P
Peter_Stephen
Guest
Hey All,
I’d like to say a bit about myself before I ask my question. My name is Peter Stephen and I’m a Syro Malabar Catholic or more specifically a Knanaya Catholic. My parents came to the U.S in the year 1986 and I was born and raised in New York. I have two older sisters. I am 20 years old now and in my third year of college studying for a Medical Degree. People have always said I am very kind person,very very easy going, and a people person. I have always hated getting into arguments and causing anything that would make a person feel something either than happy. Even if I had been angry at a person I would keep it in myself rather express it to them and make them feel unhappy.
Ever since the 9th grade I have had a very strong interest in the Catholic Church and I would spend hours on end just researching and learning about all its wonders whenever I got the chance. I find the Syro Malabar Liturgy extremely beautiful, especially all of the Malayalam songs that are sung. I truly feel I am with God when I hear the songs and hymns of the Holy Qurbana, I mean to the point where sometimes I feel tears coming out of my eyes. While others in my generation were listening to hip-hop,rap, and other things, I would be searching up and listening to the beautiful songs of the Syro Malabar Church. When other kids of my generation found going to the Knanaya Church too long and boring, and instead went to Latin Mass, I would attend Knanaya Qurbana.
I feel extremely tied to the Holy Qurbana, I feel more than others. When we would have family prayer at home, ever after everyone had finished praying I would continue on. And even so I would pray once more in my room before I went to bed, as I feel connected to the Holy Qurbana I feel connected to Christ. There have been many instances where before I went to bed I would say in my head “nah I dont need to pray tonight, im gonna get to bed” than within the next 5 minutes I would be on my knees praying and prostrating. I would think to myself in my head, “So you can sit watching TV for 2 hours but you cant spend even 5 minutes to pray to Christ?”.
Whenever I would attend the Holy Qurbana and see the Knanaya priest in the inspiring red and white vestments of the Syro Malabar Church I would picture myself wearing the vestments and think of what I could do for my church. I truly think I may have a calling from God for the priesthood but I am very confused thought, I don’t know If I could be without the wordly desires priest leave behind but than other times I think I could. I am also a shy person when it comes to public speaking in front of large crowds, and I honestly don’t know if I could give homilies at the top of my head like the priest do during the Qurbana. I also thought to myself, the Syro Malabar Qurbana is said in Malayalam and some Syriac but my Malayalam has never been that great, so how could I recite the prayers?
Though I am a strong Syro Malabar Catholic I am also a very passionate Knanaya Catholic. On a side note I see all the problems that my community faces and I also think if I became a priest I could help my community out very much, for they need a priest who they could look up to. But I really don’t know where to start, I am very confused. What can I do? If this is truly a calling from God, should I contact my local priest? Or should I contact Mar Jacob Angadiath of the Syro Malabar Diocese? I have heard that in order to become a Knanaya Priest you must be ordained within Kottayam Archdiocese by the Knanaya Metropolitan. So should I go to Kottayam and speak to the Metropolitan? I really don’t know what to do guys, is this even a real calling from God? In my heart I have strong feeling that I want to spread the love of Christ through kindness and love, tho I am just not sure.
-Peter Stephen
I’d like to say a bit about myself before I ask my question. My name is Peter Stephen and I’m a Syro Malabar Catholic or more specifically a Knanaya Catholic. My parents came to the U.S in the year 1986 and I was born and raised in New York. I have two older sisters. I am 20 years old now and in my third year of college studying for a Medical Degree. People have always said I am very kind person,very very easy going, and a people person. I have always hated getting into arguments and causing anything that would make a person feel something either than happy. Even if I had been angry at a person I would keep it in myself rather express it to them and make them feel unhappy.
Ever since the 9th grade I have had a very strong interest in the Catholic Church and I would spend hours on end just researching and learning about all its wonders whenever I got the chance. I find the Syro Malabar Liturgy extremely beautiful, especially all of the Malayalam songs that are sung. I truly feel I am with God when I hear the songs and hymns of the Holy Qurbana, I mean to the point where sometimes I feel tears coming out of my eyes. While others in my generation were listening to hip-hop,rap, and other things, I would be searching up and listening to the beautiful songs of the Syro Malabar Church. When other kids of my generation found going to the Knanaya Church too long and boring, and instead went to Latin Mass, I would attend Knanaya Qurbana.
I feel extremely tied to the Holy Qurbana, I feel more than others. When we would have family prayer at home, ever after everyone had finished praying I would continue on. And even so I would pray once more in my room before I went to bed, as I feel connected to the Holy Qurbana I feel connected to Christ. There have been many instances where before I went to bed I would say in my head “nah I dont need to pray tonight, im gonna get to bed” than within the next 5 minutes I would be on my knees praying and prostrating. I would think to myself in my head, “So you can sit watching TV for 2 hours but you cant spend even 5 minutes to pray to Christ?”.
Whenever I would attend the Holy Qurbana and see the Knanaya priest in the inspiring red and white vestments of the Syro Malabar Church I would picture myself wearing the vestments and think of what I could do for my church. I truly think I may have a calling from God for the priesthood but I am very confused thought, I don’t know If I could be without the wordly desires priest leave behind but than other times I think I could. I am also a shy person when it comes to public speaking in front of large crowds, and I honestly don’t know if I could give homilies at the top of my head like the priest do during the Qurbana. I also thought to myself, the Syro Malabar Qurbana is said in Malayalam and some Syriac but my Malayalam has never been that great, so how could I recite the prayers?
Though I am a strong Syro Malabar Catholic I am also a very passionate Knanaya Catholic. On a side note I see all the problems that my community faces and I also think if I became a priest I could help my community out very much, for they need a priest who they could look up to. But I really don’t know where to start, I am very confused. What can I do? If this is truly a calling from God, should I contact my local priest? Or should I contact Mar Jacob Angadiath of the Syro Malabar Diocese? I have heard that in order to become a Knanaya Priest you must be ordained within Kottayam Archdiocese by the Knanaya Metropolitan. So should I go to Kottayam and speak to the Metropolitan? I really don’t know what to do guys, is this even a real calling from God? In my heart I have strong feeling that I want to spread the love of Christ through kindness and love, tho I am just not sure.
-Peter Stephen
Praise be to God for your possible vocation! 
