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Indian cleric sees Kuwait 'an epitome of religious integrity'
(Kuwait Times Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)KUWAIT: They saved 30 people with cardiovascular problems, funded eyesight operations for 1,000 needy patients, built houses for 10 homeless families, provided a modern facility for the elderly and currently they have many charity projects pending. Who are these people who deserve applause for the humanitarian and philanthropic work they have been doing for 50 years? St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Syrian Church - Kuwait, one of the largest in the Malankara Orthodox Church, held a cross-faith and inter-community dialogue at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Sunday as part of a year-long celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the parish. The Church, which is under the diocese of Kolkatha, had invited the church's spiritual leader Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Didymos I, to bless the occasion.
Addressing the congregation, the 85-year-old Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan said that "...if such efforts continue [to improve the status of the freedom of worship], the world will look to this small but great country of Kuwait as the epitome of religious integrity." In his opening remarks he said, "Religion is being used as one of the most powerful and dreadful weapons by some irreligious people. No one is in a position today to guarantee the existence of human race in the next millennium." The Catholicos is the spiritual head of over 2.5 million followers spread in more than 1500 parishes worldwide. He further explained what role religion could play to avert such a situation by focusing on three main aspects. The first of these is the unification of all religions against all irreligion. This was followed by religions' commitment to the goal of unity of humanity, where peace, justice and environment are in harmony, along with liberation from 'the secular trap'. "Let us not strive for one religion for all humanity, rather than strive for one humanity for all religions," he concluded.
Rev Fr Kurian Abraham, Vicar of the St Gregorios Indian Orthodox Syrian Church, further praised the freedom of worship in Kuwait and described the followers of this church as 'peace-loving people from India.' Dr Stephanos Mar Theodosius, metropolitan of the diocese of Kolkata, introduced the mission of the Indian Orthodox Church, part of the Oriental family of Orthodox Churches of Syria, Egypt, Ethiopia and Armenia, stressing the harmony, justice and charity of their missions. He said, "The church has to play an active role to dispel the darkness of war, communalism, fanaticism, terrorism and to spread the light of peace and harmony." Introducing his solution to overcome the challenges of the age he appealed for economic sharing and a just social order. He explained that the prevalent consumer and media culture are "making us introverted and extremely self-centred and lazy". The worship of money, the cult of comfort and luxury and a terrible individualism are the prominent marks of the age -- promoted by multinational companies. He added that these companies are "not the least bothered about the basic needs of the poor".
On hand to grace the occasion were Sheikh Khalid Al-Jarah Al-Sabah, former Chief of Intelligence, MP Mohammed Jassem Al-Saqer, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Fr Jobby Peter, Associate Vicar and Sabu George, General Convenor of the golden jubilee celebrations and other priests from various churches, office bearers of various parishes and members of St Gregorios parish.
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