New bishop of Faridabad is committed to unity, evangelization

(May 28, 2012) The head of the new Indian diocese of Faridabad says his top priority would be to foster communion among the three ritual Churches of the Catholic Church in India. “It is of paramount importance that the Church remains united,” said Archbishop Kuriakose Bharanikulangara during his installation on Sunday as the first bishop of the Syro-Malabar rite diocese based in Faridabad, in Haryana state. Cardinal George Alencherry, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, presided over the installation ceremony at Khristuraja Cathedral in Faridabad, attended by more than 500 people, including scores of prelates. Faridabad Diocese that shares territories with Latin rite dioceses in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and two districts of Uttar Pradesh, is home to some 150,000 Syro-Malabar Catholics. India’s Catholic Church is made up of the Latin and two eastern rites – the Syro-Malabar and the Syro-Malankara Churches, whose bishops together form the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, CBCI. Faridabad Diocese was created on March 6, with Kuriakose Bharanikulangara, a priest until then appointed its bishop with the title of Archbishop. The 53-year old former Vatican diplomat said unity in the Church and evangelization were among his top priorities. Strengthening of family, vocation formation and social justice were his other priorities. Stressing the need for fostering family prayers, he said good vocations would come only from such atmosphere of prayer and religious practices. “The more we love the Church the more we will try to practice our faith,” he added. The diocese will also focus on social teachings of the Church and strive to uphold social justice while attending to the marginalized.