Kochi: The Syro-Malabar Synod has been held for the past five days at Mount St. Thomas, Kakkanad. After the Synod, Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar George Alencherry issued a post-CIND circular covering seven issues: agriculture, citizenship amendment law, discrimination in minority welfare schemes, reservation of backward castes, violence against Christians and worship.
Syro-Malabar Church, Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alenchery all of God’s people, writing his pastoral ministry circular into his sahasusrusakaraya metrappealittamarkkum metranmarkkum Numark samarppitarkkum.
Dear brothers and sisters in the Messiah!
As you know, from January 10th to 15th at St. Thomas, Kakkanad, the headquarters of the 28th Synod of the Syro-Malabar Major Archy Episcopal Church. I sincerely thank all those who helped the Synod’s success through fervent prayer and sacrifice. The Fathers entered the Synod after three days of meditation. At the commencement of the Synod, the Vatican ambassador to India, Archbishop Janetista Di Quatro addressed the Synod. Of the 64 bishops in our church, 57 were ordained in the Synod. The Synod has been actively discussing and making decisions on many issues concerning the Church and our homeland.
1. Agriculture
The agriculture sector in Kerala is going through a serious crisis. Farmer families are plunged into subsistence due to the decline in prices of agricultural commodities. Successive floods have plagued Kerala’s farmers. Over time, wild animals have become a threat to farmers’ lives and property. The Synod decided that the Church should actively engage with the public to address the plight of the farmers. The Synod commended the farmers’ dioceses at various centers for bringing the needs of the farmers to the attention of the government.
Increase the farmers’ pension to Rs 10,000 a month, write off agricultural debts, take necessary steps to keep the wild animals within the forest, take immediate steps to get the government involved, MS As per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, the farmers are demanding the government to fix the cost of employment and to include agricultural jobs in the NREGS. The Synod hopes that a generous approach to the legitimate needs of the farmers will spur the government. May God, who “sees the afflictions of His people and hears their cries” (Exodus 3: 7), may pray to bless our farmers with good weather and abundance.
2. Citizenship Amendment Act
The Synod urges the Central Government to be prepared to address the country’s concerns and concerns over the Citizenship Amendment Act. Lawmakers must take care to ensure that India’s sacred constitution is protected. Secularism, which is one of the core values of the Constitution, should not be viewed with suspicion by the law. The church’s stand is that the government should be prepared to accept the citizenship of the country without any religious backing and to give them citizenship so that there is no chance of return. The government should also consider the cultural heritage of the Northeastern states when rehabilitating new citizenship holders. The move to separate some refugees on religious grounds and deny them citizenship and permanently reside in refugee camps should be abandoned. The government’s position in this regard needs more clarity. It is equally immoral to adopt violent means to defy the laws of the government and to try to silence popular struggles. The State has a responsibility to make every citizen aware that secular and equitable justice is practiced in the great country of India.
3. Projects n’yunapaksaksema discrimination is
discrimination against Christians and minority Legally, the Minority Welfare Department of Kerala has reserved 80% of the expenditure for a minority group. The remaining 20% is fixed for the other five minorities. The government should take steps to remedy the injustice and get minority benefits in proportion to the population.
There are more than 45 centers under the Minority Department at Government Expenditure as training centers for various competitive examinations. The government should be equitable for all minorities. In addition, the government is also assessing whether it is fair to narrow down Christian representation to members of the District Minority Coordination Committees.
4. forward pinneakkakkarute reservation department .
The Synod welcomes the decision of the Kerala State Cabinet to adopt a Central Rule of 10% reservation for government services and higher education for economically backward classes (EWS) in the non-reserved categories. This is a measure of hope in the current situation in which the non-reserved Christian denominations in government services are being driven out.
However, the Synod concluded that it was unfair for the state government to reorganize the land-fixing set by the central government as a criterion for reservation. The state government has reduced the central plot of the land grants from 2.5 acres to 2.5 acres. Since no state has implemented economic reservations so far, the extent of farmland has not been downgraded from the central norm.
KAS Including PSC 10 percent EWS in the State with retrospective effect to apply to the posts now invited. The Synod asks the State Government to make a decision on the implementation of the reservation.
5. Violence against Christians
The Synod Fathers have expressed concern over the increasing persecution of Christians globally. A Christian massacre in Nigeria on Christmas Day has shaken the human conscience. In Kerala and other states where Christian girls are killed in love affliction, the situation is very serious.
It is worrying that there is a growing number of ill-advised fanatics in Kerala that threaten religious harmony and social peace. It is a fact that such moves are being made on a systematic scale targeting Christian girls. AS from Kerala It must be opened our eyes to the fact that Christian girls were recruited to terrorist organizations.
No one should understand such love affairs in harmony with religions. The Synod urges law enforcement authorities to take immediate action to understand the issue as a matter of peace or terrorism that is harming society rather than religiously. The Synod has also decided to initiate efforts to educate parents and children alike about the dangers of this issue.
6. Worship
The reform of the Syro-Malabar Church, implemented in 1989, has been a lasting wish of the Church. The Synod Fathers had a detailed discussion of the reformation of our church. The Synod discussed in the Synod is a revised liturgical study prepared in detail by the Central Liturgy Commission and the Special Worship Committee of the Church in light of instructions received from various dioceses. After detailed discussion and deep thought in prayer and the spirit of the Holy Spirit, the Synod Fathers unanimously approved the revised order of our Mass. The Reformed Mass is dedicated to the sanction of the Holy Throne. With the approval of the Pope, the Reformed Eucharist will be implemented in our church.
V. The official position of the Synod was the unanimous decision taken in the Synod of November 1999, with the aim of unifying the Eucharist. The Synod emphasized the need for unity in the liturgy and urged all to move towards unity. Let the guidance of Pope Benedict XVI say that “the unity of the Altar is the foundation of the unity of the Church.” Let us not overlook the fact that the cup we are blessing and the bread we cut unites us into the fellowship of the body of the Lord (1 Cor 10:16).
7. Thank you and congratulations
The Reverend Mar Mathew Arakkal, who led the diocese for 18 years as the head of the diocese of Kanjirappally, is retiring from the diocese. He is most gratefully remembered for his father’s unique services, his long-suffering leadership, and the care of the whole church. The Synod has elected Father Marcus Pulikal as the successor of Father Mathew Arakkal who was the patron saint of Kanjirappally diocese. In the new mission, the best wishes to the greeting father and the diocese of Kanjirappally. Fr. Peter Kochupurakkal was chosen by the Synod. The Bishop of the Diocese, Mar Jacob Manathode wishes all good and blessings to the Father and the Diocese of Palakkad.
Archbishop Mar Antony Kariyil appointed the Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly as the Archbishop of Major Archbishop in accordance with the Synod’s decision in August 2019, informing the Synod about the current stewardship of the Archdiocese. The Synod discussed in detail what his father had told him. The Fathers of the Synod Fathers commended Father Anthony for his services to the Archdiocese and his pagan style.
Conclusion
We recognize that the Lord understands the plan for our church with a bright future and hope (Jer 29:11) Let us be the center of our mother, the Holy Virgin Mary, and our Father Mar Thomashleeh and all the saints and blessed ones in the church.
