
Pope had a special relationship with Syro-Malabar Church, says Major Archbishop
Archbishop Thattil told mediapersons here that the Pope entrusted the Syro-Malabar Church with the great responsibility for pastoral care. The Pope took note of the large number of immigrant Syro-Malabar Christians and supported the pastoral care extended to them by the Church in different parts of the world.
His special relationship with the approximately five million-strong Syro-Malabar Church is evident from his close involvement with the Church, especially after discontent over adoption of a common Mass liturgy broke out into the public sphere.
Unified Mass row
While the Pope kept abreast of the developments, his involvement was evident from his video message in early December 2023 in which he appealed to the priests, religious and the lay faithful in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese to sink differences, to obey the decision of the synod, and to build bridges and unity. He also warned as a father, of disciplinary action against disobedience, which would be resorted to with great pain. The Pope had appealed to the group in the archdiocese opposed to the synod decision for the unified Mass to adopt it by Christmas 2023 as one body of the Church. Act as one Church and not as a faction, the Pope had said.
The Pope recognised and repeatedly emphasised the unique heritage, tradition of faith and the great role of the Syro-Malabar Church in the body of the universal Church. His elevation of George Koovakkad, Catholic priest of the Syro-Malabar Church, as Cardinal is a sign of the special status accorded to the Syro-Malabar Church. He was the first priest from India to have been raised to a Cardinal.
Senior priest Kuriakose Mundadan, who has stood firm in demanding that the synod Mass be rejected, said the Pope may have been misled on the affairs of the Syro-Malabar Church when he appealed for adoption of the synod Mass. He also said that Pope Francis did not exclude anybody but was inclusive in his approach.
'Solace to refugees'
Archbishop Joseph Pamplany, vicar of the major archbishop for the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, said that the Pope held fast to his view that the Church should be for the poor. He was a solace to millions of refugees all over the world.
Former Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry said that the world will remember Pope Francis as the Pope of Mercy. He never kept anybody away and mercy was the face of his mission as the head of the Church.
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Time of India
18 hours ago
- Time of India
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Time of India
19 hours ago
- Time of India
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'Some forces want to create disharmony in Tamil Nadu, but the state has always been an inclusive society, a place for communal harmony,' says Jawahirullah. 'Adequate representation of minorities in elected bodies would help create harmony.' MMK and IUML have been DMK allies, and MMK won two assembly seats on the DMK symbol in the 2021 election. Are they acting on their alliance leader DMK's instructions? 'We don't have to instruct them,' says a DMK leader. 'They just behave as responsible members of a secular alliance.' IUML national president K M Kader Mohideen acknowledges there is alliance dharma, but there is also a need for human brotherhood like never before. 'In Tamil Nadu, we are with DMK, we will continue to be so. This alliance is not only for elections. We are aligned with DMK's slogans of 'ondre kulam, oruvane devan' (one community, one God), 'pirapokkum ella uyirukkum' (all are born equal),' he says. That doesn't stop the parties from calling BJP 'anti-Muslim'. Speakers at their meetings talk about the lack of Muslims in the Union Cabinet and accuse the Centre of making legislation that goes against minority interests. At its recent zonal conferences in Tirupur and Kayalpattinam, which have significant Muslim populations, IUML emphasised communal harmony. 'We chose Kayalpattinam because the port town's Muslim community is known for its historical role in retrieving the Tiruchendur Murugan temple idols looted by the Dutch and taken to Sri Lanka. There are temple inscriptions that commemorate contributions of Muslim traders,' says Abubacker. Muslim leaders say they are confident that polarisation attempts by right-wing groups will not fructify in Tamil Nadu because of the high literacy rate and awareness levels. 'But when Murugan is used as a political weapon, there is a sense of tension and fear in the state,' says Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi (MJK) leader and former Nagapattinam MLA Thamimun Ansari. He says Muslim parties took refuge in 'safer places' because of AIADMK's weakness in protecting the minorities. Even the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), a reincarnation of the banned Progressive Front of India (PFI) and a former ally of AIADMK, is speaking moderation. SDPI state general secretary Nellai Mubarak says Tamil Nadu can never be divided on communal lines. 'Everyone in Tamil Nadu has the responsibility to preserve social harmony, secularism, and peace,' he says. Mubarak recently met chief minister M K Stalin at DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam. 'I went to congratulate him for passing a resolution against the Wakf (Amendment) Act in the assembly.' IUML has now planned a 'Mohalla Jamaat Yatra' in August to meet 8,000 office bearers and ulema (clergy) across Tamil Nadu to reiterate the importance of 'brotherhood and communal amity'. Jawahirullah says MMK will hold a thousand street corner meetings from August to emphasise the need for peaceful coexistence of communities, besides seeking fair political representation for Muslims and withdrawal of the Wakf Amendment Act. Muslim groups are raising the demand for a proportionate share for the community in elected bodies in the run-up to the polls. 'Only 39 of the 776 MPs are Muslims,' says Jawahirullah. Fifteen are in the Rajya Sabha; 24 in the Lok Sabha. 'The MPs come from only 12 of the 28 states and three UTs. In the 2024 LS election, only 24 Muslims were elected, which is 4.4% of the House. Of 4,123 MLAs across states and UTs, only 296 are Muslims. In the Tamil Nadu assembly, which has 234 MLAs, only seven are Muslims. In Greater Chennai Corporation, Muslims make up 9% of the population. Yet only four out of 200 councillors are Muslims,' he says. 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