Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

`Ecumenism encompasses all living beings'

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA, FEB 16. An ecumenical meet held as part of the 110th Maramon Convention on the sand-bed of the Pampa at Maramon near Kozhencherry today called for the unity of various Churches.

Inaugurating the meet, the Catholicos-designate, Thoma Mar Themothios, said that ecumenism could never be limited to the realms of a Church or a group of Churches. Instead, it encompasses all living beings. He called upon the followers of Jesus Christ to work towards this goal. A divided Church could hardly imbibe the real spirit of the teachings of Jesus Christ. He said the faithful should strive for a society where there was no exploitation.

Lifeline of Church

The Pala Bishop, Mar Joseph Kallarangattu, delivering the keynote address, said that ecumenism was the lifeline of the Church. The Church is regarded as the body of Jesus Christ and hence a divided Church is against the very tenets of Christianity. Any division in the Church means that it is going away from God.

``Unfortunately, the ecumenism of today is found to have been constrained to mere written documents and literatures. It is high time the message of ecumenism was taken to the faithful and practiced in its real spirit,'' he said.

The Mar Thoma Metropolitan, Philipose Mar Chrisostum, Geevarghese Mar Athanasius, Joseph Mar Barnabas, Thomas Mar Themothios, Isaac Mar Phelexinos, the CSI Bishop Sam Mathew, and Cyriac Thomas, former Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, attended the meet.

Joseph Mar Irenaeus Suffragan Metropolitan presided.

The Mar Thoma Metropolitan inaugurated a meet against social evils in the afternoon. Dr. Cyriac Thomas delivered the keynote address.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

NGO Sangh on the warpath
`Ecumenism encompasses all living beings'
Gender discrimination in KSEB?
Kalabhabhishekom performed
IT exhibition

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu