His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos blessed the newly constructed building of Amalagiri Bishop’s House of the Eparchy of Mavelikara at Punnammoodu. The blessing ceremony started immediately after the festal Holy Qurbono celebrated by Most Rev. Dr. Joshua Mar Iganthios in Cathedral at Punnamoodu. Many bishops, priests, religious and lay people blessed the occasion with their presence. Eparchy of the Mavelikara is the sixth diocese of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. Vicar General Msgr. John Padipurackal, Procurator Fr. George Jacob Kizhakkethil and Secretary Rev. Dr. John Vaippil gave leadership to blessing ceremony.
Most Rev. Dr. Joshua Mar Ignathios celebrates the feast of St. Ignathios of Antioch
The first Bishop of Mavelikara Most Rev. Dr. Joshua Mar Ignathios celebrated the feast of St. Ignathios of Antioch, his heavenly patron, on 29th January 2009. The celebrations started with solemn Holy Qurbono offered by Mar Ignathios in the cathedral, Punnamoodu. The felicitation meeting was presided over by Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos. During the meeting the Mr. John Thevarath and Mrs, Annamma John Plamootil were given the official medal of the Diligent Son (Bar Itho Kasiro) and Diligent Daughter (Barz Itho Kasirtho) of the church respectively. The meeting also marked the official launching of the social activities of the diocese by Sri. M. Murali MLA, Sri. Babu Prasad MLA, Sri. Vasudeva Sharma and Sri. Kodikkunnil Suresh. During the function Archbishops Mar Mathew Moolakkattil and Thomas Mar Koorilos, Bishops Dr. Stanley Roman, Mar Mathew Arackkal, Dr. Joseph Kariyil, Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom, Abraham Mar Yulios, Jacob Mar Barnabas and Thomas Mar Timotheos, Leader of Opposition Sri. Oommen Chandy, Minister Sri. Monson Joseph, Sri. Tiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Sri. G. Karthikeyan and Sri. V.M. Sudheeran were present. Many priests, religious and lay people felicitated Mar Ignathios.
Rev. Fr. Abraham Eramangalath Passes Away
Rev. Fr. Abraham Eramangalath, a priest of the Diocese of Bathery, passed away in a car accident yesterday night at around 11.30 p.m. He was 52 years old. The tragedy took place at Perumbavoor. He has coming back to Muvattupuzha after preaching in a retreat. A truck hit on the car he was travelling by. He died on the spot.
The funeral is on January 23, 2009 at St. Mary’s Malankara Catholic Church, Vettickal (Diocese of Muvattupuzha) at 2.00 p.m. The funeral ceremony will be led by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos and other bishops of the Churh.
He was working in the Diocese of Muvattupuzha for the last 5 years. He was ordained a priest on December 30, 1986.
Very Rev. Fr. Jose Mariadas Padipurackal OIC, new Superior General of the Order of the Imitation of Christ
Very Rev. Fr. Jose Mariadas Padipurackal OIC will be the new Superior General of the Order of the Imitation of Christ. Fr. Bernard Kunniparampil OIC, Fr. James Puthuparampil OIC, Fr. Martin Premanand Purackal and Bro. Kurien Kavilayil OIC were elected as the I, II, III and IV Councillors respectively. Fr. Jacob Varghese Ettitadathil OIC was elected as the Procurator. Fr. Joseph Ancheril OIC will be the Secretary General.
Second Commemoration Feast of the Late Cyril Mar Baselios
Malankara Catholic Church celebrated the second Commemoration feast of His Beatitude Cyril Mar Baselios, the first Major Archbishop Catholicos, on 17th January 2009 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom. His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos was the chief celebrant of the Holy Qurbono. His Grace Thomas Mar Koorilos gave the homily. Rev. Fr. Mathew Charthakuzhiyil delivered the memorial speech.
The celebration ended with the Dhoopaprarthana in the Tomb and Nercha.
Evening prayers and prayers with incence were offered at the tomb the previous evening (16th of January 2009) at 6.30 pm.
The feast falls on the 18th of January but the commemoration was scheduled a day earlier as the 18th was a Sunday.
Foundation Stone Laid for the St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Muvattupuzha; Official website launched
On 15th January 2009, the 6th Annual day celebration of the establishment of Eparchy of Muvattupuzha was marked significant by another historical event. The foundation stone for the new cathedral which was blessed by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Oriental Congregation, during his official visit to Malankara Catholic Church on 10 November 2008, was laid by Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, in the presence of Archbishop Most Rev. Thomas Mar Koorilos and Most Rev. Abraham Mar Julios. The foundation stone. During the public meeting Rt. Judge Justice Elizabeth Idikula and Mr. K. J. Peter were conferred with the Ecclesiastical honours namely “Barz etho sharrirtho” (Good Daughter of the Church) and “Bar etho shariro” (Good Son of the Church) respectively. The meeting also marked the launching ceremony of the official website of the eparchy (http://www.muvattupuzhadiocese.in). Many priests, religious and lay people were present during the programme.
