Endogamous Parishes Restored For Knanaya Catholics In North America

[Thomas48]

I am overjoyed to say that by God’s grace the thirty year battle between the North American Knanaya Diaspora and the Syro Malabar Hierarchy is finally over. Because of the strong stance taken by Mar Mathew Moolakkattu, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kottayam Knanaya Catholic Diocese, the Syro Malabar Synod decreed that Knanaya Parishes in North America will be granted full endogamous rights like that of Kottayam Metropolitan Diocese. The new decree was officially signed by Maran Mar George Alencherry, Mar Mathew Moolakkattu, and Mar Jacob Angadiath. Praise God and I would like to thank Mar Matthew Moolakkattu for strongly defending the Knanaya Catholic Community world wide. I have pasted below the information from the official decree, the data was sent to me by Fr. Stephen J. Vettuvelil a priest of Kottayam Archdiocese in his letter stated “An Appeal”.

Decree:
22nd synod, 2nd session
Port. No. 1546
Personal parish for Knanaya Catholics
---------------------------------------------------------
(Consensus arrived during 22nd Synod 2014, Aug.18-30)
Personal Parish for Knanaya Catholics will have only Knanaya Catholics as its members. If a Knanaya catholic belonging to the Knanaya Parish enters in to marriage with a non-Knanaya partner, that non-Knanaya partner and the children from that marriage will not become member of the Knanaya Parish. But will remain member of the local non-Knanaya Syro Malabar Parish.

Signed : George Cardinal Alencherry-Major Archbishop, Syro-malabar Church
Mar Jacob Angadiath, Bishop of St.Thomas Syro-malabar Diocese of Chicago
Mar Mathew Moolakkat, Archbishop of Kottayam Metropolitan Diocese

---

Reported By
Fr. Stephen J. Vettuvelil
Priest of Kottayam Archdiocese
MSP Seminary
S.H. Mount –PO
Kottayam-6
Date : 17-09-2014

 

[Vico]

…
Personal Parish for Knanaya Catholics will have only Knanaya Catholics as its members. If a Knanaya catholic belonging to the Knanaya Parish enters in to marriage with a non-Knanaya partner, that non-Knanaya partner and the children from that marriage will not become member of the Knanaya Parish. But will remain member of the local non-Knanaya Syro Malabar Parish…

A very interesting solution which does not involve Church* sui iuris* enrollment.

 

[Medical_Student]

Wow, this is such excellent news.

I am regular Syro Malabar but raised in a Latin rite parish in the US, born in America. But I’ve recently grown to appreciate Catholicism much more. All praise to the Indian Church!

 

[Rocks_91]

First I have heard of this, but it seems strange that the Church would allow a specific endogamous group a ‘personal parish’, even exclude anyone who inter-marries… Seems very strange to me.

 

[Thomas48]

First I have heard of this, but it seems strange that the Church would allow a specific endogamous group a ‘personal parish’, even exclude anyone who inter-marries… Seems very strange to me.

Hello Dear Friend,

I would like to make a point clear that a Knanaya is a Knanaya till death. If a Knanaya Catholic marries Non-Knanaya, he has the choice to stay at the Knanaya Parish or join the parish of his spouse. The majority of the individuals who marry out join the parish of the spouse to keep family unity, this is also what is recommenced. A document called PLEK (Permission to Leave the Eparchy of Kottayam) is given in Kottayam Archdiocese when a person marries out and chooses to have his membership records transferred to the church/diocese of his spouse.

What this decree affirms is the fact that Knanaya parishes are only for Knanaya Catholics following the fundamentals of this age old community and the same practice as Kottayam Knanaya Catholic Archdiocese. These personal parishes have been allowed by the Roman Church since the 1500’s when the Portuguese noticed there was an endogamous group among the Thomas Christians. When Knanayas first arrived in the U.S in the 1980’s, the Vatican stated we may not bring our endogamous practices with us. We did not understand this barring of tradition, why would Rome allow us to practice in India but not in the United States? Finally in 2014, after almost thirty years of pleas from the Knanaya Catholic community the Syro Malabar Church Synod reverted the decree by the Vatican in 1986. Now the community may practice full endogamy just like that of Kottayam Archdiocese.

