The Second letter sent to Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil and all the Bishops of the Syro-Malabar synod by Fr. John on the new developments

Your Eminence,

This is to draw your kind attention towards the further developments in the ‘crisis in the Delhi Mission’ especially in the Karol Bagh (Prasad Nagar) issue.

Today on 24^th August His Excellency Mar Vincent M Concessao, the Archbishop of Delhi, through a telephonic conversation informed me that he has identified a place for the celebration of Syro-Malabar Mass. The located venue is a Pentecostal Church Hall and asked me to contact the Pastor in charge of it so that we can start our celebrations and divine worship from next Sunday. I can not go ahead with this ‘new’ suggestion as it will have long-standing effects and consequences and we strongly believe that there are certain well-planned under currents. Our main concerns at present are the following:

· Our Children, youth and other flock may be easily attracted to the Pentecostal movements if we are abiding by this new order.

· The location suggested has very badly connected with the public conveyance facilities and a good number of our Parishioners are using them as a means to attend the Sunday celebrations. The location is heavily congested too.

· Our faithful has a difference of opinion and a different mental set-up towards the faithful of this Pentecostal movements which keep them away from collaborating with them in a long-standing relationship

· Again it will be equal to expelling us from the existing Parish Church on which we have equal rights.

So we can not go ahead with the new directive of the Bishop. Meanwhile the faithful of Prasad Nagar Parish here has very strong feeling that we are totally ignored and rejected by the authorities especially by the Major Archbishop, The Syro-Malabar Bishops, the Archbishop of Delhi and the Apostolic Visitator. In their opinion the Syro-Malabar Bishops seem to be least interested in their affairs and left them to fight and die for the cause of Syro-Malabar Rite. So they are planning to go back to their existing Latin parish by next Sunday since the Archbishop’s new option suggests them to stand either as Latin Catholics or Pentecostals. Going back will ensure their Catholic existence, equal rights beyond Rites and equal status in the society with a dignified Christian outlook. So please intervene and make the necessary arrangements or else leave these multitudes of faithful to fate. The only trouble for me will be the pain that I became answerable to this situation.

With prayers,

Yours in Christ,

Fr. John Chozhithara

Acting Co- Ordinator, Syro-Malabar Delhi Mission, 24.08.2007, Cell: 0-9868414565