Latest news with #Syro-MalabarChurch
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Church condemns forest dept's actions in Thommankuthu
Kochi: The Syro-Malabar Church issued a strongly worded statement denouncing the forest department's alleged high-handedness and encroachments on private land in Thommankuthu, . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Church expressed grave concern over what it described as an unprecedented level of anti-people behaviour by forest department. The controversy stems from an incident on April 12, when forest officials allegedly demolished a cross erected on private land in Naranganam. According to Syro-Malabar Church, this was done despite a report from Thodupuzha Tahsildar stating that the cross was outside forest boundaries. According to Church's statement, issued in response to ongoing tensions, forest officers have been visiting the homes of locals who legally own the land under revenue records and issuing them notices demanding they appear before range officers within 15 days. Church condemned this as harassment of innocent citizens living on legally acquired land. "The demolition of the cross itself was a violation and now, instead of rectifying their actions, the forest officials are targeting those associated with it," the statement read. It questioned whether the issue is being ignored by state govt because it involves Christian symbols and community members, and accused the forest department of operating without accountability. The statement also pointed to the broader context of public protests, including a farmers' rally organized by All India Kisan Sabha, a CPIM-affiliated body, which recently laid siege to the forest department headquarters. Calling the current scenario 'a form of state-sponsored terror', Church demanded immediate govt intervention. It urged Kerala's civil society to stand in solidarity with the people of Thommankuthu.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Chaos erupts in Kerala as Syro-Malabar Church faces internal conflict ahead of Pope election
As the conclave of Catholic cardinals to elect a new pope was set to begin in Rome, ugly scenes were unfolding at a bishop's office in Kerala. Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of the Syro-Malabar Church , the largest communion of Catholics outside the Western church and a major group of Christians in India, was heckled, threatened and insulted by a group of the faithful on May 6. Pamplany was recently tasked with ending hostilities between two warring factions. The unruly incident of May 6 was the latest in a series of disruptions that often spiralled into violence, verbal abuse and toppling of altar tables. All of this has been unfolding in the context of a broader shift in the political and demographic heft of the church in Kerala, having triggered a realignment of the Christian voting bloc away from its traditional orientation. This has national implications, catalysing the rise of BJP as a third front in a state where it struggled for decades. Winning in Kerala is key to its ambition of being seen as a truly national party. Beyond political implications, the scuffle, scrimmage and skirmishes are reducing the Church's appeal to a younger generation, throwing into doubt the long-term future of one of Kerala's, and India's, most economically advantaged minorities. The face-off St Mary's Basilica in Kochi is a major spiritual centre of the Syro-Malabar Church. For the past 900 days, the Basilica, believed to have been constructed in 1112, has not seen Holy Mass, the most important prayer ritual for Catholics, being performed. Instead, it witnessed fights and police action. So, what is the mess all about? The Syro-Malabar Church, which claims to have 5 million followers, is the largest in India. Among autonomous congregations under Roman Catholicism—those outside the direct rule of the pope but owe allegiance to him—it is the largest. Members of this Church take pride in its apostolic origins. They believe St Thomas, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus, landed on the Kerala coast and baptised their forefathers in the first century AD. This community, known as Nasranis or St Thomas Christians, pre-existed European colonialism, which fuelled evangelisation in South Asia. A large fraction of them came into the Catholic fold in the 17th century under the Portuguese influence and came to be known as the Syro-Malabar Church. The present crisis stems from differing views on how Mass is celebrated. As an autonomous church within Roman Catholicism, the Syro-Malabar Church's council of bishops or synod has the power to decide on the liturgy—the rituals that make up worship. In 2021, the synod decided that the priest, during Mass, would face the altar throughout barring the introductory prayer, Bible reading and conclusion. Whether the priest should face the altar or the congregation during Mass has been a touchy topic for aeons. Given its potential to create disquiet, each diocese was given a choice on the matter, until 2021. A little liturgical history here. The Catholic mass celebration was altar-facing across the globe until the reformist second Vatican Council of 1962-65, which changed it, encouraging increased participation of people and allowing for vernacular languages. St Thomas Christians traditionally used Syriac—an ancient dialect of Eastern Middle Aramaic—for worship owing to their connections with the Church of East. But in 1965, in step with the global Catholic Church, the Syro-Malabar Church departed from its age-old, altar-facing Mass in Syriac and adopted a new, people-facing Malayalam liturgy. This was not agreeable to a section of the clergy, who argued this was against their distinct heritage and culture. This school of thought, called 'Chaldeanism', has remained dormant for decades. This faultline suddenly became a trigger for public acrimony and law and order problems after the August 2021 synod. The epicentre of the rebellion against the synod's decision is the ErnakulamAngamaly Archdiocese, Kerala's largest, with 655,000 members. A vast majority of the 469 priests and the faithful spread across 220 parishes vociferously protested the new diktat. The rebel priests and the faithful under the banner Archdiocese Protection Forum have since frequently clashed with prosynod priests and their supporters, each disrupting the celebration of Mass by the rival faction. 