Marxism and social revolution after Eucharist; A Jacobite priest with a leftist perspective

Kozhikode: After offering the holy mass on Sunday, a church Vicar used to rush from Malappuram to Saroj Bhavan in Kozhikode to attend the ‘party’ class. After undergoing a six month-course on the ideals of communism, the priest passed with flying colours and received a certificate. 

Fr Reji Kolanikkel from the Kozhikode diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Church, took the course to gain in-depth knowledge of topics ranging from Marxist ideology to neoliberalism. The class was jointly organised by Association of Kerala Government teachers and Keluettan Study and Research Centre. 

Of the many classes he attended during the six-month period of the course, Fr. Reji enjoyed Politburo member M.A Baby’s class the most. Fr. Reji is the vicar of Mar Baselios Jacobite Syrian Church, Kottakkal and the Principal of St. Mary’s Enlightenment School, Maikavu. He freely talks about the state, social revolution, marxist philosophy, socialism, communism, semantics, culture, environment, aesthetics with a leftist perspective. 

As an SFI activist, he was once the General Secretary of St. Thomas College Union Kozhencherry and this is where his interest in marxism began, he says. Although he has never been involved in active politics by waving flags, holding protests, nor bunking classes, he is interested in Marxism as a historical philosophy.

When pursuing his degree and postgraduate studies in English, he wrote his thesis based on Marxist theory. He holds an MA in Theology from Madras University of Christian Studies and an M.Ed from the School of Pedagogical Studies under M.G University. He was ordained to priesthood in 2011 by Metropolitan H.G. Mor Irenious Paulose of Kozhikode diocese.