 

[job1959]

When a Knanaya Catholic man from a Kottayam Archdiocese church marries women who are not Knanaya, the Kottayam Archdiocese church expels this family from his parish from Kottayam Archdiocese church. Kottayam diocese expels members selectively on the basis of racial considerations, which is clearly unchristian. This unchristian practice must be urgently taken up for serious discussions and speedy resolution in the on going Family Synod in Vatican as it divides the Knanaya Catholic families all around the world. This is the fervent prayer of Knanaya Catholic Renewal Movement in Kerala & the Knanaya Association of North America.

By nature Church is to be universal and protection of any kind of racial purity or bloodline is unchristian. Considerations like class, caste, race, creed, community, nationality are totally alien to the church. Through baptism all become equal members of the church. This is Church teaching. “All of you are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. All baptized in Christ, you have clothed yourselves in Christ and there is no more distinctions between Jew & Greek, slave & free, male & female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus. Merely by belonging to Christ you are the posterity of Abraham, the heirs he has promised.” Gal 3, 26-29. Evidently protection of class, caste or racial divisions in church is unchristian. The Practice of expulsion of Knanaya Catholics based on their marriage to non-Knanaya from Kottayam diocese is diametrically opposed to Christian values.

Recently, the Syro-Malabar Synod decreed that Knanaya Parishes in North America will be granted full endogamous rights like that of Kottayam Metropolitan Diocese in Kerala, India. The three shepherds, Mar George Alencherry, Mar Mathew Moolakkattu, and Mar Jacob Angadiath officially signed the new decree, which burdened the Knanaya faithful and ‘thwart’ God by not being guided by the Holy Spirit. This decree is against the teaching of Jesus and divides the Catholic Family unit by splitting families based on purity of blood with one spouse being in being in one parish and another spouse and children belonging to another parish forced & separated by the law of endogamy & the new decree. It is the belief KCNS & KANA that the above signatories of the decree, do not heed to the prophet Ezekiel’s warning about shepherds who care for themselves and not their sheep, and become tempted by “greed for money and power.”

The pope surely want to hear about what these bad shepherds are doing to Syro-Malabar Christians by endorsing the practice of endogamy which not according to the teachings of Jesus christ. Universal Catholic church cannot and should not endorse endogamy as it goes against the teaching of Jesus Christ.

 

[Thomas48]

Just to make a point clear, KANA and KCNS are two small minority groups mainly those who married out of the Knanaya community. They are united in the fact that they believe that Knanaya Catholics should be Non-Endogamous and I will say that they are completely endowed to have their own opinion. **The Knanaya Community believes in exactly the opposite, that the endogamous nature of our Archdiocese and Parishes must always be upheld. **

These organizations believe Kottayam Archdiocese is “alien to Christianity and humanity” (KCNS, 2012.) Like I have reiterated many times on these forums, the Catholic Church and the Syriac Orthodox Church has always stood by Kottayam and Chingavanam (Knanaya Syriac Orthodox) Diocese for its growth and prosper. Not to mention the fact that the late St. Pope John Paul II stated when elevating Kottayam Eparchy, “the status quo of Kottayam Eparchy must always be maintained in its custom and tradition”. In every community there are dissenting groups but I would like to make it clear that KCNS and KANA do have the right to there own opinion. It should also be noted that KCNS and KANA are technically not Knanaya, they are those who chose to marry out of our community.

Citation-

KCNS. (2012.) History. Retrieved From kcnsindia.com/history/

 

[Thomas48]

When a Knanaya Catholic man from a Kottayam Archdiocese church marries women who are not Knanaya, the Kottayam Archdiocese church expels this family from his parish from Kottayam Archdiocese church. Kottayam diocese expels members selectively on the basis of racial considerations, which is clearly unchristian. This unchristian practice must be urgently taken up for serious discussions and speedy resolution in the on going Family Synod in Vatican as it divides the Knanaya Catholic families all around the world. This is the fervent prayer of Knanaya Catholic Renewal Movement in Kerala & the Knanaya Association of North America.

