Twenty-eight years ago, a frightened five-year-old boy was found alone at Shoranur railway station. He had no memory of his parents or a family to return to. Today, that same child, Father Vivek Martin, has become a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Jhansi. His life is a powerful story of compassion, education, faith and vocation.
The boy, then known as Annamalai, was found by Jesus Youth member Rexy D’Cruz. The child expressed a simple wish: he wanted to study. Moved by his situation, Rexy and a group of friends took responsibility for his care after completing the necessary legal procedures.
The friends opened their homes to children in difficult circumstances. Vivek spent several years with Patrick and his wife Manu. He studied well and became a school leader in Class 10.
After completing Class 10, Vivek expressed his desire to become a priest and join a seminary. He was initially asked to wait and complete his higher secondary education. After finishing school, he again expressed the same desire, and eventually entered the seminary of the Diocese of Jhansi.
Before entering the seminary, Vivek also served as an ambulance driver and caregiver at Sneha Theeram in Aluva, which works with people affected by HIV. This experience helped him understand suffering, compassion and service more deeply.
Bishop Wilfred Moras ordained him a priest on August 16. On August 24, Father Vivek celebrated his first Holy Mass at Infant Jesus Church, Thundathinkadavu, in the Archdiocese of Verapoly. His journey shows how one act of kindness can change a child’s entire future. The child once alone on a railway platform now stands at the altar, preparing to serve others
