IDENTITY OF THE ST. THOMAS CATHOLIC MIGRANTS

IDENTITY OF THE
ST. THOMAS CATHOLIC MIGRANTS

Mar Thomas Elavanal

Introduction

It is with immense joy and gratitude to the Lord that I

stand before this august audience gathered together at this

ARC in Panvel, to address a few words on this occasion of the

Silver Jubilee Symposium of the Eparchy of Kalyan. Just as

when a ship sails through the vast ocean, making ripples and

waves to float along through the sea far and wide, the

Eparchy of Kalyan, though small in population having around

one lakh faithful only, yet wide in its territory, comprising of

15 districts of Maharashtra, has sailed along for 25 years,

making its divine, spiritual, and social impact over the

humankind, having its effects far and wide. 25 years is not a

short span of existence nor can we call it a long period of time

of performance as regards the existence of the Church. Yet by

the Grace of God, we have gone far ahead, and farther than

our own expectation. May I call it a 25 years of Glorious

Existence!

1. Aim of the Silver Jubilee Symposium

Adhering faithfully to its Vision Statement, “An Ideal

Syro-Malabar Catholic Community with holistic pastoral

care, committed to effective evangelization and integral

development of the people of Maharashtra,” the Eparchy of

Kalyan is convinced and committed to the all-round wellbeing

of the Syro-Malabar catholic migrants who have moved

out from Kerala to the various parts of Maharashtra. It is our

earnest desire to contribute, from our experience, our share

to those who are committed to gathering the folks which are

still in the Diasporas both inside and outside India.

In this symposium we want to discuss about the ‘Identity

of the St. Thomas Catholic Migrants’, and to emphasize how

important it is to keep up the ecclesial identity of the

migrants of any sui juris Church. We have to think also about

the ways and means of keeping up this identity. We begin our

study and discussion with a search for the origin of

Christianity in India.

2. St. Thomas Catholics

The origin of Christianity in India is traced back to the

Apostle St. Thomas. There is a living tradition and strong

faith that St. Thomas came to south India and established

seven churches and Christian communities. Recent scholarly

study makes it clear that St. Thomas on his first missionary

journey came to different parts of North India too. The

Apostle might have journeyed through Western Maharashtra

and the Konkan region and have established communities in

the first century itself, of which the prominent one was that

of Kalyan, where St. Bartholomew also is believed to have

preached. Here we need to look into the origin, growth,

extinction, migration and reestablishment of the St. Thomas

Christians in the various parts of the country. We have to

make also a concerted effort to rediscover the lost Christian

heritage of Maharashtra.

3. The Syro-Malabar Liturgy

By the title ‘St. Thomas Catholic migrants’ we mean

primarily the members of the Syro-Malabar Church. But it

implies a question whether the name of the Church ‘Syro

Malabar’ is to be preserved everywhere even outside India as

integral part of the identity of the Church. Whether the

identity of this Church, and the community of faithful is

identical with this name. There was a proposal that the name

of the Church be Indo-Chaldean or Chaldeo-Indian. What is

intimately related to its identity is that its liturgy has been

East Syrian or Chaldean from the early centuries. Though

there are four constituent elements for any particular

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Church, its theology, liturgy, spirituality and canonical

discipline, a Church is usually named after its liturgy like

Latin Church, Syro-Malabar Church, Syro Malankara Church

et al. But when we talk about identity we have to take these

elements in its integrity.

4. Migration

First of all it is necessary, to have a clear idea about

migration. Migration in simple terms means a temporary or

permanent transfer of residence. In this sense migration

seems to be a universal phenomenon of all ages and today

migration on an unprecedented scale is taking place all over

the world. Indian cities too have witnessed increasing

presence of migrant Christians. Besides, many people

migrate to the metropolitan cities of the world in search of

job opportunities. There has been a continuous process of

migration of Syro-Malabar faithful too out of the traditional

hub of Christianity, i.e. Kerala to the various cities, the world

over.

Migration has many implications due to demographic,

religious, political, cultural and economic changes. Usually

the life of the migrant Christians is exposed to many

problems and difficulties in the new socio-cultural

atmosphere because of the inadequate living conditions and

due to the lack of pastoral care. This calls for the urgency of

rendering adequate and immediate attention including the

proper pastoral care for these migrant Christians.

