JOINT COMMISSION FOR DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
AND THE MALANKARA ORTHODOX SYRIAN CHURCH
REPORT OF THE 2011 MEETING
Kottayam, 7-8 December 2011
The meeting of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church was held at the Old Seminary, Kottayam, on Wednesday and Thursday 7th and 8th December 2011. The meeting began at 10 a.m. with prayer led by Rev. Dr. Mathew Vellanickal. His Grace Gabriel Mor Gregorios welcomed the members on behalf of the Malankara Orthodox Church, recalling that this year is very important for both our Churches since it is the 25th anniversary of the visit of His Holiness, Blessed Pope John Paul II to Kerala and the visit to Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Mathews I that helped to initiate the present dialogue. “Dialogue is not mere discussion. Dialogue enables one to enter into relationship with the other by understanding each other”, he added. His Excellency Bishop Brian Farrell, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Co-Chairman of the Joint International Commission, expressed his satisfaction with the dialogue and expressed his hope that the meeting would be fruitful by the grace of God our Lord.
His Grace Gabriel Mar Gregorios (Co-Chairman), His Grace Yakub Mar Ireanaios, His Grace Mathews Mar Thimothios, His Grace Geevarhese Mar Yulios, Fr. Dr. K.M. George, Fr. Dr. Jacob Kurian, Fr. Dr. Baby Varghese, Fr. Dr. T. I. Varghese, Fr. Dr. O. Thomas, Fr. Dr. Johns Abraham Konat, Fr. Dr. Reji Mathew, Fr. Dr. Jose John, and Fr. Abraham Thomas (co-secretary) represented the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The Catholic Church was represented by His Excellency Bishop Brian Farrell (Co-Chairman), His Grace Mar Joseph Powathil, His Grace Mar Mathew Moolakatt, His Grace Mar Thomas Mar Koorilos, His Excellency Bishop Dr. Selvister Ponnumuthen, Rev. Dr. Mathew Vellanickal, Rev. Dr. Xavier Koodapuzha, Rev. Dr. Jacob Thekkeparampil, Rev. Dr. Philip Nelpuraparampil and Rev. Fr. Gabriel Quicke.
Rev. Fr. Gabriel Quicke presented the report of the meeting in 2010, which the Commission approved.
The Commission was informed that the agreement on the sharing of sacred places, such as church building and the cemeteries, was approved by the Synod of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC). Accepting the priest of the other Church if one cannot find the minister of one’s own Church for officiating at funerals was also included in the agreement. Furthermore, the agreement on the sharing of the sacrament of the anointing of the sick was also approved by the authorities of both Churches. With regard to the agreement on Inter-Church marriages, the Synod of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the KCBC asked for certain clarifications before official approval.
Two papers were presented during the meeting on the primacy of St. Peter, namely ‘Saint Peter in the West Syriac Liturgical Tradition’ by Rev. Dr. Baby Varghese and ‘Saint Peter in Jacob of Serugh and Ephrem the Syrian’ by Rev. Dr. Jacob Thekkeparambil. The Commission also discussed the authority of Peter and the nature of this authority. Rev. Dr. Xavier Koodapuzha presented a paper on ‘Monasticism and Ecumenism’ that led to a serious discussion on monastic life that would promote ecumenism and on the pre-Diampher history of the monastic communities of St. Thomas Christians.
The proposed draft statement on Inter-Church Marriages was again taken up for discussion. The statement had been presented in the KCBC and in the Synod of the Malankara Orthodox Church, which sent it back for further clarifications. Considering the mutual ecclesial bond of both Churches, the statement was again discussed in this meeting. The meeting proposed to prepare Pastoral Guidelines for the Churches and to clarify the questions raised by the Synod and the KCBC. His Grace Mathew Moolakatt will prepare the pastoral guidelines from the Catholic perspective, and His Grace Gabriel Mor Gregorios will prepare the Orthodox version.
The meeting proposed to study theologically and juridically the possibility of the sharing of the sacraments between the Churches. Therefore, a paper on ‘Theory and Praxis of the Principle of Oikonomia of Sharing of the Sacraments in the Pastoral Situation’ will be presented by His Grace Gabriel Mor Gregorios and Rev. Dr. Philip Nelpuraparambil. Another paper on the ‘Challenges raised by the Pentecostals and the New Christian Churches’ will be studied and a paper will be presented by Rev. Dr. Reji Mathew.
The next meeting will be held at the Spirituality Centre on 5th and 6th December 2012.
[Information Service 138 (2011/IV) 89]