'Except one, every priest in this diocese is ideologically against the altar-facing Mass,' says Fr Augustine Vattoli, a rebel priest. Crucially, they also allege that the hasty enforcement of liturgical uniformity is a diversionary tactic. Questionable deals The allegation is that the changes were designed to take the public's attention away from a financial scandal. Fingers are pointed at Cardinal George Alencherry , their former head priest, who resigned, citing ill-health, in December 2023. Two weeks ahead of the synod decision, Kerala High Court had ordered that Cardinal Alencherry should stand trial in all cases linked to certain land deals that shook the Syro-Malabar Church in 2018. Priests and the laity had raised questions about these transactions. A panel appointed on their insistence found that the land deals resulted in a loss of `90 crore for the diocese. Alencherry had to step away from diocesan affairs and Bishop Jacob Manathodath was appointed as the administrator, who brought in KPMG for a forensic audit. The confidential KPMG report, which ET has reviewed, highlights lack of transparency, absence of due deliberations, contradictions in the cardinal's statements and process lapses in transactions. Sabu Jose, a prominent pro-Alencherry voice, dismisses any suggestion of a crisis in the Church. 'A small group of people with vested interests create trouble. Their objective was to stop the Syro-Malabar Church from becoming a patriarchate,' he says. Patriarchate is the highest status for a church within Roman Catholicism. Jose says the rebel priests who do not want to see Alencherry as a powerful bishop patriarch have unleashed a smear campaign. 'These priests did not even listen to Pope Francis who pleaded with them to align with the synod's decision on liturgy,' says Jose. Alencherry is still embroiled in at least half-a-dozen cases. After the adverse High Court verdict, he approached the Supreme Court, seeking exemption from appearing in land-related cases. His petition was dismissed. A few months later, the SC also dismissed his appeal, seeking the quashing of criminal proceedings. ET's mail to the PRO of the Syro-Malabar Church has remained unanswered at the time of going to press. Will the pope intervene? After the synod's decision and the subsequent hullabaloo, the alleged land irregularities, enquiries and court cases have seemingly faded from public memory. Earlier this year, the synod appointed Archbishop Pamplany as a mediator to resolve the liturgical dispute. On May 7, Pamplany faced the ire of a group who alleged that he was lenient towards the rebelling priests. Earlier, Pope Francis tried but could not bring harmony, having appealed to the congregation through a video message in December 2023. His successor Leo XIV began his papacy by saying, 'Peace be with you all.' Can he bring peace to the Syro-Malabar Church? He had visited Kerala many years ago as Father Robert Prevost, head of the Order of St Augustine. In many issues, including matters of liturgy, the Vatican's scope of intervention has some limitations due to the autonomous nature of the Syro-Malabar Church. However, his stature and the initial enthusiasm around the new pope could help Leo XIV stop a likely split in the SyroMalabar Church, the first in four centuries. State of the Church All of this is unfolding at a time when the broader Christian community is plagued by multiple problems. Some worries stem from new socio-economic realities. The spurt in migration to western countries and low birth rate have hit its numerical strength. About 5% of the faithful have migrated to North America, Australia and Europe. They are unlikely to return. The late demographer KC Zachariah had predicted that the community would enter zero population growth rate or negative population regime, terming it the 'Parsi Syndrome,' a reference to a similar dwindling that happened in that community in India. Then there was a sexual abuse case involving Bishop Franco Mulakkal. Although Mulakkal and the nun who accused him of rape were under the Jalandhar diocese, which is not part of the Syro-Malabar Church, they were born in this community. Five nuns staged a fortnight-long sit-in protest, demanding investigation against Mulakkal. He was jailed and later acquitted by court. He subsequently resigned. A section of the Catholic Church has also raised the spectre of 'love jihad'. This has led to the creation of a BJP-leaning group called the Christian Alliance for Social Action (CASA), which led to tensions with Muslims, damaging the communal harmony that long existed in Kerala. The Church traditionally balanced their relationship with the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the CPM-led Left Front fairly well. That, too, is changing. The first Lok Sabha victory for BJP from Kerala was partly attributed to Christian support. BJP's film star candidate, Suresh Gopi, won in Thrissur, which has around 3 lakh Christian voters. George Kurian, BJP's other Malayali Union minister, happens to be a Syro-Malabar Catholic. That is a lot of moving parts for Kerala's Christians. For starters, the new pope could do well by fixing the Syro-Malabar problem.
New Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Prayers for change in front of new pope
An American has been chosen the new pope. The election of the Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost as the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics signals a change in the church that is more cardinal than symbolic. The first North American pope to follow the first Latin American one underscores the church's shifting power centre and offers hope for further diversification. A lot will depend on how Pope Leo XIV, as he will be known, chooses to lead his flock. He can build on the progressive legacy of his predecessor, or chart a new course to create a legacy of his own. He even has the option to return the church to its conservative ways, which would gladden those within the community who were not in tune with Pope Francis's changes. Pope Leo's key task would be to deal with the Catholic church's contentious legacy of sexual abuse. He needs to quickly understand the scope of the problem as well as the pain and anger of the survivors. His approach, especially towards protecting the vulnerable, will be under scrutiny. He will also be required to strengthen unity within the church, which passed through a period of intense polarisation under two successive popes who represented the opposing ends of the spectrum. In India, he has the job of maintaining the unity of the Kerala-based Syro-Malabar Church, where two factions are bitterly split over ways to conduct the holy mass. The world will also be watching how Pope Leo approaches LGBTQ+ rights. Pope Francis was more inclusive of the community than any pontiff before him, but did not change the official doctrine. Better representation for women is another key demand that needs to be addressed adequately. The new pope would also be expected to offer a calming hand on global conflicts and direct the church on the divisive issues of migration and the climate crisis. Within the Vatican, governance issues and deteriorating finances need fixing. When he was a cardinal in the US, Pope Leo criticised the Trump administration's immigration policy and disagreed with the vice president's interpretation of a Christian doctrine. If that is an indication of what may follow, there is reason to hope he would continue broadly along the course Pope Francis struck through these rough seas.
The Hindu
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pro-Synod group told not to defeat peace efforts
The Syro-Malabar Church has condemned efforts by a group, claiming to be the champions of the Church, protesting against, trying to 'manhandle' and 'abuse' Archbishop Joseph Pamplany, vicar of the Major Archbishop of the Ernakulam-Angamalay Archdiocese. Such public protests and abuse of senior Church functionaries bring a bad name to the Church before the public, said the official spokesperson of the Church and media commission secretary Father Antony Vadakkekara in a statement on Thursday (May 8, 2025). 'Mar Pamplany was appointed to bring peace in the Mass liturgy issue and forge unity in the archdiocese. Those protesting against him in public raise the suspicion that they are working to sabotage peace efforts. How can those who view the vicar's efforts always with suspicion and try to spread misunderstanding about him be called friends of the Church,' asked Father Vadakkekara in the statement. The One Qurbana, One Church movement, which came under official Church criticism, said it would not allow Mar Pamplany to carry out what the group claimed was 'anti-Church consensus formula' in the Mass issue. The group alleged in a statement issued by its leaders Mathai Muthirenthi and Joseph P. Abraham that Mar Pamplany was trying to protect priests, whose actions called for ouster from the Church fold itself. The group of synod supporters said they came forward courageously to resist the rebels against the unified Mass, but their love for the Church had been questioned, leaders of the movement claimed. The spokesperson said those who criticised Mar Pamplany must realise that the concessions being extended by the vicar of the Major Archbishop in an effort to end the disunity over the Mass issue had been authorised by the synod itself. The Archbishop must be given time to bring about peace, and until that time, wait with patience, the statement appealed to the group.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Pope Francis
