The Syro-Malabar Church has spoken out against against love jihad. (Photo: YouTube)
By Saji Thomas, Bhopal
Nov 27 2020
Syro-Malabar Church’s move follows controversy over a retired bishop solemnizing a Christian-Muslim marriage
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.
Cardinal Alencherry, the president of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council, also sought a separate report from Archbishop Antony Kariyil of Ernakulam-Angamali Archdiocese, 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.
When a photograph of the couple with the bishop was published in a local newspaper, the Christian community was divided, with one group hailing the prelate for his bold approach and the other deploring the church for promoting interreligious marriage.
Some described the marriage as a sort of “love jihad,” a term used for Muslims feigning love to convert girls from other religions to Islam for marriage.
Some even alleged that the marriage did not have the mandatory permission from the local bishop.
Meanwhile, Bishop Vaniyakizhakkel came forward and expressed his regret for blessing the marriage. He said he personally knew the family of the bride and therefore he blessed her marriage.
Archbishop Kariyil’s probe will investigate if the parish priest obtained permission from the local bishop to solemnize the marriage in church.
Father Onampally told UCA News on Nov. 25 that it was essential for the church leadership to spell out its stance and specific guidelines for blessing interreligious marriages in its churches.
It is true interreligious marriages are permitted in the Catholic Church under the “disparity of cult” that needs the permission of the local bishop, he said.
“We, however, do not have specific guidelines. Instead we have only some prayers for such a marriage and the commission constituted recently will frame the guidelines and it will finally clear the doubt among the faithful”, the priest added.
The Syro-Malabar Church has been very vocal against love jihad.
In January, its synod demanded a probe but both the federal and state government turned downed the demand, saying there was no evidence to prove the existence of love jihad.
The synod, however, asserted that its demand was based on information it had collected through different sources.
Father Antony Thalachelloor, then synod secretary, said the church had details of 40 incidents of love jihad from the Muslim-dominated Malabar region alone.
He told UCA News that the church was not going to release details of love jihad victims in the public domain as it would threaten their safety and security.
Many, according to him, were not ready to complain to the police, “fearing for their life and their family members and also public defamation.”
The priest also maintained that many such cases were recorded during counseling of victims and hence the church leadership was duty-bound to keep them confidential. – UCANews