5. Care of the Migrants

The first generations of the migrant families are

reluctant, sometimes, to go to the local parish community

except perhaps for an occasional Mass and liturgical services

in Lent or Christmas season. They may not have much

contact with the local parish either. Language and culture are

big barriers for these migrants. Even the reception of

sacraments becomes difficult because many are not able to

Chapter 1 Key Note Address 3

make their confessions and recite prayers in English or in the

local language. Hence these migrants have always faced

difficulties in their Christian life and spiritual practices.

There are several thousands of students belonging to

Syro Malabar Church pursuing various courses in

institutions run by Catholic as well as non-Catholic agencies

in the big cities. The number of employed bachelors also is

big. Since they have come for studies or for temporary work,

and will go back after a few years, they do not take interest in

learning the language of the place nor do they get integrated

into the local community. Most of them will like to be

anonymous and would not live their faith unless they get

proper attention in their own language and tradition. This is

the case in all the metro cities of India, and of the cities

abroad.

So far the Syro Malabar Church could not make a

scientific survey of our migrant faithful outside the proper

territory in India and abroad because of the lack of

permission from the concerned authorities. Still the Synodal

Commission for Evangelization and Pastoral Care of the

Migrants made a study to get the number of our migrant

faithful both in India and abroad. It is given in the directory of

Syro Malabar Migrants published in 2013. The study shows

that there are more than 8, 00,000 Syro-Malabar Catholic

migrants living outside the jurisdiction of the Syro-Malabar

Eparchies. Almost half of them are in Gulf countries. Only a

well-founded statistics will help us to formulate and

understand how this migration process takes place and what

its spiritual, religious and theological implications are. It is

also necessary that the Church involves itself in forming an

appropriate theology of migration.

We want to discuss in this symposium also about the

various steps taken by the Holy See for the pastoral care of

the migrants. The Eparchy of Kalyan, Chicago and Faridabad

are prominent examples. In this context I would like to

gratefully remember and acknowledge the meaningful steps

already taken by both the Latin and Syro-Malabar hierarchy

for pastoral care in India. Here the initiatives taken by the

former bishop of Pune Rt. Rev. Valerian D’Souza is worth

mentioning. He established separate parishes for the

pastoral care of the members of Syro-Malabar Church

already in 1984 and requested the Syro-Malabar Bishop’s

Conference to send priests to be appointed parish priests in

charge of Syro-Malabar faithful. Accordingly MST fathers

were entrusted with the responsibility of pastoral care in

these areas.

6. Urgency of Action

It is needless to say that Churches have the duty to give

due pastoral care to their faithful wherever they are. Hence,

there is urgency in taking adequate measures for the pastoral

care of the Syro-Malabar migrants both in India and abroad.

It is urgent because the slower the pace of action the more

the time required to bring them back to the consciousness of

the identity as belonging to an Oriental Church. One of the

results of migration is that a community becomes uprooted

from the soil of its cultural background and context. The first

generation of migrants who are uprooted are usually

estranged in the local situation. They often become

anonymous in the large majority of the faithful of other

Churches and peoples of other religions. It may lead them to an

indifference to the practice of religion and even to the loss of

faith. Some, on the other hand may join non-Catholic

communitiesbecausetheyareverymuchinfluencedbythem.

The second generation of these migrants may not even

have the awareness that they belong to another sui juris

Church. It has become the need of today, to hand over

faithfully the ecclesial tradition and spirituality of the St.

Thomas Christians to the next generation. At the same time it

is also necessary that, keeping up the identity of the Church,

the migrants try to be inculturated especially in their

language, practices and customs. Thus the Church is called to

take creative initiatives to preserve its ecclesial identity in a

multicultural-linguistic and religious context, living it

faithfully and imparting it meticulously.

The reality that the faith dies out if proper care is not

given for the nourishment of faith life of the migrants in their

unfamiliar situations has motivated the Church to be actively

involved in pastoral care of her children. The lack of proper

pastoral care for the migrants has several consequences such

as: the loss of sense of oneness with the Mother Church, lack

of proper liturgical life, lack of proper religious instruction, a

feeling of isolation from the rest of the community and steep

decline of priestly and religious vocations. Hence the

pastoral care within the same country or abroad has been

one of the growing concerns of the different churches both

Catholic and Non-catholic, in the modern times.

