“Physicians treat patients, but ultimately, God heals,” says a newly ordained Indian priest who studied medicine before becoming a missionary.
“I am thrilled to be a medical doctor and now a Catholic priest,” said Sumesh Kuruthukulangara.
On January 4, 2025, Archbishop Mar Andrews Thazhath of Trissur ordained deacon Sumesh at Our Lady of Dolours Minor Basilica of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Thrissur City in Kerala, south India.
The basilica is reportedly the tallest church in India and the third tallest in Asia.
Father Sumesh belongs to the Camillians, a religious order that provides care for the sick.
Saint Camillus de Lellis (1550-1614), an Italian Catholic priest, founded the Camillian religious congregation in 1582.
When asked what made him become a priest, Father Sumesh said that when he was a boy, he wished to become one. He desired to pursue priesthood in due course of time.
“When I attended the vocation discernment camp, a certain priest, Dr. Father Francis Allapat, talked about the vocation to the priesthood,” Father Sumesh recalled. “After that, I thought first I needed to study medicine before joining a seminary to become a priest.”
Later, when he was in medical college, he was part of Jesus’ Youth, an international Catholic movement that challenges young people to live a meaningful, creative, and fulfilling life.
Jesus’ Youth is present in more than 40 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, America, and Australia.
“I was active in Jesus’ Youth. It allowed me to recall my childhood desire to become a priest and pursue my missionary vocation,” the newly ordained priest said.
Jesus' youth ignited his burning zeal within him.
After that, he prayed constantly, saying, “Let God inspire me again to follow my heart’s desire to serve His people by becoming a priest.”
During his medical education, there was a strong desire in my heart that I would join a seminary and become a priest and missionary, he recalled.
“Again, God gave the grace and gift of vocation to become a priest,” he said.
Having done discernment, he joined the seminary in the Camillian religious order after finishing his medical education.
Equipped with his medical professional skills, he began his seminary training relying on God’s grace and guidance.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, he was able to help patients.
Additionally, when the violence in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur took place last year, he and 40 other deacons treated injured people, providing much medical support and care.
Now that he is already an ordained priest, Father Sumesh looks forward to integrating his medical professional skills into priestly pastoral ministry.
“Physicians provide to regain patients’ health, but healing comes from God,” said the priest physician.
Healing is not all about just the body; it is healing of body, mind, and soul/spirit, he added. “Physicians treat patients; ultimately, God heals.”
For Catholic patients, he would advise availing themselves of healing through the worthy reception of sacraments, spirituality, and prayers. We encourage others belonging to other religions or faiths—or no religion—to adhere to their religious precepts or human values as part of a holistic healing process.
According to him, any healing process and procedure happens with divine endeavor and intervention.
Like Father Sumesh, in the past many in India and other parts of the world studied medicine before becoming priests.
In the eastern Indian state of Odisha, Father Valerian Tigga is a doctor-turned-Catholic priest in the Rourkela diocese.
Currently, he works at the Catholic Mission Hospital in Rourkela, Sundargarh district of Odisha.
In Indonesia, Albertus Adiwenanto Widyasworo joined the Archdiocese of Jakarta after finishing his medical education.
In Pakistan, Daniel Bashir, a Catholic doctor, is doing his seminary education in Rome after he completed his medical studies.
Father Sumesh views the medical sector as a ministry, not just a medical profession. It is the action of Jesus.
One of Jesus’ major aspects of preaching focused on the healing of people.
Sumesh expressed his blessing at being a part of Jesus' healing ministry as a medical doctor and ordained priest. “I pray for God’s unending grace, healing bodies and souls.”
