Koorilos Pithav’s Message on Bp. Mar Barnabas

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Koorilos Pithav’s Message on Bp. Mar Barnabas

Once again I bring you good news about our church. On Saturday the 10th of March we got yet another bishop ordained for our church, especially for taking care of the faithful out side the boundaries of our dioceses. The new bishop is called Most Rev. Dr. Jacob Mar Barnabas. It was also a wonderful and spirit filled service. It was well attended. The ceremony has five moments: 1 the announcement and invitation of the Synod to the candidate for episcopacy and the bishops knelt down before the candidate and the candidate in turn prostrated before the synod saying that he accepts the call and will be faithful to the Lord. Then the letter of appointment was read out. Then we began the Mass. The second moment was the reading of the Gospel from the neck of the candidate. The primary duty of the bishop is to preach the word of God and to give the right instruction at all times. Then there was the promise taken by the candidate. After that special prayers and anointing of the spirit from the holy Sacrament. The candidate was hidden in the vestment of the main celebrant and from the Holy Mysteries the power was taken and the candidate was anointed. Then he was signed by the triune God as Barnabas for the Church and thereafter the faithful chanted OXIOS and this was followed by the Gospel reading by the New Bishop. This was followed by handing over the pastoral staff for the new bishop. Then he blessed the congregation with the staff and we continued the holy Mass. There was also a public reception and it was also well attended.

The official assumption of charge by our bishop Mar Barnabas is on the 22nd of March in Delhi. The entire hierarchy of the Malankara church will be present. The CM of Delhi and other cabinet ministers are attending the meeting. The new bishop will reside in Delhi and operate from there. It is a great event inthe life of the Church. Let us pray for our new bishop and the outside diocese missions.

God bless us,

with love, Pithave.

Bishop Dr. Jacob Mar Barnabas, Elected titular Bishop of Bapara and Apostolic Visitator of MCCIETR

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Bishop Dr. Jacob Mar Barnabas, Elected titular Bishop of Bapara and Apostolic Visitator of MCCIETR

 

Rev.Dr. Chacko Aerath OIC who was designated as the Apostolic Visitator for Bhaya Kerala Malankara Missions (MCCIETR) on 7th February 2007 was consecrated as Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas on Saturday, 10th March, 2007 at St. Mary Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.

The main celebrant of the function was Catholicos Cleemis Mar Baselios. All the Bishops of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church fold were present for the celebration.

Following the consecration, there was a public meeting to felicitate the new Bishop.

The Sunthroneeso took place on 22nd March, 2007, at Nabseri in Delhi, the seat of His Excellency.

Koorilos Pithav’s message on Catholicos’ installation

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Koorilos Pithav’s message on Catholicos’ installation

 

Yesterday was yet another moment of great joy that our second major archbishop Catholicos was installed in the presence of Cardinals, archbishops and bishops and Hundreds of clergy, religious and thousands of lay faithful. The function started at 8 am with a small reception but colorful and meaningul. We did not want to cause any inconvenience to the general public and therefore it was done inside our cathedral compound. The main celebrant was our administrator Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios. All our bishops and the bishop elect Msgr. Chacko Aerath also concelebrated in the liturgy. It was such a solemn celebration. Our dear Archbishop of Changancherry Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Powathil preached the homily. It was such a wonderful homily. Then after the elevation of the sacred mysteries and the intercessory prayers to our blessed Mother and Saints we proceeded with the installation which in canonical terms is called enthronement. The Holy See has sent Mosignor Maurizio Malvestiti, teh secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and our own Rev. Dr. Johnson Kailmala who is undersecretary in the congregation participated in the ceremony. The service had three solemn moments: The invitation by the Synod Fathers to accept the call of being the Catholicos and all the memebers knelt before the Catholicos elect and then the Catholicos Elect knelt down before the Synod and said he is willing to accept the call by the Grace of the Lord. The second moment is prayer over the catholicos. All the ordained bishops participated in the prayer. They kept their right hand over the shoulders of the catholicos elect. Then was the oxios and reading the gospel. The third moment was the collegiality expressed by handing over the Staff (Amshavadi) to the new catholicos. All the bishops held on to the staff according to their seniority and in the end the main celebrant handed over the staff with a small prayer. Then the new Catholiocs blessed the community with the staff. Well it was such a moving event. After the holy mass there was a public meeting in which the CM of Kerala inaugurated. The Opposition leader and many ministers and MPS and MLAS and political leaders participated. The CBCI and CCBI presidents, the Major Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church, His Emience Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil gave their benedictory address. Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil Pithave was so sweet in appreciating our church and he said two things: It is a great moment for you since you are a people who take legitimate pride in being Malnkara Catholics. Then he said this event shows your bishops are so united and one in their action and leadership. That the bishops did not have anyother consideration other than able leadership and good fortune of the church that they elected the junior most as catholicos. I could write much more. Let me tell you my people. We are a great church. Our Bava thirumeni will do very well in Trivandrum. He has such rare qualities of a good leader and we are going to profit by this in the years to come. let us pray for our bava thirumeni. It is through him that the world is going to see the face of the Malankara Church and to a good extend the true meaning of Christianity. Our blessed Mother protect our bava tirumeni through her powerful intercession.

