My dear Fellow Knanaya Community Members,
I am writing this to provide some clarifications to my fellow community members in North America particularly in Chicago who were told, by the director of Knanaya Region that somehow KCCNA is the reason for the membership issue within Knanaya Parishes. I am providing a few historical events and facts so that community members can determine the truth by themselves. I will also provide an update on the steps, KCCNA, has taken since last week.
1. Membership issue first surfaced in 1986, even before KCCNA was existence, through a rescript (opinion) expressed by Oriental Congregation to the Latin Arch diocese of Chicago.
2. Bishop Kunnacherry not only rejected the rescript and refused to implement in the Knanaya Missions, HE also wrote to the Cardinal of Chicago Arch Diocese in 1995 that “I would rather close down the mission than compromising on the fundamental principles of the community (by implementing the rescript)”
3. In 2002 then KCCNA president, Mr Vettuparapuram, and newly appointed Syncellus, Fr. Mutholath lead a delegation to meet with Mar Angadiyath seeking clarification on the membership criteria when Knanaya Parishes will be established. Mar Angadiyath made it clear at that meeting, he will not be able to establish endogamous parishes. Everyone who were in the delegation walked out including all the priests (except the Syncellus) and KCCNA president informed Mar Angadiath that KCCNA will only come back for discussion if there is a change in the membership Criteria. A communication from then KCCNA secretary, Mr. Peter Chazikatt, was distributed through an e-mail group maintained by Fr. Mutholath asking North American Knanaya community members not to cooperate with Mar Angaidath and Syro-Malabar diocese until Membership in Knanaya missions and parishes are endogamous.
4. In 2003 Priests, Bishop Maoolakatt and KCCNA EC members met in Chicago and in that meeting Mar Moolakat proposed new formula by which He said since the Rescript is in existence, let all Knanites in the US who are born to Knanaya Parents be members of the Knanaya parish however if a Knanite marry a non-Knanite, the non-Knanaya spouse and children out of that marriage be given sacraments with delegation from their proper pastor (means non-knanaya spouse and children will belong to nearby non-Knanaya parish). Bishop also insisted that we need to get this in writing explicitly from Bishop Angadiath.
5. Following the meeting above, priests went and met with Bishop Angadiath and declared that He has agreed to the formula proposed by Bishop Moolakatt , therefore all missions are reconstituted under Bishop Angaidath. KCCNA insisted to see an agreement in writing from Bishop Angadiath, however KCCNA was told by the Syncellus (Fr. Mutholath) that we will not get it in writing and there is no need for it.
6. In December of the same year, Mar Angadiath send a private letter to a gentleman, who sought clarification on the membership, that no mission/parish in his diocese are endogamous and both non-knanaya spouse and children will continue in the Knanaya parish along with Knanaya spouse.
7. In light of the above revelation KCCNA asked member association to discuss the issue (both Moolakatt formula and Mar Angadiath’s letter on his version of the membership structure) and all 16 associations at that time decided against formula proposed by Bishop Moolakatt and decided against cooperating with Syro-Malabar diocese.
8. In the KCCNA national council convened in early 2004, Bishop Moolakatt informed the national council that Mar Angadiath “watered down” the understanding reached between both of them. As a response, KCCNA passed a resolution against cooperating with Bishop Angadiath and Syro-Malabar diocese until the ethnic nature of Knanaya entities under the diocese are protected according to the traditions of the community. However KCCNA recommended that community keep missions without prescribed membership until the issue is resolved.
9. During 2005-2008, there were several attempts made to convince/confuse the community members by the Knanaya region that somehow the membership criteria is consistent with Kottayam, parishes are endogamous, if there are 10 churches then community get a diocese etc., which lead to committing the resources of the community for buying churches as well as initiating parishes.
10.During all these years through multiple communication KCCNA leadership were seeking clarifications on membership as well as nature of the ownership structure of parishes bought by the community members.
11.In 2008 KCCNA under the leadership of Jose Kottoor clarified the position of a KCCNA stating that “There is no compromise on the membership criteria and it should be according to the traditions of the community” In addition KCCNA offered conditional cooperation with the diocese and the bishop.
12.In 2008 KCCNA decided to utilize the service of a Canon Lawyer to draft a petition to Rome to find a solution to our issues, KCCNA was able to find a lawyer with whom Bishop Moolakatt also had a conversation before KCCNA started to utilize the service. Mar Moolakatt offered full support in preparing the petition.
