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Pope Pius X and the Archdiocese of Kottayam
Pope Pius X was called a pastoral pope of the 2oth century. He was born on 2 June 1835 in Riese and his name was Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto. He had a special interest in religious life from his very childhood. He was ordained priest on 18th Sept 1858, made bishop on 16th Nov 1884 created cardinal 12 June 1893. He worked as Asst. parish priest, parish priest, Arch priest (Salzano), bishop (Mantova), Patriarch (Venice), Cardinal (1893) and Pope (1903). Thus he went through all the levels of hierarchical structure. He died on 20 August 1914.
Giuseppe Sarto as the Holy Father
When he became pope he accepted the name Pio X and his motto was Renew all in Christ. He vehemently opposed the modernist tendencies, indifferentism and secularism which were creeping into the Church. His one of the main thrusts was to teach catechism (in all the vernacular languages). And he encouraged frequent communion.
Personal Holiness
Personally Pope Pius X was a man of compassion, benevolence and poverty. He was very adamant that he would not let any favours to be given to his family. His brother was a postal clerk and his three sisters lived ordinary life (sometimes close to poverty). He always said that I was born poor, I have lived poor, and I wish to die poor. He was canonized on 29th May 1954.
Pope Pius X was the one who started the reform of Code of Canon Law. On 19th March 1904 he named a commission of cardinals for it and it was fully promulgated on 27th May 1917 by Benedict XV. Through the bull In universi Christiani Holy Father erected the vicariate of Kottayam in 1911 exclusively for the Southists. There is society of the priests in the Archeparchy which has Pius X as its patron (MSP society).
