A Letter sent to His Beatitude Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil by Rev. Fr. John on the Karol Bagh Issue

To

His Beatitude Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil

Major Archbishop, Syro-Malabar Church and all the Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Synod

Sub: A Briefing of the sufferings of the Syro Malabar community at Prasad Nagar, New Delhi

Your Eminence,

After 14 long years of prayerful waiting and struggle, the Syro-Malabar believers at St. Michael’s Church, Prasad Nagar got a sigh of relief when on 29^th July 2007, at the order of His Grace Vincent Concessao, Fr. George Manimala officially inaugurated a separate parish by the name “St. Augustine’s Church, Karol Bagh” and installed formally Rev.Fr. Reju Kannanpuza the first parish priest. No sign of unity or Christian spirit was, however, visible at the inauguration, as neither the parish priest (of St. Michael’s Church) nor the assistant priest showed up.

Instead of welcoming the decision of the archbishop of Delhi, we saw efforts to undermine the new parish. First of all membership forms were distributed in advance among the Syro-Malabar community with repeated announcements on Sundays giving them option to remain with the Latin Rite. Secondly the parish priest put forward a number of impossible and impractical conditions (including payments of charges much in excess of what is being paid by other Syro-Malabar parishes) for use of the church infrastructure. The Parish representative reports;

“On Saturday (4^th August) evening Fr. Reju, the parish priest for Syro Malabar community received an order from the archbishop of Delhi (Ref. No.GA/0723/2007). The essence of which was that the Syro-Malabar Mass was cancelled only for a particular Sunday (5^th August) as there was fear of tension between two groups and a new time schedule for both Latin and Syro Malabar Mass from the following Sunday onwards and from next Sunday onwards the Syro-Malabar Mass would be at 09.30 am. There was no effective communication to the faithful regarding cancellation of the mass and therefore, after the erection of the new Syro Malabar parish, on the following Sunday (5^th August, 2007) the Syro Malabar faithful gathered inside the church. Then immediately the parish authority switched off the lights and fans. There was presence of police on the Church verandah. As the Syro Malabar Mass was abruptly cancelled, most of the Syro-Malabar faithful remained within the Church reciting Rosary. Meanwhile a number of anti-Syro-Malabar zealots who used to come to the Church at 9 am, gathered at the Church compound by 8.15 am. This Group, who had been bullying the Syro-Malabar on a number of occasions earlier also, then moved upward, calling more supporters to join, challenged and charged at the Syro Malabar, and sadly, despite the presence of the police, fracas and fist-fight broke-out. Police however brought the situation under control and took a couple of parishioners into custody. Among those who joined in the attack on Syro Malabar were strangers (people who were not members of the Church) but brought in specially. As the inauguration of the erection of the new parish could have a video coverage and therefore one of the Syro Malabar faithful brought a video camera for covering the first Eucharistic celebration of the new Parish priest along with the community. But the Latin community accused that it was a purposeful motive of the people to record the presence of the police in the Church premise and hand it over to the media. It is a baseless accusation.”

“We feel it as a deliberate attempt to create unrest and tension and take sadistic revenge by managing to get the first ever Eucharistic celebration of the newly formed St. Augustine’s parish cancelled on the face of the believers. St .Michael’s Church has 15 Masses a week in Latin Rite (consisting of about 35% of the parishioners) AND JUST ONE Mass in Syro Malabar rite consisting of 65% of the parishioners. NOW a 16^th Mass is demanded in Latin Rite and that too exactly at the time slotted for the ONE AND ONLY Syro Malabar Mass a week.”

There is a “a group” consisting of a few Syro Malabar origin parishioners who do not seem to understand that by extension of canon law they automatically become members of the St. Augustine Syro Malabar Parish. Now a demand is created for a Latin Malayalam Mass exactly at the time of the Syro Malabar Mass (a time schedule maintained for the last 14 years). Only the naïve would believe that it is not pre planned and deliberate. Earlier too similar incidents have taken place during May devotion etc.

