Thrissur: The major challenges to the faith being faced by the Church will be discussed at the fourth Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Assembly that began here on Thursday. The four-day meeting being held at Kodakara Sahrdaya College of Engineering & Technology here is being attended by 600 representatives from across the country and abroad. They will discuss the views which were formulated by holding family meetings conducted by each parish and different forums among the clergy in the last five years.
Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church, Mar George Alencherry, will oversee the discussions which will be conducted in 20 groups. Practising austerity and simplicity and matters related to the faithful working abroad will be among the topics of discussions. Of late, the top clergy of the congregation had expressed concerns over several women belonging to the faith opting for inter-religious marriages and how to address it. Archbishops Mathew Moolakkatt, Andrews Thazhath, Mar Joseph Perumthottam and Mar George Njaralakatt are attending the event.
Representatives from 21 countries, including Italy, Britain, Australia, USA, Canada, Austria, Singapore, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, Nigeria and the Gulf countries are taking part in the Assembly, official spokesperson of the event Fr. Dr Jimmy Poochakkatt said. The views coming up in the assembly will be codified at the synod at Mount St Thomas, Kakkanad, after the assembly. Later, the rules will be conveyed to each parish, sources said.
