16-Apr-2026

On April 15th, 2026, the New Indian Express reported that Fr Roy Vadakkel, director of Bethlehem Ashramam, played the role of Parvathi’s father when she got married to Ananthu in the Kottayam district of Kerala. Parvathi grew up in Bethlehem Ashramam when she was one year old. The wedding, held in a Hindu ritual, needed the parents to be present and assist the pandit in fulfilling the solemnisation. Since she has no biological parents, the priest stood and played the role of a father to her.

 Quoting Fr Roy, the New Indian Express report wrote that the ceremony was the 15th wedding that the priest acted as the father of orphans who got married. Fr Roy was also reported to have said that when Parvathi is about to deliver her baby, she can come back to her home, the orphanage, just like girls return to their parents' home before delivering a child. What a wonderful story!

As a Christian, I proudly embrace my faith, which teaches me to embody humanity, love, service, and compassion towards all, regardless of their religious beliefs or the name they identify with. I am proud that my fellow Christian in the form of Fr Roy Vedakkal did just that. I am prouder that even though Parvathi had grown up in an orphanage run by a Christian, she enjoyed the privilege of keeping her family religion, which is Hinduism.

This story emerges at a time when certain segments of society assume that every Christian institution serves as a center to convert individuals from other religions to Christianity.  Parvathi being married off by her orphanage father going viral, indeed, was much desired. There are similar stories across the country, where Christians have respected and encourage religious freedom and tolerance and allowed people to continue with their faiths. Therefore, I don’t really care what the divisive forces think. What is important is that we should always be true to ourselves.