with love and prayers,

Pithave

Elected by the Synod, Major Archbishop Issac Mar Cleemis, officially became the second Catholica Bawa of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church

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Elected by the Synod, Major Archbishop Issac Mar Cleemis, officially became the second Catholica Bawa of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church

 

Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis was installed as the second Major Archbishop and Catholicos of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church before a large gathering of the faithful and dignitaries at a solemn function here on Monday.

Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, 48, is the youngest to occupy the highest office of the Church since its formation in 1930. He is also the youngest head among the 22 uniat Churches in the Catholic Church, according to the Church authorities.

The installation ceremony, which took place at St. Mary’s Cathedral at Pattom around 8 a.m., was led by Malankara Catholic Church Administrator Geevarghese Mar Divannasios.

The installation began with the Prefect seeking the consent of Mar Cleemis for his installation. He was later seated on a throne and lifted up three times by the chancellors from various Malankara Catholic dioceses to mark the installation.

Each time the throne was lifted, a priest specially designated by the prefect chanted ‘Oxios’, a Syriac word which means ‘he is eligible’. The word was chorused by the gathering. The Major Archbishop then blessed the gathering.

Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, CBCI President Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, CCBI President Archbishop Oswald Gracious and Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil were the attendees at the solemn function.

Eparchy of Mavelikkara Inaugurated, Joshua Mar Ignathios Installed as it’s First Bishop

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Eparchy of Mavelikkara Inaugurated, Joshua Mar Ignathios Installed as it’s First Bishop

 

The New Eparchy of Mavelikkara, Kerala was inaugurated and Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios installed its first Bishop today, Feb. 16, 2007.

Pope Benedict XVI had given his assent to the decision of the Synod of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church for the creation of the new Eparchy of Mavelikara and the election of Joshua Mar Ignathios as its first Bishop. This new Eparchy was created by bifurcating the Archieparchy of Trivandrum.

The announcement of the creation of the new Eparchy was done on Jan. 02, 2007.

The ceremonies started with a vehicle rally. Hundreds of vehicles accompanying the specially decorated carriage of the first Bishop of the new diocese– at 7 am from Panikkaruveetil house in Puthiyakavu, the ancestral home of the late Mar Ivanios. The ceremonies at the Cathedral started with a colourful welcome for the metropolitan and other guests. The mass started at 8.30 am.

Major Archbishop-designate Baselios Mar Cleemis Catholicose led the mass, where church leaders from across the country were present. Synod chancellor Fr Antony Valiyavilayil read out the decree announcing Bishop Mar Ignathios’s installation.

Archbishop Joseph Powathil inaugurated the public meeting, where he insisted that the church’s interventions and opinions on social issues should not be interpreted as an effort to control the official state machinery. Nor are they effort to communalise issues.

Archbishop Powathil pointed out that the state cannot solve all the spiritual and temporal needs of the common man, and the church had a critical role in fighting social evils. Church cannot turn a blind eye to these challenges, he said.

Malankara Catholic Church administrator Geevarghese Mar Dionysius chaired the public meeting attended by thousands of devotees. Among those who spoke were the Archbishop of Mumbai Oswald Gracious, Major Archbishop-designate Baselios Mar Cleemis Catholicose, Metropolitan of Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church Zacharias Mar Theophilus, Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese Susaipakiam and Church of South India Bishop Sam Mathew.

