His Beatitude attended the ordination of Mar Kurian Vayalumkal

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His Beatitude attended the ordination of Mar Kurian Vayalumkal

Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, participated in the ordination of Mar Kurian Vayalumkal, the new Archbishop of Ratairia, which was held at Christ the King Cathedral on Monday, 25 July 2016. Mar Kurian Vayalumkal is also appointed as the diplomatic representative of Vatican (Apostolic Nuncio) to Papua New Guinea. His Beatitude said, “Self dedication is the need to go ahead and show the world the essence of the word.”

Archbishop Mar Mathew Moolekkatt, head of the Knanaya Archieparchy of Kottayam, led the consecration proceedings at the Cathedral. Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald, former Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt and CBCI secretary general Theodore Mascarenhas assisted the Archbishop. Auxiliary Bishop of Kottayam Archdiocese Mar Joseph Pandarasseril welcomed the gathering.

Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos celebrated Holy Qurbono at the tomb chapel of St. Alphonsa

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Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos celebrated Holy Qurbono at the tomb chapel of St. Alphonsa

His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos, celebrated Holy Qurbono at the tomb chapel of St. Alphonsa on 24 July 2016, on the occasion of the feast of St. Alphonsa at Bharananganam, Kottayam. During the homily His Beatitude said, “Suffering is the easiest means to move in the Path of God”.

Rector of the Pilgrim centered received the Catholicos and thousands participated in the Holy Qurbono.

Recalling the virtuous life of St. Alphonsa, His Beatitude said “She had a spiritual eye to see God. It is the mercy of God. When our eyes are closed with worldly thoughts, we cannot see God. Comparing with the suffering of St Alphonsa, our sufferings are very menial. She taught us that suffering is not in vain. We should experience the inner healing which we achieve through suffering. We should not leave humility and simplicity even when we reach the heights of our life.”

Catholic bishops express serious concern over Dalit atrocities in India

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Catholic bishops express serious concern over Dalit atrocities in India

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has expressed serious concern over the increasing attacks against Dalits in various parts of the country.

Persecution of Dalits and backward caste people in the name of meat consumption and protection of cattle has become the “order of the day,” regrets CBCI president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis.

A press statement from the cardinal on July 22 urges those “in responsible position” to refrain from activities that deny citizens’ their dignity and equality guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.

Dalits, who have suffered marginalization and social backwardness for millennia, are further inflicted with more pain and deaths even in an independent and democratic India, says the head of the country’s more than 18 million Catholics.

The prelate cites the July 18 thrashing of a seven-member family in Una town of Gir Somnath district in Gujarat as the latest incident of attack against Dalits. A group of gau rakshaks (cow protectors) beat up the family for allegedly skinning a dead cow. Three of the alleged attackers were arrested the next day.

The beatings sparked the most serious protests by Dalits in years in Gujarat, with seven youths trying to kill themselves in protest by taking pesticide in different parts of the state, an act that further inflamed tempers.

In earlier case on July 9 in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, paramilitary forces gunned down six Dalit and tribal people, including a two-year-old child, under the pretext of combating Maoists. Cardinal Cleemis says this incident occurred when the massive killings of Dalit Christians in Kandhamal in 2008 were fresh in people’s memory.

The prelate’s statement points out that the country had recorded more than 27,000 cases of violence against Dalits in 2014 and that such cases saw a 29 percent increase in the past two years.

Expressing the Church’s solidarity with the Dalits, the cardinal urges the state and federal governments to take immediate action against those promoting violence against the Dalit people.

Turning to his own Church, the cardinal condemned the attack against Bishop Galela Prasad of Cuddapah, a Dalit, and demanded strong legal action against the prelate’s attackers, who are upper caste priests.

Bishop Gallela Prasad of Cuddapah was attacked on April 25 when he was returning from a religious function at Karunagari in Kadapa district. Kadapa is some 425 km south of Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana state. It was later revealed some priests of the diocese had masterminded the attack.

