The association of the former students of Mar Ivanios College (Amicos) has selected State Planning Board member G. Vijayaraghavan for this year’s Benedict Mar Gregorios award. The award instituted in memory of the first principal of the college will be given to Mr. Vijayaraghavan on March 17. The award to honour people in the field of social work comprises Rs.50,000 and a citation. Major Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram (Syro Malankara Church) Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis will present the award.
Inauguration of Malankara Catholic Church in Goa
13th of March, 2016 became a remarkable day in the history of the Exarchate of St Ephrem, Khadki-Pune. On this blessed day, the first new Malankara Catholic Community in the Exarchate was formally inaugurated in Goa, centered around the Chapel of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Cortalim, by the Apostolic Exarch His Excellency Thomas Mar Anthonios. It was the fulfillment of a dream cherished by the Exarchial Pastoral Council held on 11 June 2015.
The day began with the solemn concelebrated Holy Qurbono in the Malankara Catholic rite by the Apostolic Exarch in the Chapel of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Cortalim. After the Gospel reading, the announcement regarding the erection of a new Parish in Goa was made by the Exarchial Chancellor Rev. Fr. George Mathew OIC. The new Parish is named ‘St. Ephrem Malankara Syrian Catholic Church’ after the heavenly Patron of the Exarchate, St. Ephrem. Following this, Fr. Varghese Valikkodath, whose relentless efforts made this dream a reality, was officially declared as the founder Vicar of the new Parish.
After the Holy Qurbono, an Inaugural Meeting was held in the Chapel with the distinguished guests and Malankara Catholic faithful from Goa, Pune, Mumbai and Kerala, who had participated on this consecrated day. Fr. Varghese Valikkodath, the appointed Vicar of the Parish welcomed the gathering. The meeting was chaired by V. Rev. Msgr. Varghese Mattamana, the Vicar General of the Exarchate. His Excellency Thomas Mar Anthonios formally inaugurated ‘St. Ephrem Malankara Syrian Catholic Church’, Goa by lighting the lamp and delivering the Inaugural Address. Later on, Fr Vijayanand SJ, Fr Mathew Varikkatt, Sr. Pradeepthi SIC, Exarchial MCA President Mr TM Johnson, Exarchial Mathrusangham President Mrs Lizy Koshy, Pune District MCYM President Mr Libin Oommen, Suvisesha Sangham Co-ordinators Mr VA George and Mrs Rosamma Rajan felicitated the new community. The meeting was concluded by a vote of thanks proposed by Mr VA Eapachan to all who have been part of the inaugural day.
After the inaugural meeting, all those who had come, partook in the Agape, a meal of love arranged by the community.
The first General Body Meeting of the Parish was held in the presence of the Apostolic Exarch. He reminded the community of the two main responsibilities of the Church; reunion and evangelization. He conveyed the decision to conduct regular Sunday Holy Qurbono and other important liturgical celebrations in Goa and the possibility of appointing a full-time resident priest for catering to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the community.
The following members were elected to the Parish Committee:
Trustee
Eapachan VA
Secretary
Benny George
Members
Thomaskutty Daniel
Wilson Varghese
Kunjumon Mathew
Tinky George
Jose EV
Benny K George
Laly Mathew
Jose K
Jose Daniel
The Apostolic Exarch appointed the following persons as in-charge of various Pious Associations:
Teacher-in-Charge of Sunday School : Mrs. Mary Eapachan
Leader of MCA : Mr. Benny George
Leader of Mathrusangham : Mrs. Laly Jose
Leader of MCYM : Ms. Jeena Jose
The General Body Meeting concluded with prayer and Blessing from the Apostolic Exarch.
Earlier in the day, the Apostolic Exarch presented the official vestments of the Altar Servers to five members of the community; Eapachan VA, Benny George, Subhash Varghese, Prince Joy and Shibin Benny. MCYM members from Pune District deserves a special mention for their active participation in the inaugural day.
Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis re-elected as CBCI President
Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, has been re-elected as the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) for another term of two years.
The CBCI is one of the largest Bishops’ Conferences in Asia, and is linked to the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.
Archbishop of Trichur Andrews Thazhath and Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao were also re-elected as CBCI vice president I and vice president II.
Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, Auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Ranchi, was elected the secretary general. He replaces Archbishop Albert D’Souza of Agra, who has served as the CBCI secretary general for the past six years.
Bishop Lumen Monteiro was re-elected for a term of four years as chairman of Caritas India and Bishop Thomas Dabre was re-elected as the chairman of National Biblical Catechetical and Liturgical Centre for a second term of four years.
Archbishop George Antonysamy of Madras-Mylapore was elected chairman of St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, replacing Archbishop Francis Kallarakal.
Invitation to Pope Francis
Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, handed over the letter of invitation to Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, on March 7 to forward to the Pope.
The invitation letter signed by Cardinal Cleemis says: “We, 178 Bishops of India, gathered at St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, from 2 to 9 March, 2016 for the 32nd Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, humbly request Your Holiness that our dear Nation, India, may also be included in the list of Your Holiness’s pastoral visits in 2016/2017.”
