JOINT COMMISSION FOR DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 
AND THE MALANKARA ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH

REPORT OF THE 1996 MEETING

Manganam, 18-22 November 1996

The meeting of the Joint International Commis­sion for dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church took place Monday 18^th to Friday 22^nd November, 1996 at the Centre of spirituality, Manganam. The discussions focused on the history of the pre-Portuguese Chris­tianity in India, the conciliar dimensions of authority and dimensions of Eucharistic communion. Fr. Dr. M.O. John and Fr. Dr. Joseph Permthottam presented papers on "The Authority structure of the Indian Christians Prior to the Sixteenth Century ", Fr. Dr. Matthew Vellanickal and Fr. Dr. K. M. George on "The Conciliar Dimensions of authority" and Fr. Dr. V.P. Varghese and Fr. Dr. Joseph Kallarangatt on "Dimen­sions of the Eucharistic Communion". The discussions made clear the following points. The pre-Portuguese Indian Church had an indigenous administrative sys­tem. The Episcopal authority was always related to the Synod and the Eucharistic community. Even though there were divisions in Christianity, it ulti­mately remained in the consciousness of the apostolic Churches that there was only One Body of Christ and therefore only One Church and One Communion.

The next meeting of the Joint Commission will be held from 10-14 November 1997 at the Sophia Cen­tre, Kottayam. "The Synod of Diamper", "Collegial­ity and Primacies ", "Inter-faith Marriages" and the means to foster closer relations between the two churches in social and spiritual areas will constitute the agenda for the next meeting.

On Tuesday 19^th November the members of the Catholic delegation visited the tomb of the late Catholicons, Moran Mar Baselios Mathews Marthoma I and said prayers.

The members of both church delegations expressed satisfaction at the positive progress achieved by the dialogue and hoped and prayed that this would pave the way for the restoration of full ecclesial communion in the near future.

The Catholic Church was represented by H.E. Bishop Duprey (Vatican), Fr. Gallagher (Vatican), H.G. Mar Joseph Powathil, H.G. Archbishop Mar Cyril Baselios, H. E. Bishop Kuriakose Mar Kun­nassery, Fr. Mathew Vellanickal, Fr. Xavier Kooda­puzha, Fr. Gevarghese Chediath and Mr Giovanni Luca Lidonnici (Vatican).

The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church was repre­sented by H.G. Philipos Mar Eusebios, H.G. Thomas Mar Athanasios, H. G. Mathews Mar Severios, Very Revd. Ramban Theophoros, Fr. Mathai Nooranal, Fr. K. M. George, Fr. V. P. Varghese, Fr. John Mathews, Fr. M.O. John, Mr P.C. Abraham and Mr A.K. Thomas.

[Information Service 93 (1996/IV) 164]