Kerala Trivandrum archdiocese lauded for developmental works

(July 05, 2012) The chief minister of southern India’s Kerala state has said that the Church took up social issues along with religious activities that benefited millions of people in the state. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy commended Trivandrum Latin archdiocese for its contributions in the overall social development of the region during the past 75 years. Chandy was speaking on Tuesday at the concluding function to mark the archdiocese's platinum jubilee celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. He said one of the most significant contributions of the archdiocese was to grant land for the union government’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thumba, for which, he said Kerala society would always be indebted to the archdiocese. The chief minister said that the archdiocese has helped in changing the lives of the fishing community by taking initiatives in the educational and health sectors. The function began with the blessing of the newly constructed shrine of John Paul II. Cardinal George Alencherry, head of the Syro Malabar Church, delivered the presidential address. A Syro Malankara archdiocese with the name Trivandrum is also based in the Kerala state capital.