Eparchial Assembly – Day 3

The Eparchial Assembly commenced with Sapra and Holy Qurbana, where the main celebrant was Mar Jacob Angadiath, and concelebrants were Fr. Abraham Mutholath and Fr. Johnson Kovoorputhenpurayil. Following the morning worship, participants enjoyed breakfast. The Assembly Anthem was performed to mark the start of the formal proceedings.

Session 3 began with a prayer led by Sr. Meera, after which Fr. Joseph Panthaplamthottiyil CMI acted as the moderator for the session. Following this, a book – the biography of Bishop Angadiath was released. The session then continued with an exploration of the identity of Eastern Churches and their mission in the United States, presented by Philipose Mar Stephanos. Rev. Dr. Pauly Maniyattil followed with insights into the liturgical and spiritual identity of the Syro Malabar Church. Dr. Jaisy Joseph provided a response from the participants, and Fr. Rajeev Philip shared further reflections.

Participants were then grouped for discussions, after which a group discussion session facilitated further sharing of insights. Tessie Alappatt moderated the presentation of the report, and the floor was opened for comments and clarifications, with concluding remarks provided by the moderator.

After a lunch break, participants gathered for the Rosary. The focus then shifted to Session 4, centered on empowering the Syro Malabar Community. The panel presentation covered various aspects, including family life, professional life, politics, social life, and parish life, with contributions from Jeslyn Methippara, Dr. Varghese Maliekkal, Anish Simon, and Fr. Thomas Kadukappillil. Following this, the floor was opened again for comments and discussions, and the moderator provided concluding remarks.

Participants were then organized into groups for further discussions, with Cijoy Cyriac presenting the report. Comments and clarifications were invited, providing an open forum for additional insights.

After a dinner break, Ramsa marked the evening prayer. The final session, Session 5, addressed the second phase of the Eparchy. Moderated by Andrews Thomas, the panelists discussed structural developments, evangelical techies, vocation promotion, youth and young adults, and care for the seniors. Contributions came from Fr. Kurian Neduvilechalumkal, Manuel Joseph, Fr. Joby Joseph, Fr. Melvin Paul Mangalath, and George Joseph Kottukappally. Following the panel presentations, the floor was opened for comments, allowing participants to share further additions and reflections.

The session concluded with remarks from the moderator and Bishop Mar Joy Alappat. To close the day, the night prayers Leliya was prayed, followed by a lively and competitive game by the participants before they retired for the night.