Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church-92 Fr. Jacob Ernat

Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church-92
Fr. Jacob Ernat
Fr. Jacob Ernat, widely recognized as a speaker, meditation guru, author, and organizer, was born on January 20, 1929, in the Paluthur parish of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam, as the tenth child of Pailo and Elida Ernat. He received baptism from Fr. Philip Kooplakkat at the Kannanakari Church in Kottayam and was confirmed by the then Kottayam Bishop, Mar Alexander Choolaparambil, at the age of eight.
He joined Kannanakara School in 1935 and continued his studies at Mannanam High School from 1943, where he was inspired by dedicated teachers and spiritual guidance from the local church. Among his 85 classmates, 18 became priests. After high school, he joined the Ernakulam Archdiocese’s Perar Seminary and later studied at the Aluva Mangala Seminary, where he was ordained a priest by Mar Joseph Parekkattil on March 12, 1955. He celebrated his first Mass in the parish church.
Fr. Ernat served as an assistant priest in various parishes, including Paravur Kottayakavu and St. Mary’s Cathedral. In 1958, he was appointed the parish priest of Vaikom. He led the liberation struggle in 1959, risking his life amidst enemy lines. During this time, he also initiated the work of the Vaikom Welfare Centre.
In 1960, he became the assistant manager of the Ernakulam Mar Louis Press and was appointed manager in 1962. He was named Chancellor of the Archdiocese in 1963 and served as secretary to Mar Joseph Parekkattil. Fr. Ernat took the initiative to publish the Archdiocese Directory, which included names of deceased priests and brief histories of important sites in English.
He served as secretary to Cardinal Parekkattil for 25 years and was involved with the publications “Ernakulam Misam” (1963-89) and “Malabar Mail” (1962), contributing over 6,000 articles. From 1986, he was the joint director at Lisi Hospital and has served as the spiritual director since 1994.
Fr. Ernat has conducted annual retreats in various educational institutions, parishes, and convents, and has led monthly retreats for workers in major industrial centers in Kochi. His active engagement in social work includes roles as a Vocational Promoter (1960-86), CLC Promoter (1960-86), founding director of the Women’s Welfare organization (1964-90), director of the Council of Catholic Women of India (1964-90), and founder of the Ernakulam sector of the Teams of Our Lady (since 1980). He was also a member of the Archdiocesan Administration Council (1960-94), Liturgical Committee (since 1964), and the Archdiocesan Clergy Senate (1967-2001).
Fr. Ernat has been involved in many administrative roles, including Secretary of the Hospital Board of Management and Secretary of the Lisi Medical Institutions Trust (Regd.). During the liberation struggle, he led activities at Vaikom and organized 1,298 representatives from Kerala to attend the International Charity Congress in Bombay in 1964, escorting them on the journey.
He played a pivotal role in welcoming Cardinal Parekkattil to Ernakulam and led various initiatives during the 1972 college education movement, including the 19th-century celebrations of St. Thomas (December 1972) and the welcoming events for the Pope’s visit to Kerala in 1986.
In 1995, he received an award honoring his service to the CLC movement, recognizing his contributions as a writer and leader in various formation courses across Kerala and India. The Akhila Kerala Catholic Congress awarded him for his diverse contributions to the Church in 2000.
Fr. Ernat has authored over 40 books, including prayers, liturgical texts, guides for families, historical accounts, and various spiritual reflections. Notable works include “Devalaya Prarthanakal,” “Ideal Family,” “Divine Mercy Novenas,” and “Ernakulam Archdiocese History Overview,” among others.
In March 2005, he celebrated his Golden Jubilee in the priesthood with various charitable initiatives, including scholarships for nursing students and financial assistance for education and healthcare.
He traveled to European countries in 1969 at the invitation of Swiss Air and visited the Pope in Rome. In 1979, he traveled to Europe, England, America, and Canada at the invitation of the Teams of Our Lady.