On Wednesday 8^th August there was an emergency meeting of the Diocesan Pastoral Council executive and priest council executive convened. The concerned parish priests of both the parishes were also participated in it and a detail discussion was held. At the end there was a consensus on the order issued by the archbishop on 4^th August and decided to implement the same. And there was also a decision to resolve the tension through mutual reconciliatory initiatives among the affected group.

On Friday 10^th August evening there was an emergency meeting was convened and in which parish priests of affected parishes, Episcopal vicar for the Oriental Catholics in the archdiocese of Delhi, Vicar general and archbishop of Delhi were participants. In that meeting decided to close the Church on `12^th Sunday out of fear of violence but it was objected by The Syro Malabar participants and suggested that we would initiate the reconciliation talks among all the affected. But it was categorically denied and we were pulled back by them.

We have cooperated to the maximum we can in all levels to create an amicable worship for the Latin as well as the Syrians without provocation of any faithful, by participating in all the meetings convened by the Episcopal vicar, by sharing all active measures suggested by the archbishop. We took extra measures and care to avoid any kind of provocation either in the affected parish or in any other parishes. We convened meeting of the Syro Malabar priests on a number of occasions to discuss the matter, to find peaceful solution and decided to continue in prayer.

It is clear that out of revenge the parish authorities plotted and connived to create an atmosphere of tension, trouble and violence. Their ultimate aim to expel the Syro Malabar community from the Prasad Nagar Church to somewhere in the Newly erected parish territory and extend the same strategy to other Syro Malabar parishes and Mass centres where same structure is shared by both the Latin and Syro Malabar community. Now pose a difficult situation for us to find out an alternative place of worship by sitting the reason of tension. They were just indulging in sadistic pleasure by making brothers to fight each other within our place of worship and promoting violence and blood-shed between brothers. Another motive is that in an atmosphere of tension and confusion, those who are still undecided should find the stable and well established existing parish as the better “option”.

The Further Developments and Present Scenario

All these matters were intimated and forwarded to all the concerned authority including H. E. Gratin Mundadan, and they have asked us to be alert, forgiving and patient. Meanwhile the process to bring in peace and harmony is on the way. Archbishop of Delhi in his letter dated 18.08.2007 informed us that “there would be only two Masses at St. Michael’s Church in the morning: Hindi Mass at 7.00 am and English Mass at 9.00 am. As for the Syro-Malabar Rite Mass, efforts are being made to find a suitable place. As soon as it is found, it will be communicated to the parish priest and the parishioners.”

Archbishop was searching for a place by himself and till now could not find a suitable one which was acceptable for us.

The present situation is that there has been no Mass for the Syro-Malabar faithful of this parish for the past 4 consecutive Days of obligation. Parishioners are worried and exhausted and the Parish Priests are dejected. If this situation prevails and continues they will lose the spirit. Anyway our faithful are being pacified by the Priest-in-charges to avoid tension and frictions and we are waiting for the amicable solution to the problems.

Now regarding the Aug. 5 incident there are certain things which remain unclear and confusing

• What prompted the concerned authorities to cancel the 14 year long tradition of Syro- Malabar Mass?
• Both the teams were affected but action was taken against the Syro-Malabar faithful only.

We find here a new and innovative trend from the Archdiocesan authorities to provoke the Syro-Malabar faithful and once they respond action is taken very promptly and gradually expel them from using the Parish infra-structures which were erected by their own contributions. If this trend is perpetuated and executed Syro-Malabar mission here will have to face a very difficult situation and hence it demands your urgent and kind attention.

Now we are patiently waiting for an intervention from the Major Archbishop, the Apostolic Visitator and all the bishops of the Syro-Malabar Synod.

With prayers,

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Chozhithara

Acting Co- Ordinator

Syro-Malabar Delhi Mission

Cell: 0-9868414565