Pope Francis Pope Francis is the only pontiff to have canonised six saints from India during his 12-year papacy. Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia Eluvathingal from Kerala were canonised on November 23, 2014. The following year on 14 January 2015, Joseph Vaz was canonised. On September 4, 2016, Mother Teresa was canonised at Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City. St. Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan was canonised on October 13, 2019 and on May 15, 2022, Devasahayam Pillai or Mar Lazarus Sahada was canonised. Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara is the first canonised Catholic male saint of Indian origin and was a member of the Syro-Malabar Church , an Eastern Catholic church. He played a major role in educating and uplifting people especially of the lower ranks of society. He started an institution for Sanskrit studies at Kerala in 1846 and he took the initiative to start schools in nearby villages. He is the patron saint of all CMI (Carmelites of Mary Immaculate) and CMC Institutions that primarily focuses on maritime education. The institutions include: CMC Maritime Academy, Kochi and Chennai; CMC International School, Coimbatore; Coimbatore Marine College, Coimbatore and Mangalore Marine College & Technology, Mangalore. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Nature Meets Science: This Spray Is Turning Heads in Ear Health Stop Tinnitus Now Learn More Undo Mother Rose Euphrasia was born on October 17, 1877 in the family of Eluvathingal Cherpukaran Anthony and Kunjethy in the Kattur village of Edathuruthy parish. She was Mother Superior of the Convent of St Mary at Ollur. She was known as the 'Praying Mother' as she endeavoured to lead a life of constant prayer and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Her Sisters referred to her as a "Mobile Tabernacle", because the divine presence she kept within her radiated to all she encountered. Joseph Vaz, the third of six children was born in 1651 at Benaulim, his mother's village in Goa. His parents, Cristóvão Vaz and Maria de Miranda, were devout Catholics. Cristóvão belonged to a prominent Naik family of Sancoale. Joseph Vaz attended elementary school in Sancoale where he learned Portuguese. He did a course in rhetoric and humanities at the Jesuit college of St. Paul and studies in philosophy and theology at the St. Thomas Aquinas' Academy in Velha Goa or Old Goa. Joseph Vaz arrived in Ceylon at a time when the Dutch took control of the island from the Portuguese. The Dutch banned Catholicism and imposed Calvinism as the official religion. Joseph Vaz travelled throughout the island bringing the Eucharist and the Sacraments to clandestine groups of crypto-Catholics. By the time of his death, Joseph Vaz had managed to rebuild the Catholic Church on the island. The 'Apostle of Ceylon' as he is known was a Portuguese Oratorian priest. Pope Francis cannonised him on January 14, 2015 at an open-air Mass ceremony at Galle in Colombo. The founder of the Missionaries of Charity in 1950 dedicated her life to serving the "poorest of the poor" worldwide. Mother Teresa was canonised on a sunny afternoon at the Vatican. The Missionaries of Charity now operate in over 133 countries. Her admiration for Saint Pope John Paul II and vise versa are legendary. I had the privilege to attend her funeral and pay my respects to her body before it was draped in the tri-colour. Pope Francis cited Mother Teresa as a 'generous dispenser of divine mercy who made herself available for everyone through her welcome and defence of human life, particularly those abandoned and discarded'. The Pope emphasized that for Mother Teresa, mercy was the "salt" and "light" that gave flavour to her work and shone in the darkness of poverty at her canoisation. Mariam Thresia was born in Puthenchira village of Kerala in 1876. The founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family she is known as the 'Patroness of Families'. The Syro-Malabar nun received frequent visions and ecstasies as well as the stigmata which she kept well-guarded. Her feast day is celebrated on June 8. Saint Devasahayam Pillai was an Indian layman and martyr of the Church. He was born into an affluent Hindu family in 1712. He served the royal household in Travancore. Pillai chose the name Lazarus, or Devasahayam in the Malayalam language at his baptism in 1745. He was shot to death in 1752 and his body was transported to St. Xavier Church in Kottar. Later when his remains were interred beneath the altar, the site became a popular pilgrimage destination. Devasahayam Pillai became the first Indian layman not connected to any religious institute to be beatified. His liturgical feast is celebrated on January 14. At the May 15, 2022, canonization Mass, Pope Francis said that the lives of the saints prove that holiness is not an unreachable goal accomplished by a select few but comes from acknowledging and sharing God's love. Pillai, he said, exemplified the Christian call 'to serve the Gospel and our brothers and sisters, to offer our lives without expecting anything in return, or any worldly glory.' Authored By: Prof. Marcellus D'Souza Marcellus D'Souza contributes to 'Old Bombay' and 'The Speaking Tree '. He is Professor of Journalism at the University of Mumbai. Putin's Powerful Tribute To Pope Francis | Calls Him A 'Spiritual Bridge To Russia' In Rare Vatican Message
