Syro Malabar Doctors Forum :Ethical and Moral issues in Health care in a Catholic perspective, 02 November 2019

 Syro Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain Doctors Forum: Moral and Ethical Issues in health care from a Catholic perspective, 02 November 2019

I am very grateful to Bishop Mar Joseph Srampikkal, the Eparchial Bishop of the Syro Malabar Church in Great Britain for his initiative in organising this event for the Doctors of the Eparchy. This shows his enthusiasm to meet different strata of the faithful in this young eparchy and listen to them. This was seen in the eparchial gathering of 2017 also. Mar Srampikkal is an example of one of the shepherds who want to know the flock and to have the smell of the flock as Pope Francis said recently.

The second Vatican council and the post-conciliar documents exhort for prompt actions for promotion and observance of the rites of the Eastern Catholic faithful in a foreign land as the patrimony of the Universal Church of Christ. The Universal Catholic church teaches that all the liturgical, spiritual theological and canonical traditions of Eastern Churches be preserved and nourished. Therefore, the one and the only reason for the presence of Syro Malabar Church and its Eparchy in the UK  is the promotion and protection of the ecclesial traditions of the Apostolic Church of Saint Thomas Christians.

Before the establishment of the Eparchy, the Syro Malabar faithful were organised as Malayali communities with a chaplain with a theme of pastoral care in Malayalam. They functioned as 'ethnolinguistic' communities within the Catholic church of Britain. It is sad to note that widespread liturgical abuses were very common. There were no serious efforts to promote the spirituality and identity of the sui iuris particular church in the foreign land.

With the establishment of the Eparchy, the Syro Malabar Church in the UK is thriving in her spirituality and identity. We have seen a great leap from an ethnolinguistic community to a Particular church with a Bishop. Parishes and Mission centres were established with a regular celebration of Holy Qurbana according to the decisions of the Holy Synod and regular catechism classes in each centre.  Eparchial gathering of 2017 to listen to the faithful and establishment of different laity organisations were great efforts to promote laity involvement in the Eparchy.  Yearly Bible conventions, yearly Biblical art festivals and efforts for the faith formation of adults by organising theology classes are all wonderful catechetical activities.

Promotion of Syriac traditions is also given due importance in the Eparchy. A Syriac music seminar and Syriac music festival was organised in Gloucester in July 2018 and Bishop Srampikkal attended all along to support. Another event to felicitate Professor Sebastian Brock and Professor David Taylor, famous academics from Oxford University, in December 2018 was organised to keep a strong bond with the academics. These were great initiatives from the new Eparchy. Syriac chants are sung in the liturgy on important feasts and festivals.

The identity and individuality of the Syro Malabar Church have become more prominently visible among the native English Catholics.

What Next?

Syro Malabar Church in the UK has a significant role in the revival of the Catholic church in the country. There are several ethnic groups in the Catholic Church in Great Britain such as the Polish catholic group, Philippino catholic group, Tamil, Vietnamese etc with their own clergy and churches but  Syro Malabar Church is unique that it is a particular church with its autonomy, theology and spirituality.

Comparing to other ethnic groups, the English Catholic Church is hopeful that the Syro Malabar Church would lead a new revival with a different Eastern spirituality in England. The English church is very supportive of the Syro Malabar Church and spirituality, and insists that the Liturgy and sacraments of Syro Malabar Church are promoted and nourished in England. Preserving and upholding the authentic spirituality of the Syro Malabar Church is a strong witnessing of the Judeo Christian movement of the Apostles.  It will be a unique spiritual experience to the native English people who are only familiar with the Hellenised Latin West and the Greek East rather than the Judeo Christian Syriac Orient.  It will be a great opportunity for the Syro Malabar Eparchy and faithful to witness and promote faith transmission in the Syriac spirituality to the native English people too. This can lead to another revival like the Oxford Movement in the 19th century lead by Cardinal John Henry Newman who has been canonised by the Universal Church as a Saint just a few weeks ago.

To achieve this, the Syro Malabar Church in the UK has to come out of the Malayalam identity. Syro Malabar Church has become a global church now with eparchies in 4 out of 6 continents with human habitation in the World. The The church should not limit itself into the Malayalam language and culture. The new generation Syro Malabar faithful are more comfortable and more fluent in English. There is a strong need for the Eucharistic Liturgy in the English language. The Eparchy of Chicago has realised it already, and they have a bilingual text for Holy Qurbana- in English and Malayalam, not Manglish. This has shown results too. They have a few young Priests now who do not know Malayalam showing that the Malayalam language is not necessary for faith transmission to the next generation in a foreign land and culture.

Liturgical celebration in the English language is a key requirement for the growth of the Church by facilitating faith transmission to the younger generation who are the future of the Church in the country. This will also facilitate faith transmission to the native English people as well.

Upholding the spirituality and identity is also very important for the growth of Syro Malabar Church in the UK. The Church has to provide authentic apostolic spirituality. Majority of the faithful are unaware of the oriental spirituality of the Church.

Popularising the Liturgy of Hours, use of Eastern icons and imagery in the church and appropriate catechetical activities to introduce eastern saints and Church Fathers are important steps. The parishes and Mission centres can be named after eastern Saints and Fathers.

Introducing the unique traditions and feasts are also helpful in the growth of the Church in the UK. Pesaha celebration is already popular in the community. Introduction of great feasts like the three day fast of the Ninevites as celebrated in the ancient Marth Maryam Church of Kuravilangadu in one of our parishes or the Cathedral could be considered seriously with the unique procession with the ship.

Syriac chants and melodies are important in the identity of the spirituality of a Syriac oriental church. Syriac chants are occasionally used in the Eparchy on feast days.  Syriac chants and melodies in the Liturgy can be promoted more widely and a Syriac chant competition can be included in the yearly Biblical art festival.

An oriental study forum can be established for the study of the history and experience the spirituality of the church.

The Eparchial Doctors Forum is a great initiative.  The Medical profession faces many ethical and moral issues in their professional practice. The Eparcnhial gathering of November 2019 rightly addressed this issue by the Seminar on Ethical and Moral isseus in Helathcare in Catholic Perspective. This was lead by Dr Dave Crick who is a retired GP with enormous experience in Clinical practice, working with young Doctors and organising training events in a Catholic perspective. 

 The catechetical and faith formation activities of the forum would help the faithful in the Medical profession to uphold their faith in their professional life and excel as models in their workplace.

Dr.Martin Thomas Antony