By nature Church is to be universal and protection of any kind of racial purity or bloodline is unchristian. Considerations like class, caste, race, creed, community, nationality are totally alien to the church. Through baptism all become equal members of the church. This is Church teaching. “All of you are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. All baptized in Christ, you have clothed yourselves in Christ and there is no more distinctions between Jew & Greek, slave & free, male & female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus. Merely by belonging to Christ you are the posterity of Abraham, the heirs he has promised.” Gal 3, 26-29. Evidently protection of class, caste or racial divisions in church is unchristian. The Practice of expulsion of Knanaya Catholics based on their marriage to non-Knanaya from Kottayam diocese is diametrically opposed to Christian values.

Recently, the Syro-Malabar Synod decreed that Knanaya Parishes in North America will be granted full endogamous rights like that of Kottayam Metropolitan Diocese in Kerala, India. The three shepherds, Mar George Alencherry, Mar Mathew Moolakkattu, and Mar Jacob Angadiath officially signed the new decree, which burdened the Knanaya faithful and ‘thwart’ God by not being guided by the Holy Spirit. This decree is against the teaching of Jesus and divides the Catholic Family unit by splitting families based on purity of blood with one spouse being in being in one parish and another spouse and children belonging to another parish forced & separated by the law of endogamy & the new decree. It is the belief KCNS & KANA that the above signatories of the decree, do not heed to the prophet Ezekiel’s warning about shepherds who care for themselves and not their sheep, and become tempted by “greed for money and power.”

The pope surely want to hear about what these bad shepherds are doing to Syro-Malabar Christians by endorsing the practice of endogamy which not according to the teachings of Jesus christ. Universal Catholic church cannot and should not endorse endogamy as it goes against the teaching of Jesus Christ.

Just to make a point clear, KANA and KCNS are two small minority groups mainly those who married out of the Knanaya community. They are united in the fact that they believe that Knanaya Catholics should be Non-Endogamous and I will say that they are completely endowed to have their own opinion. **The Knanaya Community however believes in exactly the opposite, that the endogamous nature of our Archdiocese and Parishes must always be upheld. **

I would like to reiterate the fact that no Catholic Diocese can “kick members out”. Kottayam Diocese works under the Catholic Church in the fact that those Knananites who marry out have the choice to transfer their membership for the sake of family unity. However their spouses and children can never be members of Kottayam Diocese or Knanaya Parishes. For this reason many who marry out of the community join the churches of their Non-Knanaya spouses. However that being said, the individual is still Knanaya no matter what marital status, he or she has the birth rite of being a Knanaya.

 

[job1959]

KCNS & KANA is not making their own point of view, but they are proclaiming the view of Jesus Christ & what he taught through the Bible. KCNS is a prophetic movement that many fail to realize. There are many Knanaya couples that have not married form outside the community in this movement and the movement is not just formed by those who have married from outside the community. They all live according to the word of God and are guided by the Holy Spirit and not by Kna spirit.

The fundamental Knanaya community believes exactly opposite of what Jesus wants the Knanaya community to do and wants the church to practice endogamy, which Jesus abhors. Jesus welcomes all his children to his kingdom but not the Knanaya community. Today if Jesus were to appear before the Knanaya community and tell them to give up their practice of endogamy in his church they will not listen to Jesus. If he sends his prophets to warn the Knanaya community about their endogamous practice within their church, they will persecute and probably kidnap, drug them, shave their heads & even beat them up. Probably this would have happened already to many prophetic preachers in Kerala. If the Pope prevents them from practicing endogamy through a decree from Rome they will not even listen to the Pope.

How can the Knanaya community be called Catholic? If they openly admit that they will not even listen to the pope with regards to practice of endogamy. Then they should be children of Satan, or rather children of the evil Kna Spirit. Clandestinely the evil kna spirits rule the evil kingdom of Kottayam Diocese and keep all subjects under his spell & control. The evil Kna spirit wants to spread it’s tentacles across the world by influencing all the bad Syro-Malabar shepherds who are greedy for money & power as the Pope recently mentioned in his opening Homily in the Family Synod in Vatican.