“Our Nation was blessed by the visits of Blessed Pope Paul VI in 1964, of Saint Pope John Paul II in 1986 and in 1990. Being the largest democracy in the world, with an age-old tradition of different religions and cultures, India awaits with eagerness to listen to another Apostle of peace and hope,” the invitation letter further adds.
Letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh
The CBCI president also wrote to the federal Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking help to trace and rescue Indian Salesian priest Tom Uzhunnalil, a missionary who has gone missing after the March 4 attack on an old age home run by the Missionaries of Charity, in Aden, Yemen.Four nuns, including an Indian, were among the 16 people who were killed.
Missionaries of Charity Sister Sali, who escaped the attack has reportedly said that she saw Father Tom being taken away by the rebels. The nun, who is the superior of the convent, hails from Kerala, southern India. Earlier, it was reported she was a native of Chhattisgarh state in central India.
The CBCI letter to the home minister reiterated “our confidence and faith in you, and hope that you would immediately mobilize the government machinery to trace and rescue Father Tom, who is our fellow citizen.”
Tom worked in Hassan in Karnataka before going to Aden. He belongs to the Bangalore province of the Salesians.
On the penultimate day of the CBCI plenary assembly, 178 bishops collected and collated various suggestions and recommendations that came up during the discussions in the last six days. They bishops came to Bangalore to address the main theme “The response of the Church in India to the present day challenges.”
The bishops also had discussions for preparing the final statement of the 32nd assembly, to be released on the concluding day of March 9.
Cardinal Cleemis expresses his displeasure to the UDF government on Nadar reservation
Archbishop Mar Baselios Cleemis has expressed his displeasure to chief minister Oommen Chandy for not fulfilling the promise given to the Nadar community on reservation in the previous election.
“For five years the UDF government has been promising to give reservation and now they havemade a U-turn on the subject. Chief minister Oommen Chandy has betrayed the Nadar community by breaking his promises to them,” said Mar Baselios Cleemis while addressing a church convention at Nedumangadu in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Mar Cleemis said he has always stood for the Nadars and backed their efforts to get benefits they deserve. “I will speak for all the members of the community who have been denied justice and they will stand united to oppose against any kind of discrimination” Mar Cleemis said. They havn’t been demanding an MLA seat or 10 cents of land from the government, instead they are fighting for their rights to live in the society like others. But those who are in power are denying them justice. It is unfortunate that the UDF government has been neglecting the community while appeasing the demands of corporates” he added.
He also warned the ruling front that they might have to face the wrath of the Nadar voters during the polls.
Fr. Ambrose Mootheril called to eternal rest
Posted by MCYM KATTANAM UNIT on Saturday, February 20, 2016
Rev.Fr. Ambrose Mootheril (83), a member of the Bethany Navajeevan Province of the Order of the Imitation of Christ, is called to eternal reward today (Thursday, 18th February). Fr. Mootheril belongs to Mootheril family, Elanthoor, Pathanamthitta.
18-March-1953 – Entered into profession
04-October-1960 – Date of Ordination.
The funeral ceremony will be held at Bethany Ashram, Nalanchira at 11.30 am on Saturday, 20th February.
Let us pray for the repose of his soul.
Sr.Bencita SIC is no more
Sr. Bencita SIC (aged 47) lived her life to serve humanity for the glory of God. Sr. Bencita has lived in the Delhi region for the past 13 years of her life for the spiritual enrichment of its people. For three years she has selflessly worked on the food for hungry project of Prachodana Social Service Society and non formal education of the children in Saket area, Delhi.
She was suffering from cancer for 6 months, but smiled at everyone from her heart and surrendered herself to the will of God.
Funeral rites will be performed today, 17th February 2016 at Thirumoolapuram Bethany Maddom, Thiruvalla.
May her soul rest in peace.
Indian Vice President, Hamid Ansari lauds the late Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios
Indian Vice President, Mr. Hamid Ansari hailed the late Syro-Malankara Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios as an example of selfless service at a National Conference in New Delhi on Feb 15.
“His life serves as an example for us all. His selfless dedication for betterment of society, improving living conditions of poor and advocacy of education could be contemplated in building a strong nation,” said Mr. Ansari.
Speaking at the conference to mark the concluding ceremony of the yearlong birth centenary celebrations of the archbishop, Mr. Ansari said, “He was a promoter of interreligious dialogue and harmony who was ever willing on behalf of the administration to solve the issue of communal tension.”
Archbishop Gregorios headed the Syro-Malankara Church for over four decades until his death on Oct. 10, 1994. He was also the first Syro Malankara president of the Indian Catholic bishops’ conference of India (1989-91), and he chaired several of its commissions.
Archbishop Gregorios is known for his work for the poor. He fought against luxury and extravagance and was known for his social welfare activities, development initiatives, interreligious dialogue and promotion of political harmony.
