Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II, head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, has called upon priests for ceaseless introspection which is essential for the blemishless accomplishment of their spiritual mission.
The pontiff was speaking at a function organised to commemorate the 109th death anniversary of Metropolitan Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious V, the founder of the theological seminaries in Kottayam and Parumala.
Catholicos’s call comes in the wake of the sex scandal in which at least four priests from the Church have been named accused and one has been arrested.
Delivering his benediction on the occasion, the Catholicos said the theological seminaries were to the Church as the blood purifying organ heart was to human body. He stressed the need for spiritual maturity among priests along with the academic excellence that they gain at the theological seminaries.
According to him, the only way to survive the challenges thrown open by the spiritual calling is to lead an exemplary personal life. “You must realise that a priestly life is a service and take it in its seriousness,” the Catholicos said and added that the responsibility of taking a lead role in moulding the civil society and keeping the grace of the Church among the people rested on the priests.
Bishops Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros, Geevarghese Mar Yulios, Geevarghese Mar Coorilose, Yuhanon Mar Demetrios, Theological seminary principal Father O. Thomas and others spoke on the occasion.