Could this be one way of increasing Satan’s influence within the catholic church as indicated in the 3rd Secret of Lucy? Is this why the pope wants all to listen carefully to all the participants during this Family synod in Vatican? May the Holy Spirit open the ears & eyes of the participants of the second part Family Synod in Vatican so that all can see the spread of the tentacles of the evil one within the Catholic Church and be alert?

 

[Catechesis]

KCNS & KANA is not making their own point of view, but they are proclaiming the view of Jesus Christ & what he taught through the Bible. KCNS is a prophetic movement that many fail to realize. There are many Knanaya couples that have not married form outside the community in this movement and the movement is not just formed by those who have married from outside the community. They all live according to the word of God and are guided by the Holy Spirit and not by Kna spirit.

The fundamental Knanaya community believes exactly opposite of what Jesus wants the Knanaya community to do and wants the church to practice endogamy, which Jesus abhors. Jesus welcomes all his children to his kingdom but not the Knanaya community. Today if Jesus were to appear before the Knanaya community and tell them to give up their practice of endogamy in his church they will not listen to Jesus. If he sends his prophets to warn the Knanaya community about their endogamous practice within their church, they will persecute and probably kidnap, drug them, shave their heads & even beat them up. Probably this would have happened already to many prophetic preachers in Kerala. If the Pope prevents them from practicing endogamy through a decree from Rome they will not even listen to the Pope.

How can the Knanaya community be called Catholic? If they openly admit that they will not even listen to the pope with regards to practice of endogamy. Then they should be children of Satan, or rather children of the evil Kna Spirit. Clandestinely the evil kna spirits rule the evil kingdom of Kottayam Diocese and keep all subjects under his spell & control. The evil Kna spirit wants to spread it’s tentacles across the world by influencing all the bad Syro-Malabar shepherds who are greedy for money & power as the Pope recently mentioned in his opening Homily in the Family Synod in Vatican.

Could this be one way of increasing Satan’s influence within the catholic church as indicated in the 3rd Secret of Lucy? Is this why the pope wants all to listen carefully to all the participants during this Family synod in Vatican? May the Holy Spirit open the ears & eyes of the participants of the second part Family Synod in Vatican so that all can see the spread of the tentacles of the evil one within the Catholic Church and be alert?

Please comment more respectfully. Calling a Catholic Archdiocese and all of its people “evil” and “children of Satan” are against the rules of the Catholic Answers Forums. Also you should not call Syro Malabar Shepherds greedy for money and power, this is also against the rules of these forums. The user Thomas was kind enough to comment in a polite manner, please do the same when stating your opinions.

**Forum Rules

1. Messages posted to this board must be polite and free of personal attacks, threats, and crude or sexually-explicit language. See the Concierge Desk sub-forum for more information.
2. Terms of derision, derogatory remarks, baiting, and inflammatory statements are prohibited.
3. Members are not allowed to be disrespectful of anyone’s faith or religion, whether it is Catholicism or not.**

I felt the need to comment here because I have journeyed around and visited so many different Catholics of different cultures and different faiths. When I was in Chicago I got the chance to visit the Knanaya Catholic Church there, the people were as kind and inviting as any other Catholic Community. They even sat me down and taught me soo many different things about Knanaya culture and the Syro Malabar Church. I being the Caucasian male I am tried my best to follow .

The people were more than nice, I remember one of the elder women even invited me over to her home after the Holy Qurbana had ended. I know about the Knanaiys endogamy tradition and though I may not be too fond of it, I don’t think this one factor should define the entire community. Even though have this old custom of endogamy, the Knanaya are welcoming and kind as any Catholic should be. This is just my two cents from a personal experience I had. Thanks

 

[job1959]

Thank you for the post, I myself am a Knanaya & a member of the Kottayam Diocese. I too have many Knanaya relatives who are spiritual loving & kind who are kananya members. I love them unconditionally as they are, but I hate their evil endogamous practice of throwing their own children out of their own church & house just because they marry other believers who are catholics. Just like Pope is urging us to love the gay community with compassion but not their act, so too we want to love knanaya community(my community) but not their evil practice of excommunication and throwing them out of their church. Pope has admitted that there are Powerful and greedy Shepards within the catholic church and he has asked all his Bishops to open their ears and listen without being hurt by their points being raised or their tone of putting their point forward. So too I request all not to be perturbed by reality which can sometime seem as being un-polite. So please listen to the other side’s point of view without being disturbed as the Holy Pope urged his Bishops during Vatican Synod.

