Vatican Information
FROM THE ORIENTAL CHURCHES
Vatican City, 10 November 2012 (VIS) - The Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church, meeting at Mount St. Thomas near Kerala, India, with the prior assent of the Holy Father has canonically elected Fr. George Madathikandathil as bishop of Kothamangalam of the Syro-Malabars (area 1,840, population 787,100, Catholics 230,760, priests 282, religious 2,494), India. The bishop-elect was born in Purapuzha, India in 1956 and ordained to the priesthood in 1980. He taught Canon Law at the St. Thomas Pontifical Seminary of Vadavathor, where he also served as vice-rector and then rector. He is currently pastor of St. Mary's Church in Arakuzha. He succeeds Bishop George Punnakottil, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy the synod accepted, in accordance with canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

CBCI information Kothamangalam

In the light of the Communication received from the Apostolic Nunciature, I wish to inform you that the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church gathered at Mount St. Thomas, Kerala, has canonically elected Rev. Fr. George Madathikandathil as Eparch of Kothamangalam, after receiving prior Pontifical assent. The newly elected Eparch succeeds Right Reverend George Punnakottil, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the above mentioned Eparchy was accepted by the Synod according to CCEO 210 § 1. 

This ecclesiastical provision was made public in Rome on Thursday, 10^th January, 2013, at noon local time, corresponding to 16:30 hours, Indian Standard Time. 

Date of Birth: 09/05/1956 

Date of Ordination: 23/12/1980

Studies: Philosophy-Carmelgiri Alwaye (1974 1977), Theology-Mangalapuzha Alwaye (1977 1980)

Higher Studies: P.D.C., B.Th., Doctorate (Oriental Institute Rome-1984 1989)

Mathrubhumi Mumbai Edition on 1.1.13

In the Context of Gang Rape - About the Security of Women

Ten Ways for a Social Change to improve the Security of the Women

This short note on ten methods for a social change is a result of the present context of the increased atrocities against the women, gang rape, consequent death, suicide and murder. A social change is understood to be the need of the hour.

1.    Male-Female Equality: In the mental, physical and social stature, though man and women have different roles in the society, as far as the humanness is concerned both man and women are equal. This concept of equality has to become a conviction and the order in the families and in the Indian society. The mentalities that the woman can be attacked and used and the man can use and attack woman are to be totally changed.

2.    In the field of Education: India has to develop an Education system based on the Human culture and basic human values. Serious study, research, discussions and seminars are to be conducted on the topics of women empowerment, equal respect for the women, etc for which the educational institutions have to take the lead.

3.    Laws that Protect: Strict systems and laws are to be legislated against the physical and mental attacks on women such as mental and physical assaults, dowry related issues, sexual abuse, etc. In order to bring back the erring persons, any punishment given should be curative either the person who commits or the society who watches like condemning, imploring and rebuking and even imposing typical penalties.

4.    Women Empowerment: The women should get out of the feeling that they are feeble and vulnerable. The women themselves should not be their enemy.  Individually and collectively, they need to grow with self-respect and respecting the other women.

5.    Mentality of the Men: Unfortunately the men make mockery of their manhood by attacking the women. A real man will never attack a woman but only protect the life and interest of the woman.

6.    Individual and Social Consciousness: The individuals and the society should neither encourage nor support those who are inclined to to commit delicts. The Individuals and the society have to have a strong moral conscience, deep rooted values, courage, and fearlessness to prevent such evil doers and evil actions.

7.    Harmful Freedom should be controlled: By the use of alcohol, drugs and through the misuse of the media, in certain moments the human persons are turned to be like beasts. Human person through their own will and the government through the laws and actions should be able to effectively control the harmful freedom.

8.    Dangerous Situations to be Avoided: Girls and Ladies need to avoid dangerous situations that might lead others to commit delicts such as inordinate dressing and body language, travelling alone in odd timings, etc.

