ASIA/INDIA - SYRO-MALABAR CATHOLIC CHURCH GRANTED FULL AUTONOMY FOR ELECTING BISHOPS IN ITS TERRITORY

Trichur (Fides Service ) – The Synod of Syro-Malabar Bishops now has full autonomy for appointing bishops and creating Eparchies. This was granted by the Holy See with a decree which the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, presented to Archbishop Major of Ernakulam-Angamaly, Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, of Syro-Malabar Christians, during a meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India taking place in Trichur, Kerala, 7 to14 January
Introducing the decree Cardinal Moussa I Daoud, said that when in 1993 the Holy See recognised the Syro-Malabar community as a Major Archbishopric matters of liturgy and the creation of new Eparchies (dioceses) and election of bishops were not included. Reservations with regard the Liturgy were removed in 1998, and now the Pope has revoked also the restriction on matters of Eparchies and bishops.
This means the Synod may freely legislate in matter of liturgy according to majority votes. It is free to make of list of candidate bishops make necessary inquiries from bishops, priests and responsible members of the laity select the candidates by majority votes and submit the name to the Pope for approval.
(PA) (Fides Service 13/1/2004 lines 25 words 249)