DECember 2020 | Vol. 01 | Issue 05 | a Syro-malabar Major Archiepiscopal curia newsletter Editor’s Desk Entering the last month of twenty twenty! Just a month is left to say goodbye to 2020. The year 2020 gifted us with a paradigm shift reshaping our culture, behavioural patterns, accommodating more realities, observing life in the true sense, letting oneself be closer to nature and God. Some would prefer to say the lockdown experience is inevitable once in every ten years! Though surprising, this thought presents to us something important. A retrospection and an evaluation would help better ourselves. We have become more eccentric in our jobs, lifestyle and attitudes with a sense of readiness to accommodate anything from the vicinity of 'marketed' value eco-systems. The lockdown is a red signal experience in the traffic jam and the amber to reflect before beginning our journey watching the green signal. Nations across the globe are on a scrambling spree to find a vaccine for Covid-19! The audacity of hope will stay on. Christmas season is also a time of hope and joy. Let this Christmas also be a real preparation to embark on a life journey with a sense of retrospection and forward-looking, an awesome breakthrough for every human being out there in the world. FR. ALEX ONAMPALLY SECRETARY, MEDIA COMMISSION INSIDE STORIES EVENTS The Visit of the Governor of Mizoram 04 Golden Jubilee Celebration 05 Distribution of Free Laptops 06 MOUNT VISION DECEMBER 2020 | VOL.01 | ISSUE 05 Book Release: Kripayude Nalvazhikal 07 A SYRO-MALABAR Safe Environment Ad Hoc Committee Meeting 07 MAJOR ARCHIEPISCOPAL CURIA NEWSLETTER Bishop Jose Chirackal Visited Major Archbishop 08 CHIEF EDITOR FR. ALEX ONAMPALLY SECRETARY, MEDIA COMMISSION LANGUAGE EDITOR 09 DR. GEORGE MADATHIPARAMBIL EPISCOPAL CONSULTORS MAR SEBASTIAN CONSECRATION DAY VANIYAPURACKAL OF THE CURIA BISHOP CURIA BISHOP, MEMBER, MEDIA COMMISSION MAR JOSEPH Athithi, Short Film Released Online 10 PAMPLANY CHAIRMAN, MEDIA COMMISSION Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan Visited 11 MAR PAULY Sacerdotal Jubilee Celebration 12 KANNOOKADAN MEMBER, MEDIA COMMISSION Dalit Vikas Award Distribution 13 DR. VINCENT Reception and Farewell in Curia 14 CHERUVATHOOR CHANCELLOR Silver Jubilee Celebration of SMCAKRF 15 DR. ABRAHAM KAVILPURAYIDATHIL VICE-CHANCELLOR, PRO PRESS RELEASES Cardinal Inaugurates Paddy Cultivation 16 FR. SEBY KOLANGARA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INTERNET MISSION Stand together for Dalit Christians: Cardinal 16 Family Ties During Covid's Time: Mar Jose Pulickal 16 SYRO-MALABAR MEDIA COMMISSION MOUNT ST. THOMAS, P.B. NO. 3110 KAKKANAD P.O., KOCHI - 682 030 CURIA NEWS Email: [email protected] Reports of the Commissions & Affiliated Offices 17 Phone: +91 9946162280 Website: www.syromalabarmc.in Major Archbishop’s Diary 18 Curia Bishop’s Diary 19 DESIGN & LAYOUT JOSEMON VAZHAYIL Events, Feasts & Birthdays 19 MUMBAI MOUNTMOUNT VISION VISION | | 04 04 | | DECEMBER NOVEBER 2020 2020 THE VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR OF MIZORAM || THE VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR OF MIZORAM Sri. P. S. Sreedharan Pillai, the Governor of Mizoram paid a courtesy visit to Cardinal Mar George Alencherry at Mount St.Thomas, Kakkanad. He was received on his arrival by Mar Sebastian Vaniapurakal, the Curia Bishop. The Governor mentioned that his visit was to fulfil a promise that he made to the Cardinal a few years ago that he would visit him on one of his visits to Kerala. He left the Mount after sharing the evening meal with the Cardinal and the priests at the house. MOUNT VISION | 05 | DECEMBER 2020 || GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION Golden Jubilee celebration of Sr. In the farewell message, Cardinal thanked Sr. Rani Pia, the Superior General of MSJ Maria for her service as the Mother Superior and Congregation at Mount St. Thomas as the refectory in-charge at Mount St. Thomas was held on 4 Nov 2020. During the and wished her every success in the new place. meeting Cardinal noted that Sr. Pia is Cardinal thanked Sr. Mary Ja for her short term very hardworking and ready to help service in the Curial community. Cardinal gave everyone. He thanked the MSJ mementos to the Golden Jubilee celebrant, Congregation on behalf of their Superior General Sr. Pia, and to Sr. Rani Maria and continuing service given to the Curia Sr. Mary Ja, who got transferred. for a term of 3 years. A thanksgiving Jubilee Holy Qurbana was celebrated Cardinal welcomed new sisters to the Curia, Sr. on 5 November 2020 in the morning. Kochuthresia, Sr. Jyotsna and Sr. Linsy. Sr. Mar Sebastian Vaniyapurackal was the Kochuthresia who will take care of the refectory main celebrant along with all the is the new Superior. Sr. Linsy will coordinate the priests. All the sisters and the staff in perpetual adoration. Sr. Jyotsna will help the the Curia participated. other sisters