An array of political leaders from all parties, social leaders and other representatives of major organizations also spoke at the function. Among them were the state law minister M Vijayakumar, transport minister Mathew T Thomas, opposition leader Oommen Chandy, state Congress party president Ramesh Chennithala, Members of Parliament CS Sujata and PJ Kurian, Chief Secretary Lissy Jacob, NSS taluk union president KM Rajagopala Pillai and SNDP taluk union president R Subhas.

Mar Ignathios thanked the Lord for all the blessings, and expressed his confidence to shape the new diocese with a vibrant spiritual life and active participation of the people. Bishop Ignathios is presently the secretary of Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council and the chairman of the Labour Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India.

Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios

Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios, was born on 24th May, 1950 at Kizhakketheruvu, Kottarakara, Kerala.

After his Seminary education at St. Aloysius Seminary, Pattom and at St. Paul?s Seminary, Trichy, he was ordained priest on 20th April 1978. Besides B. Th. at Urbaniana University, Rome, he gained his Master?s degree in History, M.Ed and Ph.D. in Education Administration. He served as Assistant Parish Priest at Kirathoor (Marthandom Diocese) and for fourteen years (1982-96) he was Parish Priest of St. Thomas Malankara Catholic Church, Padi, Chennai, during which period he was also Principal of the Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Chennai.

On 10th March, 1997, he was appointed Corepiscopo and on 15th April, 1998, Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum. From 1996 onwards he was Chief Vicar General of the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum and from December 2001-2005 he held the office of Secretary of Kerala Catholic Bishops? Council (KCBC).

At present, Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios is the Chairman of the Labour Commission (CBCI), Patron of All India Christian Council as well as Chairman of All India Christian Council (Kerala Region). He is also Chairman of the Synodal Commissions for Social Apostolate, Education, Communication, Health and Dalit Christians in Malankara Catholic Church and Chairman of KCBC Commission for Temperance Movement (Madyavirudha Samithy).

Koorilos Pithav’s Message on the Election

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Koorilos Pithav’s Message on the Election

It is with great joy that I write to you. We have a new Bava Tirumeni in the person of Mar Cleemis Pithave, whom the Lord has truly fashioned. With due permission I would like to inform you what has really happend in the Synod. I write this because I know you have a right to know.

The Synod fathers entered into a day of prayer and fasting after the Memorial service of our Cyril Baselios Bava Tirumeni. The Retreat was led by His Grace Archbishop Mar Powathil. We went for prayer and adoration. 8th Feb was a day of prayer and fast in the entire Malankara Church. On th 8th at 11 a.m. we went to the tomb of our Pithakkanmar and then we entered into the Synod of Election. All the seven bishops were present. The president was unanimously elected and election proceedures were given. Then ballots were distributed for the first round of election. As it was prohibited by norm no discussion was held regarding anything in the election time. This is to uphold the freedom of the Synod Fathers. In the first ballot itself it was evident to the Bishops that the Lord was choosing Mar Cleemis pithave for this office, however, the election was inconclusive since there was no two third majority. Then we went for prayer and adoration. At 3 p.m. we came back and recited the rosary and the second round was held. There our Cleemis pithave was unanimously elected Father and Head of our Church. Then as per the canon, the senior most bishop, here Mar Timotheos pithave asked the Catholicos elect whether he was willing to accept this decision of Fathers. He accepted. Then we immediately sent letters to the Holy Father through the Nunciature. We got the confirmation of the election in about 24 hours. We wanted the announcement to be held on 10th since it was the second anniversary of our Major Archiepiscopate. After we got the confirmation the Catholicos elect made profession of faith in the Synod and the Synod fathers made their allegiance to the new Catholicos. Then the annoucnement was held on 10th at 4.30 p.m. It was a great moment of joy for us. WE have set an example for all. After the new code came in it was the first election in the life of the Eastern Catholic Churches. WE could set and example of fellowship and true inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We bishops are so happy that we fully and freely yielded to the promptings of the Spirit. It was TRULY A HOLY SYNOD. It was holy because it was the Holy Spirit who was leading, we were only instruments. I know we have shown a great maturity and this was also what the Holy Father meant when he said we are the fastest growing Church. I know everything is because of the intercession of the blessed Mother and the humble servant of the Lord our dear Mar Ivanios Pithave, the founder of our Reunion movement. Let us be truly happy that we have a great bava thirumeni as Mar Cleemis pithave.

