Cyriac K. Pullapilly, Ph.D. (June 15, 1932 – December 17, 2017)
Cyriac Kalapura Pullapilly, Ph.D. was a renowned theologian and historian who lived his life in service to his family and community.
His friends called him “Cy†and his students called him “Dr. P.†He passed away peacefully the evening of December 17, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois, surrounded by his loving family.
Born in Kerala and raised there by his mother, Anna, he attended St. Thomas College and St. Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary in Kerala. He became an ordained priest as part of the Eastern Rite Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on March 16, 1958, fulfilling a calling his mother had always hoped her son would heed.
As an Indian priest, Cyriac dedicated his time to running an orphanage, opening libraries for Indian schoolchildren, founding a youth movement that became instrumental in toppling the world’s first democratically elected communist government in Kerala, and authoring books to bring peace and equality to the politically oppressed.
Cyriac then served as the Secretary of the Diocesan Court in India where he was instrumental in the beatification of the first Indian-born saint canonized in the Catholic Church — Sister Alphonsa of the Franciscan order. During this time in Kerala, he was the Director of St. Joseph’s Youth Home where he counseled children in need, and served as a board member for the Catholic Migration Conference, aiding immigrants in their journey from India to Brazil.
In 1959, Cyriac came to the United States and served as the Assistant Pastor at Holy Angels Church and Saint Mel’s Church, both located in Chicago’s more dangerous wards. Here he focused on ways to bring about interracial harmony and dialogue during the civil rights movement. Three years later, he was invited to serve on the Vatican Council II in Rome, where he assisted in the development of the Councils’ Decree on Non-Christians. During this time, he also helped sponsor Indian scholars to come to America, to fulfill their dreams for a better life.
Cyriac received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. His doctoral focus included the Renaissance-Reformation- Counter Reformation, European Intellectual History, Imperial Britain, Modern India and Pakistan, among other subjects, all of which added to his understanding of humanity, the world, and the place of the Catholic Church within it.
Cyriac began a long career in academia in 1965, and over four decades taught at Illinois State University, Middlebury College, and St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, and became a Senior Academic Fellow at Cambridge. At this time, he was also admitted into the Royal Society of Arts.
It was early in his time as a professor that he decided to leave the priesthood and return to India in order to marry. In 1969, Cyriac had an arranged marriage with Elizabeth Phillips in Belgaum, India. When they returned together to the United States, he began teaching at St. Mary’s College where they raised their three children. For 37 years, while at St. Mary’s College, Cyriac taught a wide range of classes in the Department of History, from Western Civilization, World History, Renaissance and Reformation, Mysticism: East and West, and the Rise and Fall of European Imperialism.
In 1983, he founded the Semester Around the World Program, through which University of Notre Dame and St. Mary’s College students traveled the world and studied in India. These trips offered students the opportunity to meet world leaders including Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and P.V. Narasimha Rao.
From 1998 up until his retirement in 2007, he was Chair of the History Department. In 2007, Cyriac received the Spes Unica Award from St. Mary’s College for his eminent service to the College. The following year, he advanced to the rank of Professor Emeritus.
He was a prolific writer who conducted research in and subsequently wrote a book on Italian cardinal and ecclesiastical historian, Caesar Baronius, which he presented to Pope John Paul II. He also authored Asia and the West, Encounters and Exchanges from the Age of Explorations, Islam in the Contemporary World, and four books in the Malayalam language.
He edited a number of books including Christianity and Native Cultures, a collection of essays that were presented at the International Conference on Christianity and Native Cultures, and other articles he wrote appeared in the Encyclopedia of Reformation, the “Harvard Theological Reviewâ€, and the “Catholic Historical Reviewâ€, among other publications.
As General Editor at Cross Cultural Publications, Inc., Cyriac championed and brought to fruition a gender-inclusive Bible translation, The New Testament of the Inclusive Language Bible. This groundbreaking translation addressed men and women as equals, and did not alter the Bible’s message, but rather recognized societal progress.
