H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros, 43, belongs to the Kallarackal Kaleelil family of Kundara, Thiruvananthapuram diocese, and is the son of  P T Mathunny Panicker & Late Mrs. Kunjamma Panicker. His parent parish is St. Thomas Orthodox Valiyapally, Kundara. He obtained his B.Sc degree  from Kerala University(1984), theological diploma (GST) from Orthodox Seminary, Kottayam, Bachelor of Divinity (B.D) from Serampore University (1988), and Master of Theology (1991) and Doctor of Theology (1995) from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He also holds a certificate in Pastoral Counselling from Glasgow University, Scotland (1997). He was ordained to the Holy priesthood by the late H.G. Geevarghese Mar Dioscorus. HG, whose resume reflects his multifaceted personality, is now the Professor and Dean of Studies at the Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam. He is the author of five books.

An Interview with H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros

ICON:  Congratulations on being elected to the Episcopal office. Whom do you credit your success with?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: The grace of God, prayers of the faithful, forefathers, and the many people who love me, especially my mother of blessed memory.

ICON: What will be your message for aspirants who missed the bus at the association, as well as at various stages of the process?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: I feel they are at least as qualified as me. Some are definitely more worthy than I. The introduction of new norms e.g. age, qualifications etc. were responsible for many of these deserving candidates being excluded. As for a particular message, in all our successes and failures our present Bishops have and continue to give messages to all aspirants. Therefore it is inappropriate for me, a peer, to give them any kind of message. In addition, these aspirants definitely have chances in the upcoming years to come up as bishops so I wouldn't necessarily say they have missed the bus.

ICON:  His Holiness the Patriarch of Antioch is now visiting Malankara. If given an opportunity for an audience with him, what will be your one message?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: My message to His Holiness the Patriarch would be, "Get out!" Why? His Holiness' visit to India is non-canonical, un-Christian, and a serious cause for division, like pouring oil into fire.

ICON:  The relations between the two factions in the church seem to be at their nadir. Do you the see the prospect for a reunion, ever?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: Theologically, the division between the two groups cannot be accepted. However psychologically, the two are separate entities. So we have a dilemma which does not have an immediate solution. In the current state of mud-slinging, fighting court battles, and political obstacles, reunion may not be an immediate possibility. However, if we continue to perseveringly work towards a peaceful status between the two groups, one can then think of reunion possibilities. It is important to always keep in mind that division is evil in essence and that the Church never desires division but union.

ICON: Can you suggest some unilateral confidence building measures from the Orthodox Church that will help in lowering the temperature and help facilitate a meeting of minds?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: Confidence building measures include increasing the awareness of the need to end the disputes, settle the quarrels, and work towards a harmonious and peaceful existence. This increase in awareness can be done through sermons, classes, seminars, conventions etc. The Church as a whole cannot take Church wide decisions due to the status of the latest verdict given by the courts regarding disputes. There are no Church wide cases in the courts. The only cases that exist have to do individual parishes i.e. whether a parish belongs to the 1934 constitution group or not. For example the recent stance of the Church at Piravom involved the single parish of Piravom St. Mary's. Therefore, settlements can and should be carried out by individual parishes. If each parish decides to divide or unite, the parish should inform the central Church authorities through the diocesan level authorities. Lowering the temperature and the meeting of minds can successfully and effectively be carried out by individual parishes.

ICON: The Malankara Orthodox church seems to be always in the news for the wrong reasons. Is this because we are not presenting ourselves well, or do you think there's room for introspection?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: I would agree that we have an inadequate media cell. An effective media department must be staffed by qualified persons who are willing to act according to the times. Note that the media are slaves to colonialist and imperialist mentalities and agendas. Therefore, they easily bow to foreign influence especially if it is accompanied by financial incentives and canoodling with the political party currently in power. Since churches like ours discourage using such tactics, the result is that we are projected negatively by the media. To address the second part of your question, I also agree that there needs to be room for introspection. No one is perfect; no administrative set up is perfect. Weaknesses such as the lack of effective media, human resource, and finance departments etc. may be present, and these must be resolved as soon as possible.

