Holding signs that read “We Shall Overcome” and “Who is Next? Our Kids,” members of the Indian Knanaya Catholic Community stood in silent protest or sang religious spirituals outside the doors of the Mary Help of Christians chapel on the grounds of the Marian Shrine.
They have come to the same spot for the last three Sundays to protest what they say is a decision by Father Joseph Mathew Adoppillil to relocate religious services and their children's Catholic education classes to a building on the grounds of the shrine, a Salesian retreat overlooking the Hudson River a mile up from their community center.
The Indian community, made up of some 125 families from the
Several families from the community agreed to the relocation but others have refused to budge.
“We have our own beautiful 7-and-a-half-acre property right here,” said Anne Jose of Nanuet. “They want to demolish it. They say it’s not a church.”
The community’s roots trace to Catholics of the Syro-Malabra
rite based in southwest
On Sunday, Bishop Jacob Angadiath, the leader of the diocese, said Adoppillil was following his directions by relocating the church to the shrine's grounds. "Once the priest came in, they were not very welcoming," Angadiath said. "He has not done anything wrong or bad. I support the priest. They have to listen to the priest and the church."
Angadiath said that Adoppillil had little choice but to relocate because he was not accepted by the Indian Knanaya community.
Over the past three Sundays, members have been joined in
protest by the faithful from Indian Catholic communities in
“How can a priest push his faithful out of the pews and into
a parking lot,” said Reny Mekkattil of
Some 86 children who attended religious education services
at the community center have been taken in by local parishes across
“There is no communication,” Jose said. “This is
“The people have an emotional attachment to the building,” said Aby Mathew, a community leader and spokesman. “This was like a second home.”
For about 15 years, the small, close-knit sect — Catholics of the Syro-Malabara rite who trace their roots to the Apostle Thomas and hail from Kerala, a state in southwest India — have been worshiping at a community center at 400 Willow Grove Road.
But a recent decision by the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar
Catholic Diocese of Chicago to move services to the Marian
Shrine in
Congregants complain they're being asked to relocate from a building they bought for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"We have an emotional attachment to this building," said Aby Mathew, 45, of Monsey. "It's our second home."
For the past two weeks, angry congregants have protested in front of the Marian Shrine. Another vigil is set from 10 to 11 a.m. Sunday.
"The community is united," added Mathew.
It's not just Mass. With 125 families, the community center is a living bridge between Indian and American cultures, with ethnic activities and family-oriented religious classes.
The community center dates to 2001 when the lay group bought
the property for $300,000 from the Archdiocese of New York. Congregants
said the problems started in December when a new priest was assigned from
"It was like a slap in the face," said Pious Thomas, 57, of Nanuet. "No warning. No notice."
Adoppillil did not return several messages on Friday. A spokesperson for the archdiocese declined to comment.
A video uploaded to YouTube on Feb. 15 purports to show an argument between Adoppillil and several congregants that degenerates into a shouting match at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Yonkers, where the sect also holds services.
He is pinning their hopes that the archdiocese will re-consider.
ഇന്ത്യയില് ക്രിസ്ത്യാനികള് അധികം ഇല്ലാത്തതെന്ത്? അവര് മുതിയ ജാതിക്കാരായി നിന്നു, മറ്റുള്ളവ്രെ അടുപ്പിച്ചില്ല. പോര്ട്ടുഗീസുകാര വന്ന ശേഷമാണു കുറച്ചെങ്ക്ലും ക്രിസ്താനികള് ഇന്ത്യയില് ഉണ്ടായത്. പിന്നെ ചാവറ പിതവ് 19-ം നൂറ്റാണ്ടില് കത്തോലിക്ക സഭയില് എല്ലാവരെയും ഉള്പ്പെടുത്തി.
ഈ സമുദായമാകട്ടെ സ്വന്തം മക്കലെ വരെ പള്ളിയില് നിന്നു പുറത്താക്കണമെന്നു പറയുന്നു. അവര് സമുദായാംഗമല്ലാത്ത ആളെ വിവാഹം കഴിച്ചാല്. അത് ഏതു ക്രിസ്തുമതമാണ്?
വൈദികരെക്കാല് വലിയ ആളുകള് എന്തിനാ വൈദികരുടെ പുറകെ നടക്കുന്നത്?
Dear fellow Canaanites.
This is our property, our blood. We are not giving up. We were not Catholics. Some of our old priests sold us to Catholics or they were forced to do so, that is what the true history.
The way things going we have to declare independence and hold on to our Center. For the religious class- we can do it here in the Center by our elders and youth. We can gather in the Center and read Bible, sing songs, few speeches . We don't need a priest.
We are the proud sons of Noah and not slaves of Catholic priests and bishops.
We are not ZERO, we are Syrians and very close to Orthodox churches in Kerala. That was our original faith. If you want a priest we can get one from them for the Mass, like a poochari who come and offer sacrifice and go without any control on us.
Your brother Canaanite.
അനുസരണയില്ലാത്ത അഹങ്കാരി സമൂഹമായി മാറരുത്. സഭാ നിയമങ്ങള് അനുസരിക്കാന് പറ്റാത്തവര് സഭ വിട്ടു പോകണം. മറ്റുള്ളവര്ക്കു നാണക്കേടുണ്ടാക്കരുത്.
മാര്പാപ്പ ഈ നിലപാട് അംഗീകരിക്കുമെന്നു കരുതുന്നുണ്ടോ? വിജയിക്കാവുന്ന യുദ്ധങ്ങള്ക്കേ ഇറങ്ങിപ്പുറപ്പേടാവു.
Our Knanaya group can only survive by the help of God only. Our ancestors go through a lot of hardships but still they always stick with our church and faith in God. But these days knanaya people especially in America, becoming more in unspiritual activities and no faith in God and Church. These people are becoming the leaders of KCCNA. In other words, KCCNA and its most of sub units are controlled by some extremists that have no clue or vision for the betterment of this community. If you look at any local unit, these extremists are hijacking the entire community. They do not want listen other people and even consider their opinions. Even somebody try to correct them, they became outcast by these individuals. If you look at any association, institution or country, that are controlled by these kind of extremists, their existence and destruction on this earth will be in few years. Now some of the individuals saying that they don’t need a church. My humble request to them is please leave us alone. Because we need Church, priests, bishops and God.
My request to KCCNA leaders is that if you don’t change these bad strategies, you can see the death of this organization in few years. Community center is not for church activities but it is for other activities. We need a church that controlled by our priests for the religious activities. This is not my opinion, but it is the opinion of most of NORMAL KNANAYA PEOPLE.
God bless you all !!!!!!!!!!