Here is a more polite version on the same point of view written by very spiritual Catholic Father preacher whom I known for long & is given below.

""The existence of a diocese based on endogamy is ridiculous and it is a shame for the church to uphold it today as it stands against Gods will and the teaching of Jesus Christ. Catholic Church never permitted a diocese in the world based on blood purity of a race or a tribe. But the diocese of Kottayam is an exception! We must know that the Christian missionaries in India are persecuted and even martyred as they are fighting against the cast system in the society, which brings much discrimination and inequality among the people. Christians believe that the blood that runs through a baptized Christian is the Blood of Christ that brought salvation and that all have the same blood which also is an added reason for unity. The Christians becomes Christ’s own by having participation in the same blood of Christ that is shed on Calvary. The argument of endogamy fanatics says that Pope St. Pius gave the Xth the Diocese of Kottayam for the Kananites. We must know all that the Popes or saints have spoken or done have no infallibility! They too were sinners and humans like any one of us while they lived on earth, and the history shows that they too had committed blunders.

Those who have learned anthropology can know that in human history no race or tribe retained blood purity even for a hundred years! It is well known that the Kananites lived amidst the ’ Vadakkumbhagar’ of other dioceses for centuries and to say that none of them ever committed adultery to lose the purity of blood stands contrary to human history and anthropology. It is time that this diocese should stand like any other diocese in the church discarding endogamy; and if the endogamists want to keep their identity they may keep the social and cultural aspect of it in the political society but not in the holy Catholic Church. The fanatics of endogamy brings many false arguments quoting second Vatican council and other documents to substantiate and support their stand but we must know that all lies comes from Satan because He is a liar and father of lies! ( Jn 8:44)""

 

[Thomas48]

Thanks you for those kind words Catechesis, I pray one day that more people can experience my community like you did.

Dear Job, I understand your views towards the community and I am saddened that a Knanaya Catholic would speak such ways about his own people. Endogamy was practiced by this community from the earliest centuries to today to maintain their distinct customs and traditions. Pre- 1900’s the Knanaya Community owned five churches, while the Thomas Christians owned hundreds. You can only imagine the size ratio between the two communities. If our forefathers had not practiced endogamy there would definitely not be a Knanaya Community in existence today. This community would have long ago been absorbed by the larger Thomas Christians and perhaps even by other neighbors like Hindus and Muslims.

I must ask, what are the so called “greedy shepherds” gaining from helping Knanaya Catholics? The Syro Malabar hierarchy has stood along side Kottayam Diocese since its existence. Every bishop and priest of our church must be greedy and evil if your opinions are true because all of our clergy accepts and recognizes Kottayam Diocese and Knanaya People. I would please advise you not speak about our clergy in such ways, a bishop or a priest are the instruments of God. Just because the people of Kottayam practice endogamy does not mean the we are not Christians or Catholics. Did you know that Kottayam Diocese has one of the most missionary activities present than the rest of our Syro Malabar Diocese’? The Holy See and the Syriac Orthodox Church both have pushed for the growth of Kottayam and Chingavanam Diocese’. If the Church accepts us, that who else do we need to answer to? Even in the Re-Script of 1986 in the United States, the Holy See never said not to practice endogamy, they simply said don’t transfer the membership of those who married out. The Re-Script clearly stated that Knanaya Churches are only for Knanaya People. **Today the Syro Malabar Church has granted full endogamous rights to the Knanaya Catholics in the United States. This is a decision of a Holy Synod.
**
“The Knanaya Community is the integral part of the Syro Malabar Church” - Major Archbishop Mar George Alencherry.

 

[IAM2014]

Thanks you for those kind words Catechesis, I pray one day that more people can experience my community like you did.