at the Mount. MOUNT VISION | 06 | DECEMBER 2020 || DISTRIBUTION OF FREE LAPTOPS DISTRIBUTION OF FREE LAPTOPS Cardinal Mar George Alencherry distributed four laptops to four deserving students from different dioceses at Mount St. Thomas on November 7. Fr. George Madathiparampil, the Joint Secretary of the Inter-Church Council took the initiative of getting computers for the students. Mr. Jogy Paul, a former student of S.B. College supported the initiative. Mar SebastisnVaniapurakal, the Curia Bishop, Rev. Dr. Vincent Cheruvathoor, the Chancellor and Fr. Jose Vadekekuttu, the Director of DCM, spoke on the occasion. The priests and sisters of the house were present on the occasion. MOUNT VISION | 07 | DECEMBER 2020 || BOOK RELEASE BOOK RELEASE: Kripayude Naalvazhikal Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Geroge Alencherry released the book, Kripayude Nalvazhikal written by Fr. Davis Pattathu CMI at mount St. Thomas, Kakkanad on 9 November 2020. || AD HOC COMMITTEE SAFE ENVIRONMENT AD HOC COMMITTEE MEETING An ad hoc Committee for the formulation of the "Norms and Procedures to deal with Sexual Abuse Cases at the Appellate Level in the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church" is held at Mount St. Thomas on 11 November 2020. MOUNT VISION | 08 | DECEMBER 2020 || BISHOP JOSE CHIRACKAL VISITED Bishop Jose Chirackal Visited Major Archbishop Bishop Jose Chirackal, the Auxiliary Bishop of Tura Diocese in Meghalaya visited Cardinal Alencherry on 18 November 2020 at Mount St. Thomas. He hails from Karukutty, St. Xavier’s Forane Parish of the Angamaly-Ernakulam Major Archdiocese. The Tura Diocese established in 1976, consists of 3,25000 Catholics among which the major tribes are Gharos. MOUNT VISION | 09 | DECEMBER 2020 || EPISCOPAL CONSECRATION DAY EPISCOPAL CONSECRATION DAY OF THE CURIA BISHOP The third Episcopal Consecration Day of Mar Sebastian Vaniyapurackal, the Curia Bishop is celebrated at Mount St. Thomas on 12 November 2020. Fr. James Kokkavayalil appointed Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs Commission Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, the Chairman of the Public Affairs Commission of the Syro-Malabar Church appointed Fr. James Kokkavayalil the Assistant Secretary of the Public Affairs Commission. Fr. James is a priest of the Archeparchy of Changanacherry, who is also currently the Director of Department of Community Awareness and Right's Protection in the Archeparchy. MOUNT VISION | 10 | DECEMBER 2020 Short Film Athithi, Released Online || ATHITHI, SHORT FILM RELEASED Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar George Alencherry of the Syro-Malabar Church said that it is always great to uphold the value of life. Cardinal Alencherry was speaking at the online launch of the short film Atithi, written and directed by Sr. Sebi MSMI. The short film is a venture of the MSMI Mananthavady Province. He reminded us that the dignity and value of human life should always be respected. MOUNT VISION | 11 | DECEMBER 2020 Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan Visited Major Archbishop || THEODOSIUS MAR THOMA METROPOLITAN VISITED The newly elevated Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan visited Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar George Alencherry at Mount St. Thomas,Kakkanad. Mar Thoma Metropolitan was received by the Curia Bishop Mar Sebastian Vaniyapurakkal. At the congratulatory meeting that followed, Cardinal Mar Alencherry greeted the Mar Thoma Metropolitan. Fr. George Madathiparampil, the Joint Secretary of the Inter-Church Council, welcomed Mar Thoma Metropolitan. Adv. Babu Varghese accompanied the Metropolitan. In his reply speech, Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan said that concerted action would be taken for the good of mankind. MOUNT VISION | 12 | DECEMBER 2020 Sacerdotal Jubilee Celebration || SACERDOTAL JUBILEE CELEBRATION The Mount St. Thomas Community celebrated the Sacerdotal Golden Jubilee of Rev. Fr. James Madathikandam CMI (the confessor of the community) and Silver Jubilee of Rev. Fr. Jacob Palackapilly (Director of P.O.C and Deputy Secretary General of K.C.B.C) on 23 November 2020 during the supper. The programme was organized under the leadership of the Commission for the Clergy. The Major Archbishop Mar George Cardinal Alenchery, Mar George Madathikandathil, the Chairman of the Commission for the Clergy and Mar Sebastian Vaniyapurackal, the Curia Bishop were present at the function. A certificate of the Paternal Blessing of the Major Archbishop was given to the Jubilarians as a gift. Among the priests in the Syro-Malabar Church there are 78 Golden Jubilarians and 155 Silver Jubilarians for the year 2020. Jubilee gatherings as in the previous years are impossible this year due to the Covid19 pandemic. However the commission for the Clergy will send a certificate of the Paternal Blessing of the Major Archbishop to