A Green Church Alone Will Reflect Life Abundant: Catholicos of the East

Indian Malankara Orthodox Church

INDIA/KERALA/KOTTAYAM: Catholicos of the East Baselios Marthoma Didymus I inaugurated the Ecological Commission of the Malankara Orthodox Church on Saturday June 5, 2010, the World Environment Day. The function took place at a meeting held at Sophia Centre, Kottayam, Kerala, India.

This year’s theme for the World Environment Day was “Many Species, One Planet, One Future”.

“Human, who needs to be the care taker of the earth is becoming its destroyer and is authoring an elegy for the mother earth. All the climatic calamities that we witness today are due to the exploitation of nature by over greedy humans. The noble thought, namely, ‘God installed humans on earth to till the earth and care for the garden’, shall reign over us”, said the Pontiff in his inaugural speech.

“A green Church and a green society that reflects the life abundant shall be the dream to fulfill through the activities of Ecological Commission”, the Catholicos of Malankara longed for. The new generation shall be led from the artificiality of modernity to the greenery of nature and only an agro-centered ecosystem can achieve this, carried on the Patron of the Ecological Commission in his inaugural speech.

Metropolitan of Thumapamon Diocese and former professor of Botany at the Catholicate College Pathanamthitta, Kuriakose Mar Clemis is the President of the Ecological Commission of the Malankara Church. Dr. Joseph Mar Dionysius, Metropolitan of Calcutta Diocese and former professor of Zoology at St. Stephen’s College, Pathanapuram is the Vice-President of the Commission.

President of the Commission Kuriakose Mar Clemis presided over the metting. Fr. Dr. K.M. George made the key note address today during the inaugural meeting. Mar Dionysius, Vice-President of the Commission conducted the sermon of blessings. Dr. Mathew Koshy Punnackadu, Principal, Bishop Moore College, Mavelikkara introduced the topic for discussion, which was lead by Prof. Jacob Kurian Onattu, Principal, Baselius College, Kottayam and Dr. George Joseph, Sabha Secretary. Fr. Biju Mathews, Secreatry to the Ecological Commission and Prof. P.C. Aleas spoke at the occasion.

“Over exploitation of natural resources, depletion of vegetative diversity and energy sources, change in weather etc. are issues that demand our immediate attention. Members of the Malankara Church need to be made aware of these issues and reminded that these are the fundamental necessities for human existence. Humans are the care takers of the nature and therefore, all have to consider protection of the nature as their duty and responsibility”, said the President of the Commission Metropolitan Mar Clemis in an office order issued on May 24, 2010.

“The goal of the Commission will be to mitigate ecological problems that affect the human life adversely”, said Dr. Joseph Mar Dionysius, the Vice-President of the Commission. Atmosphere, water and even food that people eat contain a lot of poisonous stuff in it. Deforestation caused green house effect that resulted drastic change in weather and in particular, increase of atmospheric temperature. These issues need to be addressed urgently. Environment needs an ethical attention from human beings, which in turn shall result a new vision to decontaminate the atmosphere and ecosystems. One shall develop a policy and vision that is totally Indian to recuperate the loss that has happened to the environment, said Metropolitan Mar Dionysius.

As part of the inauguration of Ecological Commission of the Malankara Church, it was decided to plant 100,000 new trees. This will be done with the cooperation of parishes and all spiritual organizations of the Church.

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