The Story of the Soul, Poems of Little Flower and Haunt of Heaven.
In 1982, Rev. Fr. Herman celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his profession and on 20th March 1994, he celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his priestly ordination.
From 1990 onwards, Rev. Fr. Herman was taking rest due to old age. In 1994, he was bedridden and had memory failures. Many a time, he was admitted in the hospital for various ailments due to advance age. Many a time, he was admitted in the hospital for various ailments due to advance age. Strengthened by the Sacraments and Holy Viaticum, Rev. Fr. Herman Nondimakal OCD of St. Joseph went to God Almighty to receive the reward on 7th November, 1996.
His Excellency Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios, Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram and Rt. Rev. Dr. Vincent Samuel, Bishop of Neyyattinkara said Office of the Dead for Fr. Herman. The funeral service of Fr. Herman took place on 8th November, at 10.15 a.m. Rev. Fr. Augustine Valummel OCD, Second Councilor was the main Celebrant of the concelebrated Holy Mass. Rev. Fr. Bernardine Vallathara OCD gave the funeral oration.
His Excellency Rt. Rev. Dr. Soosai Pakiam, Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram was the Main Celebrant of the last rites. Relations of Rev. Fr. Herman Nondimakal OCD of St. Joseph, friends and well-wishers attended the funeral service.
+ May the Lord reward His faithful Carmelite Brother!!
REQUIEM IN PACEM!!