Dialogue with Mar Thoma Church

On 9 December, the second meeting of the bilateral dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church was held at the Spirituality Centre in Kottayam, co-chaired by H.E. Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and Suffragan Metropolitan Joseph Mar Barnabas.

The meeting included presentations on the understanding of synodality and mission according to the Mar Thoma Church (Bishop Joseph Mar Ivanius) as well as on the sacrament of baptism (Rev. Shibi Varghese). For its part, the Catholic delegation presented the ecumenical dimension of the synodal process of the Catholic Church (Archbishop Flavio Pace) and the methodology of the theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches (Rev. Fr Hyacinthe Destivelle).

The Mar Thoma Church was represented by: H.G. Dr Joseph Mar Barnabas, Suffragan Metropolitan (Co-Chair), H.G. Dr. Isaac Mar Philoxenos, Bishop, H.G. Dr. Joseph Mar Ivanios, Bishop, Very Rev. Dr. K. G. Pothen, Very Rev. Dr. Easow Mathew, Rev. Abby T. Mammen, Rev. Dr. V. S. Varghese, Rev. Shibi Varghese, and Rev. Arun Thomas (Co-Secretary).

The Catholic delegation consisted of: H.E. Flavio Pace (Co-Chair), H.E. Mathew Moolakkatt, H.E. Thomas Mar Koorilos, H.E. Selvister Ponnumuthan, H.E. Joseph Kallarangatt, Rev. Augustine Kadeparambil, Rev. Philip Nelpuraparampil, and Rev. Fr Hyacinthe Destivelle (Co-Secretary).