9.    Role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Unnecessary hiding the attacks on the women will be of no use. Any attack leaves mental or physical after effects on the victim. They need to be helped by experts. In the same way, those who commit delicts need not be protected. NGOs should take initiative to eradicate this social evil with constant efforts and bring the criminals before justice.

10.                    Role of the Government: Government should be committed to make sure the security of the human persons through persistent vigilance, immediate actions, enforcing the discipline, law and order through strict and uncorrupt justice system. Justice delayed justice denied.

Written by

Dr. Francis Eluvathingal

Powai, Mumbai

Vision, Mission, Planner for Personal Life

Clear Vision, Mission, Planner for Personal Life

 (The Lantern, January 2013)

Corporate world sets up Vision and Mission for its successful growth. Do the individuals take pain to set up something of this sort? For an integral growth, a Christian is to manage the three fold relationship: with God, others and oneself. For a sane life, one is to balance his body, mind and soul. Is it important to have a vision for life in this world of management? Once a blind man asked to a wise man: can there be anything worse than losing your eye sight? The wise man replied: yes; losing your vision. In His teachings, Jesus emphatically mentioned that his disciples should have a vision and mission to succeed. The one building a tower and the king going to encounter another king in war need to have clear vision and planning (Lk 14:27-33). Without counting the cost and paying the price, one cannot succeed.

Vision for Life

Vision is about having clarity of the goal that is to be attained. It is a reality to be which is not yet. A state of what ought to be from what it is. If one wants to achieve something, the personal vision provides clarity and gives a sense of purpose and it remains as an internal drive that motivates to go ahead. It defines who you are and how you will live. Hence each individual is to make a vision.

Mission (Plan of Action):

If vision is a dream or an ideal, mission is linked to specific activities suggesting practical methods of achieving the vision. Mission is the rationale for actualizing the vision systematically and strategically. Mission clarifies the distinctive identity, policies and priorities. Human mind raises basic questions such as what am I, why I am here, what should I do, etc. A well-formed mission will make clear what should be done and what not be done.

Planner:

In the market, many more things are available than what we consume daily. One cannot do or have all what is available today. We know to choose. St. Paul says: All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful (1 Cor 6:12). It is the planner that answers when and how of the vision and mission. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Planning is an attempt from now to then; to change things that ought to be changed. Keep in mind that the planner is to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound). Planner can be short term and long term. Long term planning is on a quite a long stretch of future time (one to ten years) whereas short term planning is for a period of less than a year.

How to work out?

Vision statement can be about life, career, relationships, etc. E.g. I would like to be a loving and caring person in the family, responsible Christian and a successful business man, etc. “Love, Responsibility, Success” could be my vision statement.  In order to attain this vision, I need to have mission targets. E.g. (1) Love my family members rather than criticizing and being angry; (2) be interested in caring and helping others than being selfish; (3) Daily prayer and Bible Reading, observance of commandments will be given priority than entertainments; (4) The values of hard work, sincerity and honesty will be upheld; (5) Customer friendly attitude and order will be maintained; etc. Naturally, there can be more specific and target oriented mission statements.  After setting up a vision and mission statement, one needs to make a period wise planner for a year and a daily time table. Retrospection and examination will surely help us to understand how far we improve. 

Advice

It sometimes gives an impression that vision, mission and planner make us to be narrow minded and stiff. Some of us might question ourselves about the role of the Holy Spirit who leads and the inspiration God gives. For clarifying the vision and mission one should be guided by the Holy Spirit. At the same time, one needs to keep in mind that flexibility is a higher value than the narrow mindedness. If the life is taking us to a totally different direction than our vision and mission, we need be humble before the Lord and accept the Lord’s ways which are surely better than man’s.

Fr. Francis Eluvathingal

From 'Zero' to 'Syro'

From ‘Zero’ to ‘Syro’

(Published in 'The Lantern', Magazine of the Eparchy of Kalyan, in the first volume, Oct. 2012).

