Syro-Malabar Church synod for action on buffer zone

KOCHI: The two-week-long 30th Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church began at Mount St Thomas in Kochi on Tuesday. Inaugurating the second session of the Synod, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church Cardinal Mar George Alencherry asked the Central government to take immediate action to resolve the buffer zone issue which is of great concern to the farmers and the crises making the lives of coastal residents miserable.

The cardinal pointed out that the people in the affected areas are worried about the negligence on the part of the government in making timely interventions in the problems faced by farmers and coastal residents.
He pointed out that the declaration of sainthood of Devasahayam Pillai and the declaration of the blessed status of Sister Maria Celine Kannanayake are blessings given by God to the Bharat Sabha.

He congratulated the bishops on the occasion of jubilee and New Year. Fifty-one Syro-Malabar bishops are participating in the synod meeting which started with meditation led by Hosur diocesan Mar Sebastian Pozholiparam.

The conference will discuss the revision of the curricula of clerical training and the 16th Ordinary Synod of bishops on ‘Synodality’ announced by Pope Francis. Various other topics will also be discussed in the coming days.