(Authored by: Mr. Varghese Daniel
Approved by: Rev. Dr. Kuriakose Thadathil)
The United Kingdom has a rich Christian history and heritage; it is the land of saints and martyrs notably St. Augustine of Canterbury, St. Bede, St. Thomas Moore, St. John Fisher, St. Cuthbert et al. During the nineteenth century hundreds of missionaries travelled from England to all corners of the globe to spread the Gospel and they were very successful witnesses of Christ. They managed to establish Christian faith through love and education. Today, sadly the nation that once stood as a lighthouse of true faith is suffering from great spiritual darkness. We, the Syro-Malankara Catholics are during this situation, and we have two roles to play as followers of Jesus Christ – firstly to sustain and grow in our Catholic faith and traditions by becoming faithful members of Malankara Syrian Catholic family and secondly to evangelise the non-practising Christian population of this great nation.
Venerable Archbishop Mar Ivanios – First Malankara Catholic Missionary
The personal attendance of Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios to the Holy Eucharistic Congress held at Dublin, Ireland in the year 1932 marked the beginning of the current mission work of the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church in England and Ireland. It was an honour not only for the Malankara Catholic Church but for the Indian Church as a whole. As it was very much in the fresh context of the Reunion Movement, the other Delegates received the discussions by Mar Ivanios on the newly re-united Church and its responsibilities in India with utmost curiosity and respect.
The Celebration of the first Holy Malankara Qurbono at the St. Francis Church, AG Gardiner Street in Dublin after the installation as a Metropolitan Archbishop and receiving the Pallium from the Pope was a novel experience for many of the Bishops participating at the Conference. Following the Conference, Venerable Archbishop Mar Ivanios was invited to England to attend the Royal Banquet hosted by King George V.
Although one can believe that nothing happens accidentally, it is evident from history that Mar Ivanios might have foreseen the today’s presence of the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church in England and Ireland. The work-related migration of Keralites, particularly in the health sector and IT field to these countries experienced a significant increase towards the end of the 1990s. From the very onset of this increase in the influx of Keralites and particularly the presence of its members in various places encouraged the Church leadership to ensure that the Malankarites would have access to their rich liturgical patrimony and Church activities.
Malankara Syrian Catholic Church in United Kingdom
Syro-Malankara Catholic Church’s first Catholicos, late Major Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios took the initiative and explored the possibility of serving Malankara Catholics in England. Since the first appointment of the apostolic visitator for North America and Europe , The strategic planning, decision-making and due diligence of the Apostolic Visitator to North America and Europe, Bishop Isaac Mar Cleemis was instrumental to lay the foundation of Malankara Church in UK and Ireland. Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas arrived in London on 4 July 2005 to celebrate his first Holy Mass and to commence the Mission works in this Region.
Notable contributions towards the success of initiating the Mission work in the UK were also made successively by Rt. Rev. Geevarghese Mannikarot Corepiscopo, Rev. Fr. Gigi Philip Charivupurayidom, Rev. Fr. Louis Charuvila Puthenveedu and other visiting priests on various occasions.
In 2009, because of the far reaching visionary, planning and leadership undertaken by Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos with the full support and cooperation from the England and Wales Bishops Conferences resulted in the appointment of a permanent Malankara Catholic priest to serve the Malankara Syrian Catholics in the Region. Hence the diocese of Brentwood appointed Rev. Fr. Daniel Kulangara was the first Malankara Chaplain in July 2009 and he served here as National Coordinator and Special Pastor until December 2016, as he was specially appointed by His Beatitude Baselios Cardinal Cleemis the Major Archbishop – Catholicos.
As per the instruction of His Beatitude Baselios Cardinal Cleemis , The Major Archbishop – Catholicos, on 3 October 2009, Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Mar Thomas, the Apostolic Visitator of Europe officially inaugurated the first Malankara Mission in London under the heavenly patronage of St. Joseph. Bishop Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Eusebius the Apostolic visitator for Europe gave strong leadership for its growth in the region as Apostolic Visitator until September 2017.
