Dr. Cyriac K. Pullapilly

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. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather with a kind and gentle heart, who always listened and helped those in need without judgment and without an expectation of reciprocity. 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, India 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 between his classes, Cyriac also found time to create legendary practical jokes with his colleagues in the department, many of whom miss his wisdom and good sense of humor.

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. Many of his students called these global trips a transformational experience that taught them about service, compassion, and understanding of cultures and religions. His poignant storytelling and infectious laughter taught them to enjoy life and the world around them in every moment. “Dr. P” was their beloved teacher and fearless leader.

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.

Beyond teaching, Cyriac gave invited lectures all over the world. 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 Review”, and the “Catholic Historical Review”, 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.  

Cyriac always stressed the importance of family—one that extended far beyond the blood. He defined his family by those who equally wanted to share in a better, safer, and more compassionate world. He was a true example of how to live life and face enormous challenges and struggles by simply listening, loving, forgiving, and understanding. 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, and nephew Mathew (Philomena) Thuruthiyil and their daughter Maria (Mark) of South Bend, and nephew Thomas (Cecily) Thuruthiyil and their daughters Mary Ann (Nick and son James and daughter Isabel) and Christine of South Bend, Jason (Anna Mae) Pullappally and their daughters GraceAnne and Juliet of Chicago, IL, and nieces Lincy (Rafa) Pullappally  of Chicago, IL, Ali (Augustine) Mathew and their sons Andrew and Adam of Ontario, Canada, Shelley (Jonathan) Lee and their daughters Alexandra and Chantal of Ontario, Canada, Lisa (Allan) Mattam and their children Julia and Joshua of Ontario, Canada, Jasmin (Anish) Mathew and their children Derek and Dania of Ontario, Canada, Joseph (Sherin) James and their children Jovina and Jessiah of Atlanta, Georgia, Allen Benny of Ontario, Canada, and many nieces and nephews in Kerala, India and on his wife’s side.

Cyriac’s family is deeply grateful to caregivers Jenna Russell and to Hung Le — his compassionate caregiver to the very end.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago, IL at 1-877-637-2955 or online at https://www.mercyhome.org/.