During his tenure in Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Arakuzha he began the St. Mary's Higher Secondary School there.

[8] According to Joseph Parecattil, who was a pupil at the time, the school was a seedbed of priestly vocations during Varghese Kathanar's tenure.

[9] Payyappilly served as a member of the Diocesan Council, as Director of Apostolic Union as well as Priests' Provident Fund.

[9] He was held in great honour by the church authorities and equally by the officials in the education department and government officers.

[2] He transformed his parish into a center for the homeless[1] and turned St. Mary's High School into a shelter for the suffering people and brought food for them in a hired boat.

He died of typhoid fever on 5 October 1929 and was buried in St. John Nepumsian Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Konthuruthy.

He was declared as Servant of God by Varkey Vithayathil, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church on 6 September 2009.