Search for better job opportunities and living conditions generally ends up in migration. Once the basic needs of the body are met, the inner search begins for quenching the spiritual thirst. Even in the search for basic needs of the human being, divine intervention is sought. This phenomenon existed in the history of humanity from time immemorial.

Living Faith and traditions transcend the boundaries. Big cities attracted the educated and the business men of the Syro-Malabar Christians who could not find satisfactory job in Kerala. Under the initiatives of the Church, Kerala did have schools and the Keralites were professionally qualified in many fields. But lack of job opportunities there, a blessing in disguise, has paved the way for the global migration. The presence of Keralites is felt in every part of the globe. The Marthoma Christians, sociologically a very outgoing community among the other Indian communities, did not have much difficulty to get settled in various corners of the globe. This was one of the reasons for the growth of the Syro-Malabar Church which was confined initially to the Kerala territories to grow to a global Church in 20^th and 21^st centuries. This generation is blessed to see and enjoy its worldwide growth.

Reaching Mumbai, Pune, Nasik empty handed and with no one to contact, the stories of the first migrants were not exciting. By the sweat of their brow, they began to earn their livelihood. Despite their hardships, they did not neglect their spiritual life which was deeply rooted in their very being. The Archdiocese of Bombay and Diocese of Pune welcomed the migrants with open arms and later appointed chaplains for the special pastoral care within their limitations. The migrants, in order to take care of their own spiritual needs, with the assistance of some of the priests, founded new associations such as Kerala Catholic Association in Bombay and St. Thomas Catholics of India in Pune. They were able to set apart whatever they could from their resources for their spiritual needs as well as for some infrastructures.

For the migrant Syro-Malabar Catholics, the Church was a ‘zero’ Church in all senses. Many migrant faithful did not know even to spell the name of the Church. They neither had a bishop, nor priests, sisters and seminarians to assist them. There were no churches or other infra-structure. At this juncture, in 1978, Mar Antony Padiyara was appointed Apostolic Visitor to study the situation of the migrant Syro-Malabar Catholics. He visited Mumbai, conducted 18 meetings from 4^th to 18^th February 1979 and a report was submitted in 1980. After lengthy discussions in Vatican, CBCI, SMBC on 30^th April 1988, the Kalyan Eparchy was erected.

Immediately after the inauguration of the Eparchy, in order to cater to the spiritual needs of the faithful, priests were appointed from various dioceses as well as the religious congregations of the mother Church. The new eparchy tried to pave strong foundations for its pastoral development. Maintaining the same territory of the Latin parishes, the new Eparchy also organized pastoral activities for the Syro-Malabar faithful, celebrating liturgy in the Churches of the Latin dioceses. Some priests and seminarians ascribed to the new eparchy in the early years.

In order to make sure of the Christians presence and service in all 15 districts of the Eparchy, 10 of them were entrusted to MST, VC, MCBS and CMI religious congregations. Many religious women came forward to start educational and other social charitable institutions and to assist in the pastoral work.

The faithful wholeheartedly accepted the new arrangement with lots of enthusiasm, though there were a few initial troubles. A minority of the faithful even objected to its establishment and growth. Long Holy Qurbana, new administrational systems, financial burdens to maintain parishes and priests and the weak face of the ‘zero’ church were enough for them to raise their eyebrows. Planting the St. Thomas tradition in this multi religious-linguistic-cultural city was never an easy task. Separating youngsters and children who were part of Latin communities was more painful than the birth of the new diocese. But the lay people, who were thirsty for spiritual nourishments, accepted all the initial sufferings joyfully with great hope. of having the ultimate joy and reward.

