PREFACE
In my nine years’
experience in Delhi, as the
chaplain of the Syro-Malabar
Catholics in the Archdiocese
of Delhi, I have felt, on
different occasions, the need
to clarify certain doubts of
the faithful regarding the
need of pastoral care of the
faithful according to
different rites in the same
diocese. Many have asked me
questions such as: Why do you
want to create division in the
Church? Is it not ideal for
unity to practice one rite
only in one diocese? and, to
have one common service on
important occasions like
Christmas, Holy Week etc,?
These doubts can be cleared
only when the mind of the
Church on this matter, as
exposed in the official
documents, is brought to the
knowledge of the people. There
are specific norms set forth
in the official teachings of
the Church regarding these
issues and are to be followed
by the universal Church. It is
after long discussions, and
after considering the pros and
cons, that the Church has set
forth these norms.
This leaf-let is a
collection of different
documents in order to give
access to the teachings of the
Church, regarding these
important issues. The
documents produced here are
various Decrees of Vatican II,
Code of Canons of the Latin
and Oriental Churches, the
address of Pope John Paul II,
to the bishops of India, the
Catechism of the Catholic
Church, Ecclesia in Asia and
Erga Migrantes Caritas
Christi. I do not claim this
to be exhaustive, but hope,
this will serve to clarify
some doubts.
The documents quoted here
are simple and easy to
understand. Hence I am
presenting them without any
explanation. In some cases a
subtitle is given to the
documents only to hint at the
main theme.
New Delhi
December 2004 |