with love,
Pithave

Catholicos Bawa Cleemis Baselios – Major Archbishop-Designate

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Catholicos Bawa Cleemis Baselios – Major Archbishop-Designate

 

Archbishop Isaac Mar Cleemis Thottunkal, aged 47, presently Archbishop of Tiruvalla has been elected ‘Catholicos Bawa’, head of the Catholic Syro-Malankara Church.

He was elected by the Syro-Malankara Bishops’ Synod which met between February. 7th to 10th, 2007 in Catholicos Centre, Trivandrum, Kerala. The Oriental-rite Church´s new major archbishop was announced at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 10 at Pattom.

The announcement was made by Bishop Geevarghese Mar Divannasios. Thunderous applause, shouts of joy and the tolling of church bells filled the air as Bishop Geevarghese Mar Divannasios of Bathery named the new major archbishop in Pattom´s St. Mary´s Cathedral Church.

The Holy Father has granted approval to the apointment.

The new Major Archbishop would be called Catholicos Bawa Cleemis Baselios and would be installed Major Archbishop of Trivadrum Archdiocese on March 03, 2007.

The Major Metropolitan See of Trivandrum was vacant due to the death of His Beatitude Cyril Mar Baselios who went to his heavenly reward on Jan. 18, 2007.

During the interim period, Bishop of Bathery Geevarghese Mar Divannasios was elected Administrator.

Archbishop Isaac Mar Cleemis is the Second Vice President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), elected during the General Body Meeting 2006 held in Bangalore.

The newly-elected Major Archbishop was born on June 15, 1959 and ordained priest on Aug. 15, 1986. He was consecrated Bishop on Aug. 15, 2001 and made Archbishop on May 15, 2006.

Syro Malankara Church Prepares To Elect New Major Archbishop

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Syro Malankara Church Prepares To Elect New Major Archbishop

The Syro-Malankara Church, the youngest rite in the Catholic Church, has begun the process to elect its new major archbishop.

The official start came at 7 p.m. on Feb. 7, when the Church ended its 21-day mourning period for its previous head, Major Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios. The prelate died at 6:45 p.m. on Jan. 18, at the age of 72.

As soon as the mourning period ended, the Syro-Malankara bishops´ synod, the Church´s supreme body, convened to elect the new catholicos. The synod comprises one retired and six active prelates.

According to Malankara practice, the synod can elect any of the bishops or a priest as its new head. Normally only a bishop is elected.

The election process started with prayer and a retreat that lasted 14 hours. Deliberations began at 10 a.m. on Feb. 8. Retired Syro-Malabar Archbishop Joseph Powathil of Changanacherry led the retreat, at the end of which the bishops offered special prayers at the tombs of the Church´s three previous heads, including Archbishop Baselios.

The synod venue is closed to the press. Church sources informed that they expect the synod to elect the new catholicos by Feb. 8 evening. But they said the Church would wait until Feb. 10, after the Vatican endorses the election, to announce the name.

According to the sources, the synod would inform the apostolic nuncio in New Delhi and the prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, based in Rome, of the result as soon as the election is over. Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, would take the letter to the pope for his endorsement, the sources added.

They said the late prelate had not expressed his choice of a successor. “Whenever the senior bishops asked for his opinion, he used to tell them the synod would decide the major archbishop,” one source recalled.

Soon after Major Archbishop Baselios´ death, the synod elected Bishop Geevarghese Mar Divannasios of Bathery, the most senior prelate, as the Church´s administrator. He oversees the election of the new major archbishop.

Meanwhile, the synod elected Father Chacko Aerath as a bishop and new apostolic visitor in India for Church members outside its dioceses. The announcement came 150 minutes before the mourning period ended.

The bishop-elect is a member of the Order of the Imitation of Christ. He was ordained a priest in 1986.

