Fr Joseph Naikarakudy takes up permanent role in Meath diocese

Fr Joseph Naikarakudy was named at the weekend as Mullingar's new curate - believed to be the first foreign priest ever to be appointed to a permanent role in the Meath diocese.Fr Joseph is one of a family of seven, and grew up on a subsistence holding at Kerala, India, where the main crop was rubber, but where spices and rice were also grown.The family - as is common in that part of India - has always been Catholic, following the Syro Malabar rite, and adhering to the belief that St Thomas came to India, bringing the Catholic faith with him.While there are many Catholics in India, the Christian churches are still dwarfed by, principally, Hinduism, and together account for less than two per cent of the population."There is good religious freedom; there is tolerance and co-operation between each religious group - although recently there have been some fanatic groups developing, but that is just political motivation," he explains.