Southern States - Kerala   

Knanaya ecclesiastic hierarchy soft-pedals laity demand

By Our Staff Reporter

KOTTAYAM Dec. 22. In what appears to be a fire-fighting effort against the expression of dissent on the part of the laity, the ecclesiastic hierarchy of the Knanaya Catholic diocese has called upon the laity not to intermingle the Church framework with the community framework and made it clear that any decisions regarding the status of the Knanaya diocese would be taken strictly within the Church framework.

The clarification, expressed at the valedictory function of the Knanaya Immigration anniversary and the annual conference of the Knanaya Catholic Congress (KCC) here on Saturday by Mar Mathew Moolekat, Auxiliary Bishop of Kottayam diocese, comes in the wake of the statement of the KCC president, E.J. Lukose (at a press conference a few days ago) to the effect that the diocese should not hesitate to sever its present relationship with the Syro-Malabar Church and try to establish an autonomous diocese under the Oriental Congregation.

The two-day conference would seriously think of all issues including this extreme step, if the demands being made by the Knanaya diocese (now under the Syro-Malabar Church) were not met, he had said.

It had been a longstanding perceived need of the diocesan members that their diocese be elevated to an archdiocese. They had been making requests to the Holy Sea also for the constitution of dioceses in Kannur and North America and also permission for new auxiliary bishops in Kannur, Malankara and North America. However, their requests were being turned down by the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church and their messages to Rome failed to elicit any response. The statement by the KCC chief was taken by many as an expression of frustration among the laity against the attitude of their Syro-Malabar bosses towards the community which had been clinging to their unique identity.

The frustration, anger and the confusion among the members of the close-knit community could be evident during the interface they had organised as part of the two-day conference.

On the one hand they were proud of their traditions, but on the other, they were finding it difficult to explain it to the members of the same Church (Syro-Malabar Church); on the one hand they wanted to adhere to their unique traditions, but at times the insistence on endogamy forced some of them to seek partners outside their community, enforcing a kind of social ostracism.

The interface also provided an opportunity to vent their anger against the attitude of the Syro-Malabar Synod which had mercilessly denied their demands. The discussions also precipitated the divisions within the community, with the present leadership of the KCC held responsible for the present confusion in the minds of the laity.

The conference adopted resolutions demanding the elevation of Kottayam diocese to an archdiocese and setting up of dioceses in Kannur and North America or permission for consecration of auxiliary bishops in Kannur, North America and Malankara, failing which setting up of an autonomous diocese under the Oriental Congregation.

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