Over 6,000 Indian missionary priests, nuns attend

(May 7, 2012) More than 6,000 Indian priests and nuns working in more than 100 countries attended the missionary meet organized by Palai diocese in southern India’s Kerala state. Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) opened the April 30 meet at Ramapuram, an ancient Catholic center in the Syro-Malabar eastern-rite diocese. Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Salavatore Pennachio, Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, president of the Latin rite bishops in India, Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis, the head of the eastern-rite Syro-Malankara Church and Cardinal George Alencherry, the head of the eastern-rite Syro-Malabar Church also attended the meet along 20 other bishops from various parts of India. The gathering included priests from 25 congregations and nuns from 40 congregations. The Palai diocese had announced 2011-2012 as the missionary year to mark the 50th year of establishment of Chanda, the first Syro-Malabar Mission outside Kerala, where the Syro-Malabar Church is based. The diocese with nearly 400,000 Catholics has produced 26 bishops and Asia’s first woman saint, St. Alphonsa. It is home to four indigenous religious congregations. Ramapuram, the venue of the meet, holds the relics of Blessed Kunjachan, who worked among dalit Christians. Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt of Palai said his diocese has strengthened the Universal Church as a “spiritual source” that provided bishops, priests and religious. Cardinal Alencherry urged the missionaries to make the Universal Church vibrant through their work undaunted by any hindrance to their mission of proclaiming the Gospel. The Syro-Malankara head, Major Archbishop Cleemis praised Palai for contributing the highest number of missionaries to the world. He said his Church too has benefited from the Palai missionaries.