63rd Feast of Commemoration of the Servant of God Mar Ivanios

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63rd Feast of Commemoration of the Servant of God Mar Ivanios

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church celebrated the 63rd Feast of Commemoration of the Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios on Friday, 15 July 2016 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. His Eminence Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan, the Archbishop of New York was the chief guest at the celebrations.

The padayatris from Ranni-Perunnadu along with other groups of pilgrims reached the Cathedral on 14 July 2016 and His Beatitude received the padayatris at the door of the Tomb chapel. It was followed by the Evening prayer and the Candle procession.

The Fifteen day long celebration concluded with a solemn Holy Qurbono celebrated by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos on 15 July.

Cardinal Dolan was accorded a warm reception at the Cathedral gate and garlanded by Baselios Cardinal Cleemis. Hundreds of people lined up along the sides of the road leading to the tomb of Archbishop Mar Ivanios to receive the cardinal. Cardinal entered the chapel at the tomb of Mar Ivanios for the prayer. The priests in holy vestments moved to the Cathedral in procession and at the back stood His Beatitude, Cardinal Timothy Dolan and other bishops. After the procession the prayer of the third hour was recited and the Holy Mass followed with Baselios Cardinal Cleemis being the main celebrant.

His Eminence Cardinal Dollan delivered the homily during the Holy Qurbono and His Eminence highlighted the features of the spirituality of Mar Ivanios: Trust in God, Imitation of Christ, Unity and Reconciliation. Cardinal compared the event of reunion led by Mar Ivanios with Jesus’ act of multiplying the loaves of bread stressing the point that Mar Ivanios was an instrument in the hands of God in the formation and growth of Malankara Catholic Church. It was his ardent desire to imitate God that reinforced him to begin Bethany Ashram.

His Grace Most Rev. Dr Abraham Viruthukulangara, the Archbishop of Nagpur, Archbishop Most Rev. Thomas Mar Koorilos, Most Rev. Yoohanon Mar Chrystosom, Most Rev. Joshua Mar Ignathios, Most Rev. Joseph Mar Thomas, Most Rev. Abraham Mar Julios, Most Rev. Vincent Mar Paulose, Most Rev. Jacob Mar Barnabas, Most Rev. Thomas Mar Anthonios, Most Rev. Samuel Mar Irenios, Most Rev. Philipose Mar Stephanos and around 300 priests concelebrated the Holy Qurbono. It was followed by Dhoopaprarthana and Nercha.

Homily of Timothy Cardinal Dolan

63rd Mar ivanios 10

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Now and forever!

I do indeed praise Jesus Christ for the honor and the joy of being with you, fellow pilgrims, for this Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Mar Ivanios Day.

What an inspiration you are with your prayer, presence, processions, and pilgrimage.

I praise Jesus Christ for the happiness of being with my brother cardinal and dear friend, Baselios Cardinal Cleemis, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of Trivandrum, who so graciously invited me for this occasion.

I praise Jesus Christ for brother bishops and priests, for deacons and seminarian, consecrated women and men religious, and for the wonderful faithful people of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

I praise Jesus Christ for the gift of Mar Ivanios, as we devoutly gather at his tomb on the 63rd Anniversary of his heavenly birthday.

The deep faith of Mar Ivanios was like the mustard seed spoken of by Jesus, like the five loaves multiplied miraculously by Jesus; he began 86 years ago with only five people, trusting that truth and unity would be victorious. Today we rejoice in the harvest with ten dioceses and an exarchate.

Personally, I thank you, dear members of the Syro-Malankara Catholic family, for the gift you are to the Church universal. From the beginning, Mar Ivanios had a special affection for America, visiting us in 1948, meeting President Truman, my predecessor, Cardinal Francis Spellman, and stopping by the seminary of the Archdiocese of New York, St. Joseph’s. He nurtured a lifelong friendship with the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement in New York.

Today, we in America praise Jesus for your priests, sisters, and lay faithful whose deep Catholic faith, joy, and sense of family is an inspiration to us all.