“The true motto of all his religious and social involvements was his spiritual depth. He was not limited to any particular caste, creed or religion and believed that integrity could be achieved through maximum possible development of all,” said Moran Mor Cardinal Baselios Cleemis.
“The vision needs to be continued for bringing up the poor and interreligious harmony. We lack people like him and that is why there are so many problems in this world,” said Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas.
Archbishop Gregorios joined the Bethany Ashram of the Order of the Imitation of Christ, the Syro-Malankara Church’s only religious congregation. He became Benedict and took monastic vows in 1935.
When he became bishop in 1953, he wore saffron, the color of Bethany priests. Since saffron is the color of Hindu hermits, in those pre-Second Vatican Council days, his choice raised many eyebrows among Catholics. He was busy with more than strictly church work. For poverty alleviation in villages, the archbishop recommended scientific and systematic farming of fish, poultry and vegetables. He used church land for model farming.
Video & Images: Inauguration of Syro-Malankara Catholic Eparchy in USA & Canada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9d_N2bCPQs
Courtesy: Shalom TV
Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios Birth Centenary
The centenary meet held by the Syro Malankara Catholic Church, in connection with the birth centenary celebrations of the late Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios, was held at St. Mary’s Cathedral here on Saturday, 16th January, 2016.
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church will provide free palliative care to 25 poor cancer patients, irrespective of their religion, at the newly constructed Cancer Care Home at St John’s Medical Village in Pirappancode established in memory of former Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios.
The cancer care home for poor patients, was constructed at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore. It will accommodate 25 patients to begin with.
Asserting that the birth centenary celebrations, which began in August last year, had focused on serving people in need rather than in conducting glittery functions, Bava Thirumeni said the church also accommodated seven former inmates of Mental Health Centre, Oolanpara, at its shelter for homeless people ‘Snehaveedu’ in Nalanchira during this period.
His Grace Archbishop Salvatore Pennachio the Apostolic Nuncio gave the Keynote Address. The Benedictory message was given by His Grace Philipose Mar Chrysostam, Marthoma Valiyametropolitan and His Grace Archbishop Soosa Pakiam, Latin Archbishop of Trivandrum.
Sri. P. Gopinathan Nair, Chairman, All India Gandhi Smarakanidhi, Sri. E. T. Mohammed Basheer M.P., Former Education Minister and Sri. V. K. Prasanth, Honerable Mayor of Trivandrum also spoke during the event.
The concluding ceremony held at St Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, witnessed the presentation of Mar Gregorios Birth Centenary award to Sister Mary Litty, the founder of Kunnamthanam Providence Home. Sister Mary was chosen for the award by a jury comprising former chief secretary Lisy Jacob, former DGP Jacob Punnoose and Mar Evanios College principal Jiji Thomas.
MCYM Resource Team Formation – Chennai, India
The MCYM Resource Team Formation of Chennai District was conducted on Friday, 15 January 2016 at Padi. The meeting was led by the Exarchial Director of MCYM, Fr. Varghese Valikkodath, in the presence of the Director of MCYM-Padi Unit Rev. Fr. Sabu Maruthoor. The gathering was the first of its kind, which happened for the official initiation of a Resource team for faith formation in Chennai.
The gathering was attended by MCYM members of the Padi and Ayapakkam Parishes in Chennai and had the following purposes:
- To build a working plan to learn the 11th and 12th Sunday school text books of the Church as an initial step of the Faith formation.
- To officially initiate the Resource team (and its Promoters) in MCYM Chennai, which is formed with the vision of laying a strong base for the Christian faith.
- To facilitate a gathering of the two MCYM units in Chennai, thereby laying a foundation for a united work of the two parish MCYM units.
- To make the initial decision on the work-structure of the Resource team in the coming months.
- An intellectual growth of the MCYM members was targeted by the active participation in the resource team activities.
The following decisions were made with the suggestion and acceptance of everyone gathered.
- A strong faith foundation of all the Resource team members was targeted in the coming days, which will in in-turn help in the spiritual growth of MCYM.
- The decision was taken to have a monthly faith formation class (using Sunday school textbooks) with the inclusion of both the MCYM unit resource members.
- The instruction and responsibility was given to the resource team members to convert the each monthly class sessions into a format (like PPT or class etc.,) which will be easy to be understood by all MCYM members, and educate them on the same.
- The responsibility was given to the resource team to educate the content of the monthly gathering to all other MCYM members before the next monthly gathering.
- It was decided that monthly gathering will happen on a Saturday of each month as per prior announcement.
As part of the discussion, the following future plans were proposed:
- A bi-monthly or tri-monthly gathering of the two MCYM units can be conducted and some common activity can be performed to ensure unity.
- The resource team of Chennai can conduct a seminar/class for the children in other regions in the Exarchate in the future, after proper preparation.
- A district level election was decided to be conducted in the future when all things are well in place and running as per decisions.
Later the meeting ended with a vote of thanks by president of the MCYM Chennai Ayapakkam unit, Mr. Collins, which was followed by a concluding prayer.
