Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church

 — Dec. 9, 19949 déc. 1994
Information Service 88 (1995/I)

The Commission for dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church met at the Spirituality Center of the Syro-Malabar Church at Kottayam (Kerala, South India) December 9, 1994. All Commission members were present.

1. In the course of this fourth meeting, the Commission spent the greater part of its time on the issue of the reception, in each Church, of the agreement on mixed marriages published January 25, 1994. On each side it has been welcomed in a very positive way. The faithful have experienced the new attitudes as a liberation because they respect and enlarge the freedom of choice of these minorities in regard to marriage and family life. If some difficulties have arisen on certain points, it has been because of of the lack of awareness among the clergy more of the Agreement itself than of the Pastoral Directives which accompanied it. It seems indispensable to foresee in each diocese a small committee or a diocesan delegate with the responsibility to resolve the more urgent problems.

2. Two reports were then presented and discussed on “the function and the role of the bishops on the regional and local level” (Mor Athanasius) and on “the role of the Episcopate in the Unity of the Church” (P.M. Vellanickal). In the next session, the Commission should be able to reach the point of its reflection on the subject of the unity of the Church and of conciliarity at the local level.

3. Finally, the Commission took up again a text already studied in 1991 on the foundations, the conditions and the possible contexts of a “Common witness” (P.M. Vellanickal) between our two Churches. During the coming year, the areas where common witness of the Churches can be considered should be clarified more concretely.

At the end of the meeting, the Catholic delegation gave information concerning the preparation of the Jubilee for the year 2000 (cf. John Paul II: “Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente” of November 10, 1994) and on the recent Common Christological Declaration signed in Rome with the Assyrian Church of the East on November 11, 1994.

The next meeting is foreseen at the Spirituality Center of the Syro-Malabar Church, at Kottayam, Saturday, October 7 and Monday, October 9, 1995.

For the Catholic Church:
H.E. Msgr Pierre Duprey, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Rome (Co-President);
H.E. Mar Joseph Powathil, Archbishop of Changanacherry;
H.E. Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry, Bishop of Kottayam;
H.E. Msgr Patrick D’Souza, Bishop of Benares (Varanasi);
H.E. Cyril Mar Baselios Malancharuvil, Bishop of Battery;
Rev. Father Dr. Clarence Gallagher, S.J., Rome;
Rev. Father Dr. Matthew Vellanickal, Kottayam;
Rev. Father Dr. Xavier Koodapuzha, Kottayam;
Rev. Father Dr. Geevarghese Chediath, Trivandrum;
Rev. Father Bernard Dubasque, Rome (Co-Secretary).

For the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church:
H.E. Thomas Mor Athanasius (Co-President);
H.E. Yuhanon Mor Meletius;
H.E. Joseph Mor Gregoriose;
The Rev. Prof. Joseph Cor-Episcopa Pulickaparampil;
Rev. Father Dr. Adai Jacob;
Rev. Father Kuriakose Moolayil (Co-Secretary);
Rev. Father R.V. Markose;
Rev. Deacon Biji C. Markose;
Rev. Deacon Saji K.V.

Posted: Dec. 9, 1994 • Permanent link: ecumenism.net/?p=8546
Categories: Communiqué • In this article: Catholic, dialogue, Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church Transmis : 9 déc. 1994 • Lien permanente : ecumenism.net/?p=8546
Catégorie : Communiqué • Dans cet article : Catholic, dialogue, Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church


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