New Team of General Governing Body for DM Sisters
The Ordinary General Synaxis of Congregation of the Daughters of Mary held on 5th of January 2009 at DM Generalate, Kudappanakunnu, has elected the following members to the General Governing Body.
Mother General:
Rev. Mother Roseline DM
Assistant General:
Rev. Sr. Mercy Xavier DM
Councillors:
Rev. Sr. Ancy DM
Rev. Sr. Anice DM
Rev. Sr. Mary Sebastian DM
Procurator:
Rev. Sr. Elsa Jose DM
Secretary:
Rev. Sr. Jessy Gladis DM
Rev. Mother Roseline DM
Rev. Dr. Geevarghese Panicker dead
Rev Dr Geevarghese Panicker, noted educationist and principal of Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram, for 18 years, died on Sunday. He was 85.
He died of age-related illnesses at 9.15 a.m. at a private hospital in Kollam.
The body of Geevarghese Panicker was taken to Paranthal, his native place, on Sunday evening. The funeral will be held at the St George Malankara Catholic Church, Paranthal, Adoor, at 2 p.m. on Monday. Catholicos Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, will lead the funeral services.
Dr Geevarghese Panicker earned his Masters degree from the Kerala University and his doctorate from the Catholic University, Washington DC. He started his teaching career as English lecturer at Mar Ivanios College. In 1959, he became the college vice-principal and two years later became principal – a post he held upto 1979.
Famous personalities like Justice J. B. Koshy, K. Jayakumar IAS, Jagathi Sreekumar, T. M. Jacob, G. Venugopal were students of Fr. Panicker.
Those 18 years were memorable ones for the college. Many of today’s important figures from different walks of life – politics to literature to art and culture – number among his students.
Geevarghese Panicker was born to K.G. Thomas Panicker and Achiyamma on March 31, 1924. After his schooling, he joined the St Aloysius Minor Seminary under the Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese. He completed the training at the Kandy Papal Seminary, Sri Lanka, and was ordained in 1949.
After his retirment from Mar Ivanios College, Geevarghese Panicker served as rector at the St Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary, Aluva, and then for two years, as rector of the St Mary’s Malankara Seminary, Thiruvananthapuram. In 1987, he took charge as dean of studies at the St Ephraem Institute, Kottayam. He was leading a retired life in Kollam in recent years.
Fr. Panicker died on the same day as his father, Thomas Panicker, did 30 years ago.
Mar Gregorios Award for Kalam
Former President A P J Abdul Kalam has been selected for the Archbishop Mar Gregorios award instituted by the alumni association of Marivanios College.
The award carries Rs. one lakh, a citation and a memento.
Kalam was chosen for the honour for his outstanding contribution to various fields including science and technology, an Association release said.
The selection was made by a jury headed by the state Director General of Police, Jacob Punnoose.
The award was instituted in memory of the late Archbishop Mar Gregorios, who was a builder of several educational and charity institutions under the Syro Malankara Catholic Church.
Rite of Dedication of St. Mary’s Basilica
The rite of dedication of St. Mary’s Queen of Peace was held by His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos on 7th December, 2008. Rev. Dr. Joseph Gnayalloor Remban read out the declaration, which was made by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
His Beatitude the Catholicos, celebrated the Holy Qurbono at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom at 11.30am. All the priests from the Trivandrum Major Archieparchy were the concelebrants. His Beatitude gave the concluding message of Platinum Jubilee of Trivandrum Major Archieparchy.
Thereafter, the procession of Rosary was held from Palayam St. Joseph’s Cathdral to the Basilica. Rev. Fathers, Religious Priests and Sisters, Brothers and numerous Faithful participated in this procession.
The public meeting as presided over by Shri M. Vijayakumar, the Honourable Minister of Law. His Beatitude, the Catholicos, inaugurated the public meeting. Rev. Dr. C. Joseph (Vicar of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Palayam), Rev. Dr. John V. Thadathil (Vicar of Lourd Ferona Church, Palayam), Imam Jamaludeen Mankada, Rev. Msgr. Samuel Kattukallil, Rev. Msgr. James Paravila, Rev. Dr. Antony Valiyavilayil OIC (chancellor), Rev. Dr. John Kochuthundil (Rector of Basilica), Prof. Jessy Thomas (Representative to the Basilica), Rev. Fr. Mathew Karoor (Principal, St. Mary’s School), Mr. John Mathai IAS, Mr. Jacob Punnoos (DGP) were present.
Moran Mor Cleemis Catholicos presented the first rosary from the Queen of Peace Basilica to Mr. Jacob Punnoos, DGP.
