Cardinal George Alencherry has formed a commission to frame guidelines for interfaith marriages following a controversy over a retired bishop solemnizing such a marriage between a Christian bride and a Muslim groom in a church in India’s Kerala State.
Cardinal Alencherry, the head of the Eastern-rite Syro-Malabar Church based in southern India, “wants to clear the confusion among the faithful over interreligious marriages and constituted a commission of canon law experts to prepare the guidelines to be followed in interreligious marriages in churches,” said Father Alax Onampally, secretary of the church’s media commission. Card. Alencherry, the president of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council, also sought a separate report from Archbishop Antony Kariyil of Ernakulam-Angamali Arch-diocese, where the controversial marriage was solemnized.
On Nov. 9, Bishop Mathew Vaniyakizhakkel of Satna in the central State of Madhya Pradesh, blessed the marriage between the Catholic bride and Muslim groom at Kadavanthra St Joseph Church in Ernakulam-Angamali Archdiocese. Archbishop Kariyil’s probe will investigate if the parish priest obtained permission from the local bishop to solemnize the marriage in church.