JOINT COMMISSION FOR DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
AND THE MALANKARA ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH
REPORT OF THE 1998 MEETING
Kottayam, 26-30 October 1998
The Joint Commission of the Roman Catholic and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church held its 10th meeting, from 26-30 October 1998, at the Spirituality Centre, Kottayam. The Commission continued its work on four topics, prepared by the local sub-commissions.
Two complementary documents on the biblical and ecclesiological significance of "Apostolic Authority" were discussed, in continuation of the previous meeting. Consequent to this discussion, it was decided to prepare a comprehensive dossier based on all ecclesiological papers and statements studied by this Joint Commission during the last decade.
As regards the Diamper Synod (1599) and its consequences, three historical documents were discussed on the "Coonen Cross Oath" (1653) which provoked a still remaining and never healed division among the Thomas Christians in Kerala. A common statement and a common colloquium are to be prepared by a local sub-commission at the occasion of the 4th centenary of Diamper Synod in 1999.
As the interim provision concerning mixed marriages, elaborated during the previous meeting, was not yet acceptable neither for the Syro Malabar synod nor for the Malankara Orthodox synod, further enquiry and dialogue on this question seemed to be necessary.
Concerning pastoral issues several projects were suggested such as: the creation of a common "forum" for social action, a common social project for the Great Jubilee, an ecumenical collaboration between youth movements, the organisation of common seminars on liturgy, history or ecumenism, the common publication of handbooks for secondary schools and the publication of a common prayer for Christian unity.
The participants from the Malankara Orthodox Church in this meeting were: Metropolitan Philipos Mar Eusebios (co-chairman), Metropolitan Mathews Mar Severios, Very Revd. Ramban Theophoros, Fr. K.M. George, Fr. Jacob Kurian, Fr. V.P. Varghese, Fr. M.O. John, Fr. John Mathews (co-secretary), Fr. John Panicker, Shri P.C. Abraham and Shri A.K. Thomas; the participants from the Roman Catholic Church were: H.E. Bishop Pierre Duprey (co-chairman), H.E. Archbishop Joseph Mar Powathil; H.E. Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios, H.E. Bishop Patrick D'Souza, Fr. Mathew Vellanickal, Fr. Xavier Koodaphuza, Fr. Geevarghese Chediath, Fr. Johan Bonny (co-secretary).
The next meeting is scheduled for 25-29 October 1999 at the Sophia Centre of Kottayam.
[Information Service 99 (1998/IV) 219-220]