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New Bishops´ Conference President Sets Inter-Rite Unity As Top Priority

Updated: February 21, 2008 05:00 PM GMT
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The newly elected head of India´s Catholic Church says he will strive for greater unity among the Church´s three rites.

The Catholic Church in India comprises Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites. "Unity among them is necessary for the Church to carry out its mission in India where Christians face many challenges," Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil of Ernakulam-Angamaly told UCA News on Feb. 20.

The previous day, the Catholic Bishops´ Conference of India (CBCI) elected the 80-year-old prelate as its new president. He replaces Cardinal Telesphore Toppo of Ranchi, who led the conference for the past four years.

The conference also elected Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay as first vice president and re-elected Major Archbishop Isaac Mar Cleemis Thottunkal of Trivandrum as second vice president. Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes of Gandhinagar also was re-elected CBCI´s secretary general.

The new president heads the Syro-Malabar Church as its major archbishop, while Cardinal Gracias is president of the Latin rite bishops´ national conference. The second vice president heads the Syro-Malankara Church.

The Latin rite follows the Roman liturgy European missioners introduced in the 15th century. Both Oriental rites, based in Kerala, southern India, follow Syrian Church traditions and trace their origins to Saint Thomas the Apostle.

To become CBCI president, one needs at least one-third of votes of members present. Of India´s 160 dioceses, 128 are Latin, 26 Syro-Malabar and six Syro-Malankara. The CBCI presidency rotates among the three rites, as Pope John Paul II directed in 1987. The late pontiff´s decree also stipulates that CBCI office bearers should comprise bishops from all three rites.

Cardinal Vithayathil said he did not expect to be elected at this stage of his life. No cardinal 80 or older can enter the conclave to elect the pope, he noted, so "this is probably a unique case where a heavy burden is placed on an 80-year-old man." However, he did not refuse the job, he added, because "I thought God may have some plan." He pointed out that the Indian Church faces several challenges and all three rites must come together to face them.

The new CBCI president admitted that rivalry and clerical jealousy still trouble inter-rite relations. "That is human weakness. There is sinfulness even in bishops as they are humans with selfishness, rivalry, jealousy and other faults. We should overcome them by the power of the love of Christ."

Cardinal Vithayathil said his "main thrust will be to bring great communion, cooperation and sharing" among the rites because unity is necessary to carry out the Church´s mission in India. To forge unity, he said he will try to inspire the bishops to "talk about all our problems" openly and in charity. "There may be misunderstandings, but there is always scope for greater communion," he asserted.

The cardinal said many problems arise among the rites because "we do not openly talk about them." In his view, the three Churches must discuss ways to implement the teachings of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) on individual Churches and apply Church laws that govern them.

Cardinal Vithayathil also said he no longer regards himself as the Syro-Malabar leader, for a bishop should speak as a member of just one Church.

He said: "When ordained, a bishop is in communion with the Holy Father, who has jurisdiction over the whole Church. Sometimes people think a bishop is for his diocese only. Theologically, a bishop has jurisdiction over the Universal Church, provided he is in union with the successor of Peter" (the pope).

As for recurring anti-Christian violence, the new CBCI president says the Church should be ready to face persecution. "We don´t like to stick out our neck imprudently to be killed by our opponents. But we will not run from our duty of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ out of love for the people who hear it and accept it."

The cardinal drew the bishops´ applause and laughter when he referred to his age and reminded them that Abraham was 100 when God called him for his mission.

END

(Accompanying photos available at here)

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