Our first meeting took place about half a century ago, back in 1973. At that time, I was the Resident Editor of Malayala Manorama in Kozhikode. A team from the Kolencherry Medical Mission Hospital had come to see me, and it was during that visit that I met the radiant priest who left a lasting impression. The team included the hospital’s then-director, KC Mammen, and its Secretary, Chacko Pillai. They introduced me to Fr. Thomas, a chaplain at the hospital.