I praise Jesus Christ for the apostolic work of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, which allows us to accompany you with our prayers and alms, and am glad that Monsignor John Kozar is here with us.

I praise Jesus Christ for the lessons Mar Ivanios has taught us: especially his trust, his emphasis on the Imitation of Christ, and his thirst for unity and reconciliation.

First, his trust! Next week, I will be in Krakow for World Youth Day with Pope Francis, and will visit the Divine Mercy Shrine. “Jesus, I trust in Thee,” the aspiration made famous by St. Faustina, would resonate with the prayers of Mar Ivanios. To dare to begin his project of a revived Syro-Malankara Rite; to trust that five people could multiply to 500,000; to initiate religious congregations and educational endeavors when logic and worldly reason told him all of this was silly and impractical… only a man of deep trust could have persevered. From heaven today, as with Jesus, Mary, and St. Thomas, he watches this huge crowd, his descendants, this Servant of God is not surprised, as he turns to Jesus and says, “Jesus, I trusted in you!”

The second lesson Mar Ivanios teaches us is his stress on the Imitation of Christ. It is said that a student learns what the Master teaches, but a disciple imitates how the master lives. “The life of Christ is all the wisdom we will ever need,” wrote Mar Ivanios. “For me, to live is Christ,” as St. Paul taught. No wonder Mar Ivanios dedicated his two new congregations to the Imitation of Christ. “Imitate Christ so the people will imitate you,” he told the Bethany Fathers and Bethany Sisters. When he founded his schools, he would tell the new faculty and students, “The Gospel is our most excellent textbook.”

Today, as we honor him, we honor Christ. When we walk with Mar Ivanios, as thousands of you did, we walk with Jesus.

The third lesson is unity and reconciliation. Because Mar Ivanios imitated Christ, he loved the Truth, for Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” And the Truth is that we are all one with God as our Father and Jesus as our Savior.

No wonder he chose Veritas vos liberabit, “The truth will set you free” as the motto of the college which bears his name.

In a culture of lies, we need the Truth;

In a world of division and fear, we need unity;

On a planet of violence, antagonism, and suspicion, we need reconciliation.

That’s why the Church, the world, needs Mar Ivanios! You, his spiritual children light up the world, as your candles did last night during the procession.

Mission Commissioning of Suvishesha Sangham

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Mission Commissioning of Suvishesha Sangham

The Kaivaippu service (Service of mission commissioning) for the third batch of the Suvishesha Sangham at ecclesial level was held between 14-15 July 2016, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum during the commemoration of the Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios. There were 65 members including 5 priests, 1 Brother, 17 Sisters and 42 lay people, from all eparchies who were under formation for the last one year under the leadership of Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas, Rev Dr Antony Kakkanattu and Rev Sr Francina DM. The preparatory retreat was held on 14 July 2016 from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Catholicate Centre.

His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos solemnized the Kaivaippu service and all bishops were present during the ceremony. On the second day, His Beatitude, the Catholicos gave the Holy Bible and a lighted candle to the members, who received the Kaivappu. The members of the Suivishesham Sangam are called to lead a life centered around Gospel and sacraments and thus to commit themselves the service of the gospel.

Eparchial Sisters’ Annual Retreat, USA

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Eparchial Sisters’ Annual Retreat, USA

The annual retreat of the Reverend Sisters serving in the Eparchy was held from July 10 to 15, 2016 at the Don Bosco Retreat Center, Rockland, New York. Reverend Father Joseph Puthenpurackal OFM Cap. preached the retreat. Around 15 Sisters attended the retreat. On July 14, His Excellency Bishop Thomas Mar Eusebius visited the Sisters and addressed them.

Malayalam version of Amoris Laetitia, Snehathinte Aanandham Released by Baselios Cardinal Cleemis

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Malayalam version of Amoris Laetitia, Snehathinte Aanandham Released by Baselios Cardinal Cleemis

The book titled, “Snehathinte Aanandham,” was released by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos, the President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, on 11 July 2016 at St. Jude Church, Vettinad, Trivandrum, and gave the first copy to Mr John Kalivilakath and family (Parish Secretary). This is the Malayalam version of Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), a post-synodal apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis dated on 19 March 2016.