The faithful were really generous in their contribution to the needs of the church. Now they are proud to be part of it. The liturgical celebrations are moments of spiritual nourishment and source of strength. All the more, coming together and standing strong as an ecclesial community with some special identity has become part and parcel of life. The family prayer, a strong tradition of the mother church is practiced in the metropolis in spite of the day-to-day difficulties. The activities of Youth, Sunday Catechism, Mathrusangam, Pithruvedi, Kumbakoottayma, Social Action department, Charismatic groups, etc. are going on in full swing.

The ‘zero’ church has grown to a ‘Syro’ Church. Unlike the new dioceses bifurcated from existing dioceses, Kalyan diocese, did not inherit any infrastructural or financial shares. It had to begin from the scratch. Thanks to Divine providence, out of 169 parishes and centres where Sunday liturgy is celebrated at present, 80% infrastructure belongs to the diocese. Now the Eparchy has 64 ascribed and 6 other diocesan priests, 5 religious men congregations with 120 priests and 32 religious women congregations with 375 sisters in 82 convents work zealously in the pastoral, social, charitable, educational, health care fields. 66 seminarians are in various stages of formation. 50 schools and about 50 other educational institutions, 25 boardings and hostels, 15 other social charitable institutions and 3 seminaries are some of the institutions through which divine love to the humanity is witnessed. Apart from Malayalam, Divine Liturgy is celebrated in Hindi, English and Marathi. In 15 districts of Maharashtra, Kalyan Eparchy has jurisdiction in 145,000 sq. kms. Kalyan Eparchy caters to the spiritual needs of around 1 lakh Syro-Malabar faithful. And more than one crore people of other faith benefit one way or the other from the Eparchy.

The Syro-Malabar Church can be proud of the growth of Kalyan Eparchy and she can affirm that it stood with her, in implementing all her decisions. Other Ecclesial and ecumenical relations are also fostered by the Eparchy. Despite the vastness of the cities, a strong bond is created in this minority community. Obedience to the Pope and to his teachings, instructions, and directions is our trademark. The prime duty of evangelization is taken with due seriousness. The Eparchy of Kalyan which has been going ahead from strength to strength as proud Catholics and as deep rooted Syro-Malabarians planted in the soil of Maharashtra now stand at the threshold of its silver Jubilee celebrations!

Fr. Francis Eluvathingal

Intervention of George Cardinal Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church on 13 October 2012 in the XIII General of the Synod of Bishops (7-28 October 2012)

New Evangelization for the Transmission of Faith

and the New Way of Living the Christian Vocation

Most Holy Father, Dear Brother Bishops and other Participants in the Synod,

For the understanding of those who don’t know much about the Syro-Malabar Church, I would like to say that it is an Oriental Church hailing from the preaching of St. Thomas, the Apostle.  Therefore, it is a Church as old as the Roman Catholic Church.  Our Church has at present Four Million Catholics living in India and in many other parts of the world.  We have 30 dioceses, 29 in India and one in the United States of America.  By the grace of God our Church has been supplying Bishops, priests and men and women of consecrated life to the Latin Church and to certain other oriental churches.  At present there are 21 Bishops including 3 Nuncios, hundreds of priests and thousands of consecrated women of Syro-Malabar origin working mainly in the Latin Church.  Bishop Alexander Thomas Kaliyanil SVD of Zimbabwe, who is a member of this Synod, is a son of the Syro-Malabar Church.  My own brother Fr. Francis has opted to work in the Latin Church and is presently a Salesian Missionary in Bangladesh.  We hope to continue this cooperation, but we will be able to do so by the grace of God only if our confrere Bishops of the Latin Church recognize and encourage the large concentrations of our emigrant faithful to grow in our ecclesial traditions wherever they are present and thereby helping us to foster vocations from our own communities.

My following intervention is based on numbers 37-40 of Instrumentum laboris of the section ‘New Evangelization and Church Renewal.’

