Königstein, Germany. 2007-06-06 - His Beatitude Baselios Mar Cleemis, whoin February this year was appointed as Major Archbishop of Trivandrum in southern India, and thus also as the new head of the Malankara Catholic Church -- an Eastern Catholic church in communion with Rome -- was encouraged by the Pope in his commitment for Christian unity. This information was given by Archbishop Cleemis himself, who now bears the official title of "Catholicos", to the international Catholic pastoral charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). In a personal meeting with Pope Benedict XVI on 28 May this year the Holy Father had told him that the presence and witness of the Syro Malankara Church was vital and had urged him to continue the dialogue both with our Christian sister churches and with the non-Christian religious communities. Archbishop Cleemis in turn had thanked the Holy Father for his commitment to Christian unity.
Speaking to ACN, Isaac Mar Cleemis expressed his longing for Eucharistic unity between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches, while preserving the individual traditions and forms of expression of the various different rites. He would be "the happiest man in the world", if this were to come about, he said. Indeed, if necessary, he would even be prepared to resign from his office in order to achieve this goal. He himself was convinced that unity would come one day. In Kerala, where the Catholic Church of various different rites coexists alongside Orthodox churches, the collaboration between them was already very good, he added. Thus Christians of the various different denominations were co-operating more and more closely together, especially in the field of the Bible and family apostolate, the formation of youth and the commitment for the defence of human life.
Read story at the ACN (Aid to the Church in Need) website (a new window will open).