7. Theological Basis

The reason for separate pastoral care is more theological

and practical. In Canon 11 of the CCEO the basic dignity and

equality of all Christian faithful is enshrined. This

fundamental right to spiritual care has been given legal

protection in Canon 16 and 17.

It is the belongingness to a particular sui juris Church in

the Catholic communion that entails special pastoral care.

The right of the faithful to worship in one’s own liturgical

tradition and to live as a Christian in accordance with one’s

ecclesial heritage is rooted in baptism by which a person is

incorporated as a member in a specific sui juris Church.

Parallel to the right to worship in one’s own sui juris

Church, there is also an obligation of the Christian faithful to

know, retain and promote their rites (CCEO, cc. 39-41). This

juridical norm is underlined again in Erga Migrantes Caritas

Chrisiti No. 52. The members of each sui juris Church are

bound to foster the knowledge and esteem of the rite of their

Church and to observe them everywhere.

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India is a country where the faithful of the three different

sui juris Churches namely Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-

Malankara live in the same geographical area. They may have

the same language and the same cultural traits, but they have

different rites as far as their Church belongingness is

concerned. Therefore it is essential that the migrants from

each of these Churches get pastoral care consonant to their

ecclesial traditions. It is in this context that we have to think

about the need of pastoral care in view of the ecclesial

identity of the Syro-Malabar migrants. Sometimes this

question is asked: Why should there be special parishes and

chaplains for the Syro-Malabar faithful? Is it not sufficient

that one of the Latin priests be deputed to celebrate liturgy in

their language? Here ecclesial difference is forgotten and

seen merely as difference in language.

8. Eparchy of Kalyan

The Eparchy of Kalyan is the first one erected for the

Syro-Malabar migrants. Even before the establishment of the

Eparchy, the faithful of the Syro-Malabar Church were

particular to keep up their ecclesial traditions. They availed

themselves of the spiritual services of the priests and

chaplains from Syro-Malabar Church. They were more

concerned about having liturgy in their language and to have

celebrations of feast according to their tradition. But, when

this Eparchy was erected even some of these faithful

questioned about the need and relevance of a new Eparchy

where there is already Latin diocese and parishes, because,

they identified Sui Juris Church with language groups. I think

the same persons who have become the members of the

Eparchy are now in a position to give the answer to these

questions. Here we place on record the zealous and

committed efforts put in by the first bishop of the Eparchy

Mar Paul Chittlapilly and the pioneers who collaborated with

him. They have sailed us along all the thick and thin of its

growth and existence. They laid the strong foundation for the

Eparchy. The Eparchy of Kalyan will ever be greatly indebted

to them.

9. Double Jurisdiction

There were apprehensions whether the question of

double jurisdiction of Latin and Syro-Malabar Churches in

the same territory will cause confusion or tension among the

Eparchies. But the experience of the past 25 years is a strong

witness not only of the peaceful co-existence but of

collaboration and mutual enrichment.

The Eparchy of Kalyan gets involved in the organization

of the pastoral care, evangelization and integral

development in 15 districts of Maharashtra, being coexistence

with five Latin Dioceses. I would proudly acclaim

the collaboration and the unified action of the Syro-Malabar

and Latin Dioceses in this regard. Both together have

contributed much to the social and religious development of

its members and the Society and the proclamation of the

Gospel.

10. Fruits of Pastoral Care

Due importance has been always given to the proper

faith formation of the children and the youth. One of the

visible fruits of the pastoral care in the proper ecclesial

tradition is the increase in the number of vocations to

priesthood and religious life. From among the children who

got pastoral care and faith formation after the establishment

of the Eparchy, we have 35 vocations to priesthood and 28 to

religious life.

Besides all the youth remain always dynamically

involved in the various activities of the Church. We made a

study among the youth of our Eparchy. The study is very

revealing. The youth who got ecclesial formation after the

establishment of our Eparchy are very much attached to the

Church. From among them almost 95% are very active and

are in the main stream of the activities of the Church,

whereas from among those who were grown up as youth

before the establishment of the Eparchy, almost 60 % only

nominally or rarely get involved in the activities of our

parish. Some of them do not even prefer to be considered as

the members of the Syro-Malabar Church. Now they have

become young couples in the Eparchy. Here I want to

emphasize the importance of proper ecclesial formation to

children and youth so that they may know and love their

Mother Church.