In response to the request of the major Archbishop – Catholicos, in June 2012, Rev. Fr. Thomas Madukamoottil was appointed as the Chaplain and His Excellency Most Rev. John Rawsthorne, Bishop of Hallam, appointed him as an assistant priest of the St. Marie’s Cathedral Church, Sheffield. In January 2017, he was appointed as the Special Pastor and National Coordinator by the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and His Excellency Bishop Alan, Bishop of Brentwood, appointed him as the Syro-Malankara Catholic Chaplain and Parish Priest in charge of the St. John the Baptist Church, Ilford.
In tune with theproposal of HB The Major Archbishop – Catholicos in January 2017, Rev. Fr. Renjith Madathirampil was appointed as the Chaplain and His Excellency Bishop Mark, Bishop of Shrewsbury appointed him as the assistant priest of Our Lady and St. Christopher Church, Romiley. In 2017 October 24, Rev. Fr. John Alex Puthenveedu was appointed as the Chaplain and His Excellency Bishop Patrick, Bishop of Nottingham, appointed him as the assistant parish priest of St. Barnabas Cathedral Church, Nottingham.
On 14 May 2018 Rev. Fr. Johnson Mathew Manayil was appointed as the Chaplain of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Faithful in Scotland and Bishop Philip Tartaglia, Bishop of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, appointed him as the assistant Parish Priest in the Holy Cross Catholic Church, Crosshill, Glasgow. On 27th December 2019 Bishop Alan, Bishop of the Diocese of Brentwood, appointed Rev. Fr. John Alex Puthenveedu as the parish priest in charge of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Ilford. On 1 December 2019, Rev. Fr. Mathew Neriattil was appointed as the chaplain and His Excellency Bishop Patrick, Bishop of the Diocese of Nottingham, appointed him as the assistant parish priest of St. Barnabas Cathedral Church, Nottingham.
His Excellency Bishop Yoohanon Mar Theodosius, Apostolic Visitator: On 5 August 2017, The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed H.E Yoohanon Mar Theodosius as Apostolic Visitator for Syro-Malankara Catholic faithful resident in Europe and in Oceania, Bishop of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. His Excellency made his first Pastoral Visit to the UK and Ireland from March 27 to April 8, 2018.
Priests and Mission Centres
The Major Archbishop – Catholicos HB Baselios Cleemis appointed Rev. Dr. Kuriakose Thadathil as the special pastor and coordinator, on 19 March 2021 and His Grace Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham gave him the appointment as the parish priest of Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, Great Barr. Under his strong leadership the following priests are serving and strengthening our church in the United Kingdom.
Rev. Fr. Jibu Mathew, assistant to Rev. Dr. Kuriakose Thadathil (Archdiocese of Birmingham), Rev. Fr. James Elanjikkal, Chaplain (Diocese of Nottingham), Rev. Dr. Louis Charuvilaputhenveedu, parish priest (Diocese of Shrewsbury), Rev. Fr. Lukose Kannimel, Chaplain (Archdiocese of Glasgow), Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Thiruvallil, parish priest (Diocese of Brentwood) and Rev. Fr. Daniel Plavilayil, parish priest (Diocese of Brentwood), are serving as resident Chaplains in Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester, Scotland and London respectively. So far twenty Mission centres have been formed in the UK. The Mission centres are in the following places: Aberdeen, Ashford, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Croydon, East London, Glasgow, Gloucester, Ipswich, Liverpool, Luton, Manchester, Northampton, Nottingham, Sheffield, Southampton, West London and Plymouth.
National Conventions
The annual convention, which is an opportunity for the Syro-Malankara Catholic families to convene together, has been a significant boost for the growth and coordination of the Church in the region. At these conventions, pastoral visits by His Beatitude Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos and other bishops have encouraged the faithful to strengthen their relationship with the Church. To date, eight conventions have been convened at eight different places in England.
1. Coventry – 2011
2. Manchester – 2012
3. London – 2013
4. Bristol – 2014
5. Sheffield-Nottingham – 2015
6. Liverpool – 2017
7. Wolverhampton-Birmingham – 2019
8. Cefn Lea Park, Newtown, Wales – 2023
The visits by Archbishop Thomas Mar Koorilos, Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas, Bishop Thomas Mar Eusebius, Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios, Bishop Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom, Bishop Abraham Mar Julios, Bishop Vincent Mar Paulos and Bishop Yoohanon Mar Theodosius, Bishop Antony Mar Silvanos have boosted up the paternal love and care of the Synod to the Malankarites in the UK.