Jesus Christ is God’s own message and self-gift to humanity.  He continues His mission of being the message and gift of God in the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit and the commitment of those who believe in Him.  The continuation of this work of Christ in the Church is evangelization.  In this sense, only if the Church, as the body of the faithful, becomes empowered to act in the person of Christ, she can be an effective agent of Evangelization.  It is through the Word and the Sacraments that the faithful individually and as a body get empowered to represent Christ and do the work of evangelization.  From this perspective it becomes clear that the Christian as a Member of the Body of Christ has to be transformed to the person of Christ so as to continue His mission.

New Evangelization calls for a self evaluation within the Church.  It is a fact that there are many in the Church who do not know who Christ is and what cost they have to pay to be his disciples.  The Church has to become more and more a communion of persons who have encountered Christ and thereby volunteer by the power of the Grace of God to pay the cost of discipleship of Christ.  The universal call to holiness has to become a fundamental awareness for all the Christian faithful.  The uniqueness of Christian faith and the ever-renewed commitment to Christ in the Church has to become the driving force for the life of every Christian.  Jesus Christ the unique saviour is the one who works both in the evangelizer and the evangelized.  He has said of himself: “I am the truth, I am the light, I am the way, I am the door, I am the bread, and I am the life.”

What is true of the Christian faithful is more true regarding we Bishops, the priests and the religious too. All the chosen leaders and prophets of the OT are persons who deeply encountered God in their lives.  The Apostles of Christ, the Fathers of the Church and all the Saints in the history of the Church are persons who encountered God through Christ in His Spirit.   They were all transformed into the person and mission of Christ.  This transformation is the pre-requisite for the making of a good evangelizer.  An evangelizing Church has to be authentically a Christ-like reality, a communion of persons filled with the Spirit and Mission of Christ.  This requires a new way of being and living the Christian reality in the Church and the Society.  The priests and men and women of consecrated life who are to be in the forefront of evangelization need the inner urge of a ‘cannot but preach the Gospel’ as was evidenced in St. Paul and the great array of missionaries of past decades.  

During the 50 years after the Vatican II, the renewal of the Church has been multifaceted and highly productive.  At the same time the lives and ministry of priests and men and women of consecrated life have become more functional than spiritual and ecclesial.  It would seem that the present day formation of priests and the religious personnel tend to make them functionaries for different offices in the Church, rather than missionaries inflamed by the love of Christ. Even in places of ad gentes missions of the Church, functioning through institutions have made the priests and the religious lose the impelling force and strength of the Gospel to which they are committed by their vocation.  Secularization has impacted the lives of individual Christians and also of ecclesial communities.  New Evangelization demands a thorough renewal of the lives of individual Christians and the re-evaluation of the structures of the Church to empower them with the dynamism of the Gospel values of truth, justice, love, peace and harmony.

The transmission of faith is always through the traditions of the particular churches and Churches sui iuris.  These traditions include celebration of the sacraments, especially the offering of the Holy Eucharist, the catechesis, the custom of daily family prayer, small Christian communities, observance of abstinence and penance in Lent and other periods of fast, the celebration of feasts, pilgrimages, practice of charity at all levels, people-friendly and family-oriented pastoral care and the participation of the laity in the administration of the church.  Whatever traditions have proved to be successful in transmitting the faith in the particular and sui iuris Churches require more and more encouragement and support from all quarters of the Universal Church.  Lack of clear vision and understanding of the communion ecclesiology visualized by the Council Vatican II is making the potentialities of evangelization and pastoral care of certain individual churches uncreative in some communities of their emigrants, especially those of the Oriental Churches.  In recent years, there are signs of improvement in this sphere.  The communion ecclesiology very much emphasized by Holy Father Benedict XVI has to become the ecclesiological vision of all of us Bishops in the Catholic Church.  New evangelization for the transmission of the Christian faith has to initiate new measures for the freedom in evangelization and pastoral care for all the Churches sui iuris under the guidance of the Apostolic See.

May Mary Mother of God and all the Apostles intercede for us in our task of new evangelization!  Thank you very much.