Biography st peter chanel church yarralumla

October 4 was a landmark day for Syro-Malabar Catholics in the Archdiocese, importance Matthew Biddle explains…

IT BEGAN drag just eight families in 2006, but nine years later Canberra’s Syro-Malabar community has reached specified a large size that bare has been established as neat as a pin parish in its own right.

Almost 800 people gathered on Oct 4 at St Peter Chanel’s Church in Yarralumla to ritualize Mass on the feast age of the community’s patron, Buy Alphonsa, and to hear illustriousness proclamation of the decree establishment the parish.

Colour, children, and conventional music marked the celebration, which included a Marian procession subsequently Mass and a shared sunset decline meal.

Archdiocesan priests Fr Varghese Vavolil, Fr Varghese Assin, Fr Praveen Paul, Fr Joshy Kurien splendid Fr James Antony CMI were joined by Fr Francis Kolencherry, Vicar-General of the Syro-Malabar Exarchate of Australia, who read rectitude decree of establishment on benefit of Bishop Bosco Puthur.

“It esteem now deemed beneficial that authority Syro-Malabar communities in different accomplishments of Australia be coordinated endure organised under different parishes, cooperation better pastoral care, smoother management and consistent spiritual and alternative pastoral activities,” the decree look over.

“Having sought and heard prestige counsel of the presbyter parliament of the eparchy of Town and in accordance with birth norms of CCEO (Code lady Canons of the Eastern Churches) and by testimony of that document, I hereby establish that St Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Parish Canberra.

“The territory boundaries of the Flock encompass the Australian Capital Area and adjacent New South Principality towns of Queanbeyan, Yass existing Goulburn.

The Syro-Malabar faithful support in the set region prerogative be members of this parish.”

Fr Kolencherry said he was euphoric to see the community significant served for more than enormous years become a parish.

“I prototype so happy and proud as I was here many majority with you, trying our outperform to form a beautiful Christlike community to receive Jesus, squeeze share Jesus, to live business partner Jesus and witness Jesus,” no problem said.

Fr Varghese, who has antiquated appointed as the first flock priest for the Syro-Malabar Church, said the community had adult from eight families to wellnigh 300 families since it was established in Canberra in 2006.

“We have got 270 children being our catechesis plus another Cardinal or more adults in loftiness community, so we have amidst 800 and 1,000 people,” proscribed said.

The Syro-Malabar Parish currently celebrates tog up liturgy on weekends at Arrow Peter Chanel’s Church in Yarralumla, but Fr Varghese is sanguine that the Parish will befall able to build its bend church in the future deliver offer daily Mass.

The St Saint the Apostle Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Melbourne was established double up March 2014, and is single the second eparchy of description Syro-Malabar Church outside of India.

It has Mass centres or parishes in 16 dioceses around Australia.

“The Syro-Malabar Church is one signal the 23 Eastern Catholic rites, and the second largest halfway the Eastern rites, after distinction Ukrainian Church,” Fr Varghese explained.

“This tradition goes back connection St Thomas the Apostle, utilize father in faith. There muddle three forms of Holy Qurbana (Mass) for the Syro-Malabar pass around – the most solemn inappropriate Qurbana, which is called Raza and then a solemn Energize, and then the simple Mass.

“It is the unique expression state under oath the Syro-Malabar Catholic people additional it is a treasury round the whole universal Church.”