Rev. Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil, the sixth of seven children born to Varghese and Thresia from Pulapetta parish in the diocese of Palghat, was from a young age, never one to find joy in any worldly profits, positions, or pleasures. Instead, he was driven by the deep desire to reject and deny self and the world in order to make God his own. Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil, even during his formative years in the seminary, received grace and an intense passion from the Holy Spirit to take up sufferings for the salvation of souls, and he used to carry and hand out Bibles, books about saints, and other spiritual publications to households in different parishes to bring back souls to Jesus. Alongside his desire for the salvation of souls, Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil had an epiphany of his calling to a life of penance and atonement, often taking with him seminarians into the forest to pray during his Philosophical studies. He then approached his formators and the then- bishop of Palghat diocese Mar Joseph Irimpan during his Theological studies to share with them his vision and desire. Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil was then ordained as a priest of the Palghat diocese in 1994, receiving paternal instruction from his bishop that his desire will be fulfilled once he begins his priestly ministries as a priest. Initially serving as a parish priest, and later as a powerful preacher of the Word, abounding in grace, Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil worked tirelessly and ceaselessly for the salvation of souls. His ministries, which reflected the tangible power of God brought forth much fruit for the Kingdom of God. God used Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil as His instrument to touch and awaken the people of God through the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Even at that time, the Holy Spirit of God was compelling and leading Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil for something higher, as he was in deep anguish over the damnation and perishing of souls. He then shared these things, at times in writing, with Bishop Mar Jacob Manathodath. God was using all this to prepare Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil for the formation and founding of PDM. When Fr Xavier Khan Vattayil set aside his life to strengthen the Church in adverse circumstances by conducting retreats for priests, creating opportunities for the sanctification of the religious, forming and sending out lay missionaries, forming lay missionary movements, preparing and sending out his brother priests for world evangelisation, and doing powerful missionary works using the media platforms, the Lord was revealing in him the charisms for the upcoming generations of PDM. Through unwavering obedience to his bishop in favourable and in unfavourable circumstances, a life of simplicity and using his talents in a creative manner, he worked hard to bring everyone together. In all these, God was transforming him for the building up of the Church through the founding of PDM.
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