St. Alphonsa was born on 19th August, 1910 as the fourth child of Joseph and Mary Muttathupadath, in the parish of Kudamaloor, Kottayam district, Kerala. She was baptized on 27th August, 1910. Her baptismal name was Anna and her pet name was Annakutty. Her mother passed away three months after her birth.
Annakutty started her schooling at Arpookara and left for Muttuchira Government School for pursuing her further studies under the immediate supervision of her maternal aunt, Annamma Muricken. The aunt brought her up with extreme affection, but she was also equally strict. Her ambition was that the child should be brought up as a respectable housewife for a deserving bridegroom. Annakutty had a vision of St. Theresa of Liseux whose life inspired her to become religious.
She therefore did not yield to any marriage proposal. Finally, when she was almost compelled to be betrothed at the Church, she extricated herself from it by voluntarily burning her foot. Against such determined resistance, the aunt succumbed to her desire and permitted her to join a convent.
Annakutty joined the Clarist Convent at Bharananganam in 1927 on the feast of Pentecost. She received her veil postulant on 2nd August, 1928 with the name ‘Alphonsa’. Her vestition was on 19th May, 1930. Later, she joined the St. Theresa’s School, Chenganacherry for higher studies, on the completion of which she engaged in teaching for a period of a year at Vakakkad. Sr. Alphonsa entered the novitiate on 12th August, 1935. During this period, she had a severe attack of hemorrhage and it was feared that she would have to be sent back. But on the ninth day of novena held by herself and the community seeking intercession of Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavera, she was miraculously cured. She completed the novitiate and made the solemn profession of her religious vows on 12th August, 1936.
Sr. Alphonsa continued to have her repeated spells of sickness and pain. She was on a bed of thorns torn and tortured by excruciating pain and prolonged agony. She always rejoiced in the Lord and magnified Him. She longed to suffer even more for her own sanctification and that of the world. She constantly advised her companions and novices to accept suffering cheerfully citing the Biblical references to the grain of wheat which has to fall down and decay for raising new sprouts; it has to be in the ground in order to be turned into hosts for transformation as the Body of Our Lord. She also reminded them of the grapes which have to be crushed for yielding wine to become the blood of the Lord. Her death (28th July 1946) went unnoticed by the public. The funeral was simple and thinly attended. But soon the school children, who loved her received favours through her intercession. Her tomb at Bharananganam turned into a great centre of pilgrimage attracting people, far and wide.
His Excellency Cardinal Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan process for her beatification on 2nd December, 1953. The long diocesan and subsequent apostolic processes bore fruit on 9th November, 1984 when the Holy Father officially declared that she had practiced the Christian virtues valiantly. A miracle wrought through her intercession was also formally approved by the Pope on 6th July, 1985.
Providence has been pleased to bestow on this generation the grace to see a daughter of the soil, a seed of the ancient Christian community of Kerala and India, beatified (8th February, 1986) in her homeland by the Supreme Pontiff during his visit to this chosen land.
Sr. Alphonsa was bestowed with Sainthood by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday, 12th October, 2008.
St. Alphonsa is the Patron Saint of the College and she continues to intercede for the students of the College to grow up into good and God fearing human beings in addition to their excellent academic performance.