In 1979 I joined my order called the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate. It is an indigenous order founded by Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara, which was founded in 1831 in Kerala in India. At the present moment we have about 1600 priests and 400 seminarians. We do run a good number of social educational, cultural and health institutions.
My family consists of Mum, Dad, 3 brothers, one sister, 3 nephews and 4 nieces.
Most of my seminary training I had in North India near Mumbai, Bangalore and Kerala. After a period of 15 years of formation, I was ordained on 2nd January 1994.
After my ordination, I spent my priestly life as a missionary in Dhule and Jalgaon in the state of Maharastra. For 6 years I was a Parish Priest in 2 parishes and 4 years as the founding Principal of a primary school, which my congregation had started. While I was serving as the Principal, Bishop Denis Browne called me to New Zealand on Nov 14th 2003. Thanks to Bishop Browne for giving my congregation this opportunity to come to this diocese.
My first parish in NZ was St Matthew's, Hillcrest, and I was functioning in the role of the Parish Priest. In 2007 Feb 9th, Bishop Denis asked me to take on the wider responsibility of the running of St Peter Chanel and St Joseph's parish, while still maintaining my duties at St Matthew's parish. I am currently residing at St. Joseph's, at Fairfield.
When I came to St Peter Chanel, I felt very much at home. I was very touched by the warm welcome I received. Though it is a small parish, I found that there was warmth, sincerity and inter-relationship amongst the parishioners. The SPC School, which I have started to visit on a weekly basis, keeps me more in touch with the children.
To end it all, I would like to say that I do really enjoy my role as the Parish Priest of Te Rapa and will endeavour to perform all my priestly duties to the best of my ability.
Please do keep me in your prayers while I go on my vacation on the 1st of May, to India to visit my parents who have recently turned 75. I would appreciate if each of you could keep my Mum in your daily prayers, as she is not keeping too well.
Thanking you, with warm regards.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Joseph Akkara, CMI
Parish Priest
St Peter Chanel
5 Vardon Road
Te Rapa
Hamilton
Tel: (07) 849 2408
Fax: 850 9408
