Challenges faced by the Church have deep spiritual dimensions, says Thattil

The 34th Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church was held on Wednesday, January 7, 2025, at St. Mary’s Church, the church’s headquarters in Kakkanad. It was opened by Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil on Mount Thomas.

In his opening remarks, Church spokesman Mar Thattil highlighted the recent growth in the Church’s pastoral mission, including the demarcation of 12 dioceses, the creation of four new ecclesiastical regions outside Kerala and the appointment of an apostolic visitor to the faithful in the Gulf region.

The Archbishop called on the Church to view the challenges it faces not as merely administrative matters but as matters of deep spiritual significance. The synod meeting began on Tuesday, January 6, 2025, with a spiritual session led by Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany, secretary of the Syro-Malabar Synod of Bishops. Bishops attending the synod spent the first day in meditation and prayer.

The meeting will end on January 10. About 53 bishops from home and abroad participate in the synod.