Dear Job, I understand your views towards the community and I am saddened that a Knanaya Catholic would speak such ways about his own people. Endogamy was practiced by this community from the earliest centuries to today to maintain their distinct customs and traditions. Pre- 1900’s the Knanaya Community owned five churches, while the Thomas Christians owned hundreds. You can only imagine the size ratio between the two communities. If our forefathers had not practiced endogamy there would definitely not be a Knanaya Community in existence today. This community would have long ago been absorbed by the larger Thomas Christians and perhaps even by other neighbors like Hindus and Muslims.

I must ask, what are the so called “greedy shepherds” gaining from helping Knanaya Catholics? The Syro Malabar hierarchy has stood along side Kottayam Diocese since its existence. Every bishop and priest of our church must be greedy and evil if your opinions are true because all of our clergy accepts and recognizes Kottayam Diocese and Knanaya People. I would please advise you not speak about our clergy in such ways, a bishop or a priest are the instruments of God. Just because the people of Kottayam practice endogamy does not mean the we are not Christians or Catholics. Did you know that Kottayam Diocese has one of the most missionary activities present than the rest of our Syro Malabar Diocese’? The Holy See and the Syriac Orthodox Church both have pushed for the growth of Kottayam and Chingavanam Diocese’. If the Church accepts us, that who else do we need to answer to? Even in the Re-Script of 1986 in the United States, the Holy See never said not to practice endogamy, they simply said don’t transfer the membership of those who married out. The Re-Script clearly stated that Knanaya Churches are only for Knanaya People. **Today the Syro Malabar Church has granted full endogamous rights to the Knanaya Catholics in the United States. This is a decision of a Holy Synod. **

“The Knanaya Community is the integral part of the Syro Malabar Church” - Major Archbishop Mar George Alencherry.

Thomas I’m sure you admitted in a different thread, some time ago that your communities dna is not fully endogomouse but has some india blood. Therefore what endogamy and pur it are you talking about for hundreds of years? How are you different from the rest?

 

[Thomas48]

Thomas I’m sure you admitted in a different thread, some time ago that your communities dna is not fully endogomouse but has some india blood. Therefore what endogamy and pur it are you talking about for hundreds of years? How are you different from the rest?

Dear Friend, these are posts of mine from another thread.

1.

I for one have always been a Knanaya who doesn’t care about our origins but has a great love for our numerous cultural practices. The problem with Knanaya history is that our origins are very very unclear due to only an oral tradition and lack of written records. There are numerous theories to our emergence, these are a few.

-A converted Hindu sect who joined the Thomas Christians.
-A group of Middle Eastern Christians who traveled with the merchant Knai Thoma and bishop Urha Mar Yoseph to India in order to strengthen Christianity.
-A community from Tamil Nadu who joined the Thomas Christians.
-A branch off of the Jews of Kerala who converted to Christianity and joined the Thomas Christians.

These theories are the few that I have heard, if there are more I do not know. Out of these theories the most famous and in stone is that the Knanayas are Middle Eastern Christians who traveled with merchant Knai Thoma to Kerala to strengthen Christianity. Interestingly enough, the Knanaya Christians narrate this theory in their many ancient traditional songs. Also the majority of the Knanaya songs narrate many stories and parts of the Old Testament. This theory of origins is what Kottayam Archdiocese is based off of and is also written into the official history of the Syro Malabar Church and Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church.

2.

Whatever the origins of endogamy in the community is unknown, the most pushed theory is that the Knanaya were a group of Middle Eastern migrants who traveled with a Syrian Merchant by the name of Knai Thoma and established their own churches along side the Thomas Christians. Knanaya oral tradition greatly supports this theory. Other theories are that the Knanaya were a Hindu Community who joined the Thomas Christians. Another is that the Knanaya were a break a way group from the Jews of Kerala. Whatever the origin of the community, all that is known is that they always made sure to preserve their identity through endogamy. In the 1500’s the Portuguese called Knanayas, " The Children of Knai Thoma" and the other native Christians “Children of St. Thomas”. Even in Portuguese records they numerously state that the Knanaya were a closed community and did not allow others to enter their churches. They also noted that the Knanaya had very peculiar and pagan (In Portuguese eyes) customs and traditions.