Lakshmikutty, Saint Alphonsa’s childhood friend departed this world on 31 July 2009 to join her friend Saint Alphonsa in heaven. May she be blessed !
“I have been waiting for this day”, said Lakshmikutty, 99, at her house in Kudamaloor, Kottayam. It was on the same day, on October 12,2008, that Pope Benedict XVI declared the Franciscan Clarist nubn SaintAlphononsa, Inias”s first woman saint.
Three months before this,Lakshmikutty was critically ill and doctors had said she might not survive more than a week. But after three days, Lakshmikutty miraculously recovered. Her family believes that Saint Alphonsa cured her to be alive for the canonization day.
The 99- year - old great grandmother is all smiles to tell people about her friendship with Annakutty- as Saint Alphonsa was called before she became a nun.
“Annakutty was my best friend at school. We studied together at the Government lower primary school, recalls Lakshmikutty.
They studied at this school a few kilometre away from this homes at Thonnamkuzhy in Kudamaloor village.
“We went to school together and returned together”, she says. “Sopmetimes she came to my home and we stayed together. We had good times and I enjoyed her company”.
It was not at school that they first met. “Annakutty was brought to my house to get treatment for her eyes”, remembers Lakshmikutty. Her family practised traditional medicine.”Then we became friends and playmates”, recalls the aged Grandma, her eyes glittering with joy. “She is with me even now”, said Lakshmikutty enjoying the presence of her friend, the Saint, with a heart full of satisfaction.
Rajan, Lakshmikutty’s grandson says,Saint Alphonsa is their guardian angel.
Prepared by T V Koshy.
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