ICON: The Catholicate will be celebrating its 100th anniversary of relocation in 2012. Where do you see the Catholicate in the next 100 years?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: The specialty of our Church is the Malankara "Metropolitanate", rather than the "Catholicate". The role, meaning, and function of the Malankara Metropolitan and Catholicose/Catholicate are described in the Church constitution so I need not elaborate. These days, both these positions/responsibilities are held by one person and therefore should not be seen independent of each other. In other words, the better question is, where do I see the M.O.S.C. in the next 100 years..
My Vision
i) In all its dimensions, the MOSC must preserve its identity and autocephalous nature.
ii) The Church being a growing & dynamic organism, the present Holy Synod must be divided into a few regional synods. These regional synods must solve their own issues, and as required. These issues can then be presented at the full Holy Synod for quick approval. At present, if the Synod is scheduled to meet over four days, and let's say one major issue regarding one parish takes three days, all the remaining church wide issues have to be cleared in a single day. Such a process stunts growth. Therefore the need for regional synods.
iii) There needs to be a liturgical renewal. In order to make the liturgy more meaningful, effective and attractive, especially for the upcoming generation, the present liturgy must be modified without affecting the central truths and faith of the Church.
iv) There must be spiritual renewal. All effort must be taken to affect a spiritual renewal among the faithful, especially the youth.
v) We must create our own set of canon laws which address the broadest range of issues from marriage and divorce to ethics, gender etc.
vi) The Church must set up a system to address and respond to contemporary social issues in a timely manner, for example local, national, and international events that require our immediate response.

ICON: Non-Christians in Kerala, especially those in the media, are confused in making sense of three Christian high priests claiming the title of Catholicos. How will you make them distinguish the genuine article from the spurious?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: This situation of having three Catholicoi is indeed strange. It is very  clear that our Catholicos is fully independent, whose only overseeing authority is Christ Himself. This is not the case with the other Catholicoi. In the history and tradition of the Church, the posts of Catholicos and Patriarch are equal and used interchangeably. In order to distinguish our Catholicos from the other two, my suggestion is to give our Bava Thirumeni, who is the true Catholicos, the title 'Patriarch of India and Supreme Catholicos of All the East'. The giving of titles such as these is part of the history of the evolution of the Church in response to prevalent conditions.
Such a step to rename the title of our Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan should be initiated immediately. In addition, the confusion regarding the true Catholicos is a serious issue not among just non-Christians but among Christians as well. In fact, this confusion has been very deliberately orchestrated and does not limit itself to the work of 'Catholicos' but includes the exact duplication of the names of our bishops, etc.

ICON: The Old Seminary will be celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2015. Isn't  it a shame that such an ancient institution of learning appears content to conduct examinations for its aspiring Orthodox priests based on the syllabus prescribed by the Protestant Serampore University? What will be your remedy?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: Please note that the Seminary does not have a "100% protestant syllabus". This Serampore syllabus is taught by Orthodox professors who strive, in each class, to go beyond the syllabus to provide an Orthodox perspective as well. In addition to the required Serampore-level course work, there are even more college-level papers (electives) whose syllabi the Seminary has full control over. In these courses, we especially inject the Orthodox element and strive to provide an Orthodox perspective.
It is high time for us to acquire the status of an Orthodox Theological University. We have two seminaries as well as a Mission Training Centre and must, therefore, work towards a fully independent Orthodox Christian education set up.

ICON: Where do you see our seminaries in the next 100 years?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: Both seminaries must train priests and missionaries for the Church who are fully prepared to handle the needs of the times. Priests who graduate from Kottayam and Nagpur must:
i) have integrity
ii) love our people and the Church
iii) be Bible proficient
iv) be without greed for money or positions
v) take an active role in the pastoral care of each family in the parish

ICON: One or more of you stand the chance of being appointed to North America. The Orthodox Church in North America is blessed in having a sizeable number of US-born youngsters who have heeded the call of God's ministry. Yet many of them, after completion of their courses, are forced to stand in the sidelines because the church is unable to appoint them to an office. How will you reach out to them?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: The situation will be studied and acted upon accordingly. A proactive approach would be good in terms of making sure that the seminary graduates from the American Diocese continue to be actively involved in ministry.

