THE FIRST EVER SYNOD OF THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ARCHDIOCESE

THE FIRST EVER SYNOD OF THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ARCHDIOCESE

Kollam Bishop Stanley Roman opens Synod of Thiruvananthapuram Latin Catholic Archdiocese The first ever Synod of the 75-year-old Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese of the Catholic Church (Latin rite) began here on Sunday20th May,2012, with Kollam Bishop Stanley Roman calling for a qualitative change in the approach to the day-to-day affairs of the Church.Inaugurating the five-day Synod at the Vellayambalam Animation Centre here, Bishop Roman said functioning of parishes across the Church had been reduced to mere routine affairs. Bishop Roman also said there would be human weaknesses affecting the Church, which was why rectifications were always welcome. The Synod, before which a comprehensive document detailing the functioning, achievements, shortcomings and requirements of the Church was prepared, would offer new light on the future, he added.

The Synod, to be on till May 25 and attended by over a 100 delegates representing the clergy, the laity and other sections of the archdiocese, had a pontifical Mass, led by Thiruvananthapuram Archbishop M. Susaipakiam at the Palayam St. Joseph's Cathedral, prior to the inauguration. The event, happening on the occasion of the 50 anniversary of the Second Vatican Council of 1962, is stated to be a major milestone in the history of the archdiocese, with discussions and decisions at the Synod to guide the Church's activities over the next 25 years. It is themed on neo evangelicalism in the background of the current circumstances in the Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese. The inauguration was presided over by Archbishop Susaipakiam.

Prof. John Kurakar