Our Family Unit System has lead to better relations and

understanding among the families and better collaboration

with the activities of the Church both in spiritual and social

fields. As a result the grown up members of the parishes are

also equally active. Our experience teaches us that only

proper pastoral care for the migrant community will keep

them attached to the Church. I think that, all will agree when I

say that, the Eparchy of Kalyan may be taken as a model for

the successful pastoral care of the migrants. Following the

model of the Eparchy of Kalyan, other ecclesial units are also

awaiting their actualization into an Eparchy. At present they

render pastoral help to the faithful through parishes and

pastors appointed by the local hierarchs.

11. Vision Statement of the Eparchy

The mission of the Eparchy is envisaged to have three

dimensions. Our vision statement clearly delineates them:

“Holistic pastoral care, effective evangelization and integral

development of the people of Maharashtra.” The Eparchy is

not concerned exclusively about the pastoral care of

migrants but contributes equally towards the

evangelization.

The Eparchy has a vast area of 10 districts as mission

fields entrusted to four religious congregations. There are

almost 95 Priests and 180 Sisters working in these four

mission territories where there are only very few Catholics.

As a result of the intense missionary activity of the priests

and religious in the missions a few centres of new Marathi

Christian communities could also be established.

Our Eparchy could contribute towards the integral

development of the people and the society. Through the

Department of Social Action of the Eparchy including the

four missions, the Eparchy of Kalyan is rendering

commendable social service especially in the fields of rural

development, empowerment of women, education for the

marginalized, support for the HIV infected and affected

people, orphans, and the physically and mentally challenged.

12. Vision for the Next Generation

One of the central themes of Lumen Gentium of II Vatican

Council is that the Catholic Church is the communion of

different individual Churches. Hence all the faithful should

have the basic knowledge about the existence of different

Rites in the Church and that diversity of Rites is not against

the unity in the Church. Everyone must understand that

one’s membership in the Catholic Church is only through the

membership in a Sui Juris Church. Hence one should know

one’s Church, love and be proud of being the member of that

Sui Juris Church. In our Catechism Anthem children are

taught to sing “We are proud of being a community of love .....

in the Eparchy of Kalyan, as children of one God.” The

ecclesial tradition and the spiritual patrimony of our Church

should be well explained to them and they should be initiated

to the Christian life in accordance with the spirituality of our

Church. Pope Francis in his encyclical letter Lumen Fidei

teaches us that ‘The Church, like every family passes on to her

children the store of her patrimony. It is through her

sacraments celebrated in the Church’s liturgy that this

patrimony is handed over to the children’ (No. 40).

So, Catechism should help the children to understand

and to participate meaningfully and actively in the Liturgy

and to live meaningfully the ecclesial life. The role of the

parents and especially the grandparents is important in the

faith formation of the children. Their example through life

and prayer is the decisive factor in the formation of the

children. Here we are reminded of the context of Kerala

where the grandparents took special interest in the faith

formation and religious instruction of their grandchildren

which may be lacking among the migrant families.

13. The Futuristic Vision

The symposium shall be aimed at creating a futuristic

vision on the migrants too. In the present global scenario, at

the ecumenical and inter-religious fields, unity of action

becomes imperative for the faith transmission, pastoral life

and evangelization. The roles of the migrants are not

forgotten in these aspects too. The migrant Church has a

great contribution to make to the society, especially in the

spiritual, social-charitable, cultural and political fields. We

also try to discover and distinguish the contribution which

the migrant community has made towards peace, harmony

and development of India. We have to learn more about the

major issues and challenges that the migrants face especially

the moral values and principles practised among the

migrants, decrease in birth rate, unstable family bonds,

social insecurity, anonymity, loneliness and such other

issues.

Having the vision statement clear in our minds, we wish

to push ahead our dreams with greater fervour and

faithfulness, following the example of St. Thomas the father

of our faith. May this Silver Jubilee Symposium be fruitful and

enriching for all of us.