MALANKARA CATHOLIC ASSOCIATION

At the anniversary meeting of the reunion movement, His grace the Most Rev. Dr. Cyril Mar Baselios put forward the idea of a “Malankara Catholic Association on 20th September 1989 at Niranam. It has created a great momentum in the Church. His grace the Most Rev. Dr. Cyril Mar Baselios Metropolitan appointed an adhoc committee in 1996 The constitution was approved in 1999

Aim:

The aims of the Malankara Catholic Association is to help the believers for a development based on Christian principles, and to safeguard and strengthen the interests of the church and the society through this development. MCA is engaged in the all round development of the members of the Malankara Catholic Church. 

The MCA activities are spread over four spheres: Spiritual, Intellectual, Educational and Social.

Program :

1) The association works for the integral development of the reunion movement.

2) Being the messengers of ecumenism and reunion movement the members should contact with other churches and its association and should pray for the union of all Christians.

3) It tries to foster brotherhood and mutual goodwill among the Malankara Catholic faithful.

4) It works to cultivate the beliefs and ideals of the church in its members and popularize them.  It preserves and popularizes the faith, liturgy and ancestry of the church.  So that the ideals and philosophic orders of the church should be cultivated among its members.

5)It studies the contemporary problems and makes the members aware of them and helps in bringing out a common opinion.

6) It creates facilities of higher studies for talented students and awards consolation prizes to those who secure higher marks. Scholarships, financial assistance, loans and grants are distributed to financially backward students.

7) The association encourages the church faithful who are talented in national and international level competitions.

8) It arranges competitions and exhibitions to encourage and develop the artistic, literary, intellectual and scientific skills of its members and prizes are distributed to them.

9) The association establishes special programmes and arranges seminars and debates for the progress of students, youth and women.

10) It envisages social service by supplying financial assistance for building houses, medical treatment, marriage, food and relief fund.

Membership :

The Malankara Catholics who have completed 30/35 years of age can become the members of MCA by following the conditions given below .

Structure:

Malankara Catholic Association has structurally 4 levels.  The first level is the basic unit.  The basic unit is in parish/mission/foreign mission levels.  The second level is in Regional/ Extra Territorial region/foreign mission.  Above to that is the third level.  That is Diocese/ Extra territorial mission centres/foreign mission levels. The fourth level is the central committee.

Emblem

Truth, unity and peace is the slogan of the association

Pledge 

I, the member of the Malankara Catholic Association in the Malankara Catholic church which is an individual apostolic Church in the Catholic Communion, believe in the Holly Catholic Church and the Econonmy of Salvation which is revealed by God, the Father through the Sun, Jesus Christ and fulfilled through the Holy Spirit.

I am proud of the apostolic patrimony and the spiritual heritage of the Malankara Catholic Church, founded by St. Thomas, the Apostle, and the cultural uniqueness of India.

I am individually and collegially obliged to work for the evangelisation of the people which is the prime mission of the Church.

I have the conviction that I am called for the reunion efforts which is the charism of the Malankara Catholic Church.

I pledge that I work together with the authorities of the church for the social, cultural, educational and political betterment of the Church and society, according to the laws and programmes of the M.C.A.

Mary, the Mother of God, all the Saints and St. Joseph, the patron of M.C.A may help me to keep this pledge.