About the Cover Theme: A Voyage to Heavenly Home In the boat that is the Church we are making our voyage to the eternal light (nuhro). The boat is not ours, but Christ’s. It is Christ who steers her – and He shall not let her sink even when the sea is rough and the wind is against us (Pope Benedict XVI). We look forward to reach that eternal light (nuhro) in God’s kingdom to be with all God’s holy ones, “And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5). In Christ’s light (nuhro) do we see light (Ps.36:9) as the future priests who are called to participate in the one priesthood of Christ and accompany the families towards our heavenly home. Our Faith is that light that guides us in this voyage in this moon-lit night while our hearts sing “The LORD is my light (nuhro) and my salvation…” (Psalm 27:1) St. Mary’s Malankara Seminary MAJOR SEMINARY OF SYRO MALANKARA CATHOLIC CHURCH Nalanchira, Trivandrum - 695 015, Kerala, India Tel : +91 471 2114300, +91 471 2114100 Fax : +91 471 2532521 Email : [email protected], [email protected] www.malankaraseminary.com, www.smms-in.urbaniana.edu 2018-19 Nuhro is a syriac word, meaning light. Jesus is ‘the light of the world’ (Jn 8:12). Jesus has called us to be the ‘sons of light’ (Jn 12:36) in the world especially in the darkest places where people are in need of God’s Mercy. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). ST. MARy’S Malankara Seminary, Trivandrum 1 Servant of God Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios 2 ST. MARy’S Malankara Seminary, Trivandrum Supreme Pointiff of the Universal Church His Holiness Pope Francis ST. MARy’S Malankara Seminary, Trivandrum 3 Patron of Our Seminary His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos 4 ST. MARy’S Malankara Seminary, Trivandrum The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church RESIDENCE & COMMUNICATION BASELIOS CARDINAL CLEEMIS MAJOR ARCHBISHOp’s HOUSE Major arChbiShoP-CatholiCoS PATTOM, TRIVANDRUM-695 004 Office Tel : +-471-2541642, 2541643, 2540446 Fax: +91 471 2541635, Email : [email protected] Personal Tel: +91-471-2533664, 2541331 Fax: +91 471 2533688, E-mail:[email protected] 17 January 2019 Message I am delighted to know that St. Mary’s Malankara Major Seminary is publishing its annual magazine ‘Nuhro’ with the theme - Accompanying families towards holiness. I offer my tribute to you all for having chosen such a relevant theme for reflection and study. The first blessing that God gave to man is to be fruitful : God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful” (Genesis 1:28). “Man fully alive is the glory of God”, said St. Irenios. Fullness is to be found in cognitive, spiritual, physicial and social growth. This is the mean and aim of the family life. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love” (Eph: 1:3-4). Let us thank God for the rich blessings. He has showered on our Seminary and pray for His continued blessings. Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, calls us to be holy, to be conformed to His image and likeness. The vocation to holiness means putting into practice, in one’s own daily life, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. That makes a family model to the Holy Family. It reminds us that we are co-creators and co-workers in the divine work to create model family that is the basis of the Church. I take this occasion to express my appreciation to very Rev. Dr. Kuriakose Thadathil, Rector, Rev. Fr. Jolly Karimpil, the Chief-Editor, Rev. Fathers, Bro. John Aluvila, the student Editor, Brothers and all the members of the Seminary community. May your efforts produce substantial fruits in your priestly training! May the Lord bless you all! Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Major Archbishop Catholicos ST. MARy’S Malankara Seminary, Trivandrum 5 Synodal The Commission for the Seminary Resident Staff Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Thadathil rector Most Rev. Dr. Vincent Mar Paulos Rev. Fr. Varghese Thannickakuzhy Rt. Rev. George Jacob Rev. Fr. Louis C.P. Chairman Vice rector Cor-episcopo Procurator Rev. Fr. Joseph Valliyattu Rev. Fr. Philip Chempakassery Rev. Fr. George Pazhayapura registrar Most Rev. Dr. Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom Member Rev. Fr. Mathai Kadavil OIC Rev. Fr. Jolly Philip Karimpil Rev. Fr. Joseph Poovathumtharayil Most Rev. Dr. Samuel Mar Irenios Member Rev. Fr. George Rajmohan Rev. Fr. Joseph Malayattil 6 ST. MARy’S Malankara Seminary, Trivandrum Editorial hat the family in this post-modern world has been going through a period of unusually fast changes is common knowledge. Tenacious impact of the global Tupheavals has beset family life to a great extent. The traditional physiognomy of Christian family is waning. And the growing number of dysfunctional families and divorces threatens to rupture the fabric of our society. We are called to probe what the way forward might be, out of the current impasse, for the Church whose members have a great responsibility for today’s world. In his most recent apostolic exhortation Gaudete et exsultate His Holiness Pope Francis recalls how God wants us to be holy (cf. Gen 17:1; Eph 1:4), because it is only in holiness that do we find “true life, the happiness for which we were created.” Holiness is a gift that is already poured into our hearts at the moment of baptism, but at the same time it is a task that will be brought to completion only at the conclusion of our earthly pilgrimage. The journey towards holiness is something common for the bishops, priests, religious and the laity alike. As the pastors, however, we are urged by the Supreme Pontiff to accompany families towards our ultimate goal, i.e. entering into the divine life of the Triune God, who is a family. Heeding the call of the Pope, St. Mary’s Seminary chose the theme – Accompanying families towards holiness – as the motto for the year 2018-19. Nuhro 2019 will explore many facets of this theme. In this edition, we also recall with gratitude the abundant fruit of the meritorious services of Fr John Berchmans OIC, who left for heavenly abode on 9th September 2018 and left us all with deep sorrow. In the twilight of his great life, he lavished his services in Malankara Seminary as Theology Professor and Spiritual Father. He will go down the memory lane as one of the most illustrious sons of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. He was a towering intellectual figure, who earned doctorate in Scripture at the prestigious Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome. He was a biblical scholar but he decided to dedicate his entire life for the Malankara Catholic mission of Bahya Kerala. If there was one word we could find to describe Berchmans achen it would be that he was faithful. He was faithful to Christ, faithful to his Congregation and the Church, and faithful to all people entrusted to his pastoral care. As a true sanyasi he embodied a profound approach to sharing God’s love here on earth. Through his beliefs, visions, words and actions he epitomized the true meaning of priesthood. With gratitude for Fr. Berchmans’ contributions to the seminary, we honor his memory by dedicating Nuhro 2019 to him. I find it gratifying to see the great strides Nuhro has made in meeting the high standard for quality and clarity. Its success is directly related to the hard work, collective enthusiasm and devotion of the individuals who make up the Nuhro team and the encouragement of the seminary community. We are deeply grateful to our contributors and sponsors for their support. Our earnest gratitude to Mr. Gireesh G. for the fascinating Layout. Let’s unravel Nuhro 2019! Fr. Jolly Karimpil Chief Editor ST. MARy’S Malankara Seminary, Trivandrum 7 CONTENTS Oh! MY DUDE 51 bro. thurukulathuveedu George Annual Report of the Academic Year 2018-’19 10 rev. Dr. Kuriakose thadathil, rector The Bill 52 bro. thannickakuzhy jobin 16 Editorial Initiative Fr. Berchmans OIC A Great Inspiration bro. Chempanal justin Family Life: A Vocation to Love and Live in 53 18 Holiness rev. Dr. Varghese thannickakuzhy Teilhard de Chardin’s Evolutionary Theory then and now bro. Pullukalayil joseph CDF-CBCI Theological Symposium 54 21 Repot Flood Teaches to my blood 56 bro. Fathimanager Shaji t.l Cosmic Christ in the Spirituality of 22 Bede Griffiths Fr. Mathew Charthakuzhiyil Patriotism and the mission of the Church in India bro. thunduvilai rejin ratheesh Pope Francis’ Theological Vision 57 28 Fr. jolly Karimpil Family through the Eyes of St. John Paul II bro. Kollantethekkethil Nijo John Berchmans OIC - Monk, Theologian 60 30 and Missionary Fr. Mathai Kadavil oiC A Land Healed by the Water 62 bro. Puthenkandathil john “From the Beginning of Creation” A Marcan view 37 of Family Relationship Fr. Philip Chempakassery A`n-hr-²n-bpsS ck-X{´w 64 bro. Mudampallikuzhiyil Philip Family - Focus of our Pastoral Concern 40 Fr. Dr. George rajmohan tam-\v th-Z-\n-t¨m ? Fr. Mundaplavila jose Eschatological Dimension of the Eucharistic 66 Liturgy According to Antiochean Tradition 42 Fr. joseph Poovathumtharayil X-Wp-¯p-d-ª kq-cy³ bro. jinu arappurackal The Street light 68 47 Fr.