Fr. Dr. Chacko Aerath – Elected Bishop Co-ordinator for MCCIETR

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Fr. Dr. Chacko Aerath – Elected Bishop Co-ordinator for MCCIETR

 

Rev.Dr. Chacko Aerath OIC has been designated as the Bishop Co-Ordinator for Bhaya Kerala Malankara Missions (MCCIETR) on 7th February 2007 at 4:45pm at St.Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, by Malankara Catholic Church Administrator most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannyasios.

Rev. Fr.Chacko Aerath was born on 3rd December 1960, in Karikkulathu family in Ranni. He is the youngest son of Mr. Geevarghese and Mrs. Rachel. He has two brothers and five sisters out of them three are Nuns working in the Bethany Sisters Congregation. He ordained as a Bethany priest on October 2nd 1986. From the year 1989 to 1994 he was in Rome and he took a Doctorate in Theology. He was the Provincial Superior of Navjyoti Province, Aluva from 2000 to 2006. Before being ordained as the Bishop Co-ordinator, he was the rector and superior of Bethany Ashram, Aluva and Minor Seminary.

Bishop Thomas Mar Koorilos’ Message

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Bishop Thomas Mar Koorilos’ Message

Dear faithful of Malankara Catholic Church and admirers of Late MajorArchbishop Cyril Baselios Catholicos,

Indeed it was a moment of great grief for all of us to acknowledge that our Bava thirumeni has left to join in the share of our great and venerable forefathers. His life was a life of great accomplishment. Ever since he assumed charge as head and father of our church 11 years ago, the Church was brought into tremendous growth. He was instrumental in creating three dioceses-Marthandom, Muvattupuzha and Mavelikara and raising Tiruvalla into Archdiocese. He ordained all our bishops except our Timotheos pithave. Each year there was something special to celebrate and commomorate. He was a great spiritual leader. Under his leadership we strengthened many of our mission centres, and started many. He was an ardent lover of the poor and the marginalized. He had a soft corner for our dalit bretheren and did everything possible for their well being. He wanted to bring the entire Malankra church in one fold and he did it very well. The funeral was the most precious moment when the glory of the Malankara Catholic Church rose into unprecedented heights.What a burial and what a slomenity. Even his death brought honour for our Church. This visionary has left us with a luminous example of courage, great religious life, indian spirituality, openness, etc. May our great and beloved Reesh Reesh Aboon rest in peace. I shall write the details of the funeral and other arrangements we have done soon. Meantime, keep praying and strengthening each other with fast and penance.

The funeral began at 7 a.m. with the Morning prayer and Holy Mass. At 9 the body was taken to Palayam our Church and it was kept in the podium. The Apostolic Nuncio H.Ex. Pedro Lopez Quintana and the CCBI President and Bombay Archbishop Oswald Gracias were present. H.G. Susa Pakkiam, the Latin Archbishop of Trivandrum gave the homily. He specially mentioned Bava thirumeni as a great visionary and promoter of the down-trodden. He also mentioned that some of the comments from some churches regarding the title he has taken according to the tradtion of the Malankara Catholic Church pained him very much. He said that the Malankara Catholic Church by this title has fully grown into its autonomy and it would remove the fear of any bretheren to come into communion with the Apostolic See of St. Peter, the pillar on which Christ built his church. Then the procession began and it was so moving. The faithful, sisters,seminarians and priests walked the street with great devotion and it was a great witness. In one of the papers it was remarked that Anandapuri has witnessed the greatest crowd after 2000. Some of our political leaders also walked the entire route. Then the final session of the burial with farewell prayers were recited. Our Administrator Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios lead the prayers. The burial took place at about 2.45 p.m. Thereafter a public meeting was held in which great leaders have participated. Central Minister Oscar Fernandes and Oppostion leader Oommen Chandy and other ministers were present.

The following matters were also decided in the bishops’ meeting:

Suspend all celebrations in the Church for one week; keep 21 days for mourning and prayers; on 7th February to hold the memorial day of our Bava tirumeni as Shradha Perunnal. The same evening the members of the episcopal synod would go into retreat and the following day will be kept as a day of special prayer and fasting. These are moments of great importance for our church and I request all of you to pray for our Church, and especially for all of us bishops that we may be truly under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

With love,

Koorilose pithav

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