As generous as he was to others, Cyriac was most self-sacrificing for his family—giving them his endless love and supporting many members in their migration from India to the United States. He even worked with his wife, Elizabeth, to open The Malabar, an Indian restaurant in South Bend, bringing just a bit more of his first home to his second and long-lasting one. As Elizabeth would prepare traditional Indian cuisine, Cyriac would visit guests and provide them with personal stories and an understanding of Indian culture and history.
He will be deeply missed by his large family and hundreds of former students.
He is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth A. Pullapilly of South Bend, Indiana; daughters Kavita Ann Pullapilly of Chicago, Gita Catherine (Aron) Pullapilly of Los Angeles; son Anand Joseph (Sarah) Pullapilly of Milwaukee, WI; his four grandchildren, Liam, Quinn, Noah, and Yannis Pullapilly; as well as his sister, Marykutty (Mani) Mattam of Ontario, Canada, brother, James (Gracy) Pullappally of South Bend, IN
VISITATION
Wednesday
December 27, 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Kaniewski Funeral Home, 3545 N. Bendix Dr.
South Bend, IN 46628
MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL
December 28, 1:30 PM
Church of Our Lady of Loretto
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
ENTOMBMENT
December 28
Cedar Grove Cemetery
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN 46556
See a report in India Abroad in 2007, when he was inducted in to the Royal Society
A Correspondent
Dr. Cyriac Pullapilly, professor of history at St Mary's College, a sister institution of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, was inducted in to the Royal Society of Arts in Britain.
Queen Elizabeth inducted him to the society when he was in England recently serving as a Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University.
Established in the 18th century, the society honors those who make major contributions in literature, arts, science, philosophy, politics and social uplift. Pullapilly was inducted by merit of his extensive work in a number of qualifying fields.
The first American to be inducted to the society was Benjamin Franklin. Recent inductees include Senator William Fulbright, Senator George Mitchell and former secretary of state Colin Powell.
Pullapilly said he is honored to be a member of the RSA and is enjoying his opportunity to interact with other scholars at Cambridge.
RSA members are allowed to continue working in their current professions, but are expected to contribute to the maximum extent in their fields for the welfare of the society at large.
Pullappilly has published more than 20 books in English and Malayalam. During the 'liberation struggle' in the 50s against the communist government in Kerala, he set up the Independent Students Organization and joined the agitation against the government, which was ultimately dismissed by the federal government. He also started a magazine titled 'Vidyalokam.'
He had also edited several books along with experts from Harvard, Yale and other universities.
His publishing company 'Cross Cultural Publications' gave younger writers a chance to publish their works.
In the 60s and 70s when the American public showed very little interest in India and hardly any university in America taught a course on India, he obtained several Fulbright Grants to take groups of university professors to India for summer-long travel in all parts of India which were complimented by intense seminars on the history and culture of India. One stipulation was that all those professors were expected to start a course on India when they returned. As a result of this, many universities started courses on India.
At Saint Mary's, he developed the Semester Around the World program in 1983, offering students an opportunity to travel and study throughout Europe, Asia and India. After a tour through India, they would settle down for an intensive study of all aspects of India's history, culture, religion, arts and politics. They were also provided opportunities to live with Indian families and learn about all aspects of the country's life and culture. Many groups of American students had the opportunity to travel through India which benefited them in their later lives.
Pullapilly has also organized three major world conferences at the college.
"[Pullapilly] writes intensively in several disciplines and is absolutely a great guy to work with," Dr. William Svelmoe, associate professor of history at Saint Mary's said.
Pullapilly also published one of the first inclusive-language New Testaments, Svelmoe said. "I am always amazed at the extent of Cy's contacts around the world," Svelmoe said. "He has had personal meetings with a wide array of world leaders - from popes to presidents."
Pullapilly is currently working on his fourth book on the Catholic Reformation entitled "The Intellectual History of the Catholic Reformation."
Pullapilly received several Fulbright Grants and one grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
