Alphonsa was born as Anna Muttathupadathu in a Malankara Nasrani family to Joseph Muttathupadathil and Mary Puthukari in Kudamalloor, near Kottayam, Kerala in India on 19 August 1910. Her parents nicknamed her Annakutty (little Anna). She had a difficult childhood characterized by the loss of a parent and growing up with clubbed feet. Her mother died early, so her maternal aunt helped to raise her.
She was very devoted from childhood itself. She was raised in the Murickan family, which was an age-old and prominent family in the area. As a child, her grandmother would tell her stories of saints and teach prayers& Christian songs. As an adolescent Anna received many marriage proposals from reputed families. However, she had a feeling in her mind that she wants to be a bride of Christ and do good things for people. During these years, Thérèse of Lisieux appeared and told her that she will one day become a saint. There are many similarities in the lives of Anna and Thérèse, and she was Anna’s all-time favorite patron saint and role model.
Anna sacrificed her material fortune and wanted to dedicate her life to Jesus Christ. In 1923, Anna’s feet were burnt when she fell into a pit of burning chaff; local hagiographies describe this as a self-inflicted injury in order to avoid her foster mother’s attempt to arrange a marriage for her and thereby fulfill her desire for becoming a religious sister instead. This accident left her partially disabled for the rest of her life.
When it became possible, Anna joined the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, a religious congregation of the Third Order of St. Francis, and through them, completed her schooling.
Anna arrived at the Clarist convent at Bharananganam, Kottayam district, on Pentecost Sunday 1927. On 11 August 1931, she completed the novitiate and took her first vows. And became religious in the Catholic Church.
The period 1930–1935 was characterized by a grave illness. Alphonsa took her permanent vows on 12 August 1936. Two days later she returned to Bharananganam from Changanacherry. She then taught high school at St. Alphonsa Girl’s High School but was often sick and unable to teach. For most of her years as a Clarist sister, she endured serious illness.
In December 1936, it is claimed that she was cured of her ailments through the intervention of the Kuriakose Elias Chavara (who was beatified at the same ceremony as she), but on 14 June 1939, she was struck by a severe attack of pneumonia which left her weakened. On 18 October 1940, a thief entered her room in the middle of the night. This traumatic event caused her to suffer amnesia and weakened her again.
Her health continued to deteriorate over a period of months. She received extreme unction on 29 September 1941. The next day it is believed that she regained her memory, though not in complete health. Her health improved over the next few years until in July 1945 she developed gastroenteritis and liver problems that caused violent convulsions and vomiting.
After a series of serious health problems, she died on 28 July 1946, at the young age of 35. She was buried at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Bharananganam, Travancore (present-day Kottayam district) in the Diocese of Palai.
Alphonsa was canonized on 12 October 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.