Q: What was your experience of the just concluded Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church?  Was there some sincere sense of regret from the part of the Synod?  Will this Synod mark a milestone for coming Synods?

A: “It was really a pain-staking common search that was really Spirit filled. I really felt that there was some power leading us, guiding us, compelling us and sometimes challenging us. Of course, other Synod meetings were normally upon discussions on various activities, which was more or less a routine way of doing. This time it was very different, all of us felt real urgency within us. I found everybody frank and sincere, having at the same time feeling for the Church. There was a certain unity and sense of taking responsibility for the things that happened, which we normally never think of. This time it was mostly focussed on Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese. We felt that the archdiocese is the integral part of the entire Church and when one member is pained, one member suffers, and everybody feels the pain. There was a lot of goodness, goodwill and a lot of concern for this matter of common interest, but, at the same, we had the feeling that we were all led by the Spirit. There was no accusatory air and everybody was searching for the truth.   We were awakened from our own comfort zones.  I only have been a bishop for thirteen years. Many of us were concerned only about our particular diocese. The fact that we are all responsible for the entire Church was keenly felt. We are now aware that what is happening in other parts of the Church are also matters of concern for us. The turning point of this synod was that we understood we all are co-responsible for the entire Church.”

Bp Thomas Thuruthimattam C.S.T.  
Gorakhpur