The Vatican’s official publication Amoris Laetitia was translated by Rev. Fr Mathew Thundathil OCD and was prepared by the Carmel International Publishing House, of Malabar province OCD. Rev Fr Joseph Ilamparayil (Provincial of the OCD Malabar Province), Most Rev. Msgr Mathew Manakarakkavil Corepiscopa, Most Rev. Msgr John Kochuthundil, Rev. Fr Peter Chakyatt, Rev. Fr Francis Aymanam, Rev. Fr Johnson Kochuthundil were present in the ceremony.

Annual Retreat of the Eparchial Priests, Malankara Catholic Convention and Mar Ivanios Day Celebration in USA

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Annual Retreat of the Eparchial Priests, Malankara Catholic Convention and Mar Ivanios Day Celebration in USA

retreat

The annual retreat of the priests of the Eparchy of USA and Canada was held from July 4 to 8 at the Don Bosco Retreat Center in Rockland, New York. Rev. Fr. Sebastian Anchumuri, the Director of the Divine Retreat Center in New Jersey preached during the retreat. All the priests of the Eparchy participated in the retreat along with His Excellency Thomas Mar Eusebius, the Bishop of the Eparchy.

The customary Malankara Catholic Convention of 2016 was held at the Cathedral in Elmont on July 8,9 and 10. The convention was conducted by Reverend Fathers Jospeh Puthenpurackal OFM Cap. and Reverend Father Sebastian Anchumuri VC. A large number of our faithful attended the convention. The Syro-Malankara Catholic Eparchy in the US and Canada conducted the commemoration of Servant of God Mar Ivanios on July 10, 2016 at the Cathedral of the Eparchy.

His Excellency Thomas Mar Eusebius presided over the Holy Mass which was concelebrated by around 10 priests of the Eparchy. At the conclusion of the Holy Mass, Reverend Father Sunny Mathew delivered the commemoration lecture which was followed by special prayers in honor of Mar Ivanios.

Lunch was provided after the services. Around 500 people participated in the celebrations.

Padayatra for the 63rd Commemoration of Mar Ivanios begins

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Padayatra for the 63rd Commemoration of Mar Ivanios begins

The padayatra in commemoration of the 63rd feast of Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios started from Ranni, Perunnadu. His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos, the Major Archbishop of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church, inaugurated and blessed the padayatra which will reach the Tomb of Mar Ivanios, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum on 14th July 2016. The Padayatra was led by the Malankara Catholic Youth Movement.

The Holy Qurbono was celebrated by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos on 10 July 2016. His Beatitude blessed the Vallikurishu and inaugurated the Padayatra. MCYM of Pathanamthitta eparchy published a book named “Theerthadana Padayatra Anubhavakurippukal,” His Beatitude handed over the publication to His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Thomas Mar Anthonios OIC (Curia Bishop).

His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Thomas Mar Anthonios OIC ,the curia bishop, Rev. Fr Thomas Kayyalackkal (Director of MCYM), Rev. Fr Sebastian Kizhakethil (Director of Pathanamthitta Parish) Jobin Enos, Jijo Kunjumon and Reny Raj gave leadership to the Padayatra.

Bishops’ conference urges Centre to conduct debate on civil code

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Bishops’ conference urges Centre to conduct debate on civil code

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India urged the Centre to hold time-bound discussion with all religious groups in the country on uniform civil code issue.

Stating that the Catholic church has an “open mind” to take part in the debate, the apex bishops’ body also said the country’s unity should be protected as such.

“Any discussion on the uniform civil code should be held ensuring the religious freedom guaranteed by the constitution,” CBCI President Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis said in a statement.
“The union government should hold time-bound discussion with all related religious groups in this regard,” he said.

The Church can further react on the matter only after getting the draft of the recommendations by the Centre on the Civil Code, he said, adding CBCI would take initiative to hold discussions with the heads of various church denominations in this regard.

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