13.In 2010 then KCCNA leadership, under George Nellamatom and Strategic Planning comminssion of KCCNA, drafted a roles and responsibility chart between association and missions working with the Director of Knanaya region, however it did not get the approval of Mar Moolakatt to implement.
14.Current KCCNA administration was seeking a meeting between priests serving our missions/parishes in light of some of the major issues (eg.: Houston Church issue) and with the help of KCCNA Spiritual director, we decided to meet in LA. The agenda for the meeting was developed with the help of Fr. Mulavanal and Fr. Mutholath to specifically address the ongoing issues at various communities in North America. Based on the advice of Fr. Mulavanal, KCCNA EC invited Bishop Moolakatt since he was already in Rome to participate at the meeting thinking that Bishop’s presence would be of great help in resolving the issues that was ongoing at that time.
15.To the surprise of KCCNA during the meeting Fr. Mutholath flashed a letter “supposedly written to KCCNA president” from Bishop Angadiath which stated that Bishop cannot attend KCCNA convention unless KCCNA removed non-cooperation. KCCNA clarified that we have made it clear back in 2008, the disagreement with the diocese is only in membership criteria of entities termed “Knanaya” under the diocese – not in any other aspects. However Bishop Moolakatt insisted unless Bishop Angadiath agrees to attend Bishops of Kottayam cannot attend the convention. Thought it was not an agenda item, Bishop Moolakatt further clarified the membership (Moolakatt formula) to the priests and KCCNA EC. KCCNA EC made it clear that they alone cannot make a decision on this matter, rather, if confirmed (Moolakatt formula), KCCNA will reach out to community through member associations to see whether such a formula is acceptable to the community.
16.Following this meeting, KCCNA send a letter to Bishop Angadiath asking whether HE concur with the Formula proposed by Bishop Moolakat and KCCNA also informed, if we get concurrence, KCCNA will submit this proposed membership for the consideration of community through member associations since it was the decision of the entire North American Knanaya community that lead to the historical resolution in 2004. KCCNA is yet to get a formal response to that letter from Bishop Angadiath.
17.KCCNA national council met in March 2012 discussed this issue and made the decision that “KCCNA reiterated its previous decision of 2008 that membership in “Knanaya” Entities must be for those who are born to both Knanaya parents and if they are married, their spouses also must be born to Knanaya Parents. However in the current circumstances, it is the RESPONSIBILITY of the Knanaya region to define the membership of the “Knanaya Entities” under St. Thomas Syro Malabar Diocese.”
18.During the convention, more than 3000 Knanaya Community members including priests unanimously rejected the directive of the Rescript issues in 1986.
19.Finally KCCNA hears that there is a new letter from Bishop Angadiath which was written to give no more clarity rather to confuse people further. KCCNA EC met and rejected the new directive since it is not consistent with the ethnic nature of the Knanaya Community and its traditions.
Development since the recent directive from Bishop Angadiath on Dec 20:
1. KCCNA organized a teleconference of all member association presidents and secretaries. Though we could give only about 20h notice, all but 3 associations represented at that meeting. All presidents and secretaries attended the meeting unanimously asked KCCNA to take steps necessary to protect the ethnic integrity of the community and they will support all the efforts of KCCNA.
2. KCCNA is consulting with experts to take decisive steps to address this issue and will provide an update soon.
I sincerely hope, with this narrative, my fellow community members got an idea about the chronology of events that happened over the years. KCCNA did not cause the membership issue, rather, because of the strong stand taken by KCCNA, the ethnic integrity of the community was protected at least through the associations and KCCNA. KCCNA’s strong stand prevented the Knanaya region from hiding the truth any longer.
I am proud about the contributions of this great organization to the North American Knanaya community; it is true that KCCNA did not dance to the tunes of some vested interests over the years which shows the quality of this great organization and its commitment to the history, ethnic identity and traditions of the Knanaya community. If anyone failed to protect the interest of the community, it is the Knanaya region and its leadership; the region could not establish a single truly ETHNIC “KNANAYA” PARISH in North America under the Syro-Malabar diocese.
Sincerely,
Shiens Akasala
President, KCCNA
"It is always good for the righteous people to be in the jail, when the country is ruled by thieves and scoundrels".
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