ICON: There exists a cultural rift in North America between India-born and US-born members. The former are on a nostalgia trip and cling on to traditions (including the language of divine service) for their moorings. The latter are drifting day by day away from the church, unable to make the connection. How will you handle the situation?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: It is important to always keep in mind that both Indian born and U.S. born members very often live in the same household. Both groups currently make adjustments regarding not only Sunday worship but also in other matters. I feel it is unwise to create a rift between them when it comes to liturgical services. However, to deal with the situation, a practical solution would be good to have Sunday liturgy in both English and Malayalam, with the frequency depending on the needs of the individual parish.

ICON: The church has been unable to implement a salary and transfer system for priests in North America. Many priests are almost functioning as idavakapattakkar for decades together. On the other hand, a sizeable section of the clergy pursues secular employment since the church is unable to support them with a proper salary. The church is suffering spiritually because of this. Any thoughts?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: This is a very real situation facing the American Diocese. The gradual growth of the parishes in America came about often as a result of either the congregations directly inviting a priest from India or by a priest going to the USA and starting a new congregation. After obtaining some job for himself and Kochamma, especially when you factor in children, the priest gradually becomes an 'Idavaka Pattakaran'. The priest is forced to find a job due to lack of income from either the diocese or parish. This will naturally affect the pastoral work of the priest. The American Diocese must find a solution for this urgently.

ICON: Continuing this chain of thought, are you in favour of prescribing a retirement age for bishops? If so, what would be the ideal age for retirement? How will the church utilise the services of its bishops, post-retirement?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: I am in favor of retirement for Bishops if the Malankara Church takes the necessary steps to take care of them after retirement. Ideal age for retirement should be between 75 and 80. In addition when the Church feels that a Bishop is becoming less capable in his role, then an assistant Bishop should be named to allow for a smooth transition. Post-retirement, Bishops should live in monasteries, give spiritual direction, and be constantly praying for the Church.

ICON: There's a perception among the laity that our bishops lack financial transparency. How will you remedy this perception?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: One should not generalize the situation. Perhaps some bishops have a lack of transparency. However, to make things more transparent, it would be good if the Holy Synod can decide on the necessary steps.

ICON:  One or more of you will be appointed to dioceses with control over churches in the Gulf. The faithful in the Gulf are seething at the endless stream of donation-seekers thronging their churches at any given moment. How will you address their grievance that the church is exploiting them solely as a source of funding with little or no concern for their spiritual welfare?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: The Church is collecting donations not only from the Gulf areas and from America but also from all dioceses, rich and poor. The growth of our Church is based on the kind donations of all its members. It is interesting to note that if each of us practiced tithing, starting with the Bishops and priests, this question would be irrelevant.
An Achen or Thirumeni who goes overseas for collecting donations stays there for a very brief period and, therefore, should not be made responsible for the lack of spiritual care given. In addition, when someone comes for donations, that money is and should be used for the benefit of Church and society as a whole.
Regarding the spiritual welfare of the people, if the Vicar of a particular parish is not taking care of their spiritual welfare, this must be reported to the diocesan headquarters to avail of an immediate remedy. If an Achen is not available, a request must be made, to obtain an Achen, to the proper authorities.

ICON:   In the Gulf too, there exists a cultural rift between India-born and native-born members. The latter seems to be more comfortable in the milieu of a personalised Christianity characterized by prayer meetings and witnessing. How will you reach out to such lost sheep?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: This problem is not only an issue in the Gulf area and not just our whole Church, but in all the ancient Christian churches that exist today. This issue should, therefore, be seriously and urgently tackled by Church authorities using adequate resources and methods.

ICON: Coming to Indian dioceses outside Kerala, with religious fundamentalism on the boil, how will you drive home the message that ours is the original and ancient church of India with its cultural moorings intact?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: The MOSC is indeed an ancient Church that has not only lived and breathed religious tolerance but also religious peace and harmony, without aiming at aggressive and perhaps inappropriate methods of converting people to Christianity. This fact about our Church must be communicated at the appropriate times through appropriate channels.

ICON: Do you think the tradition of a monastic life has died down in the church? How do we revive it and offer laymen a chance to recharge their spiritual batteries through access to monasteries?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: Yes, I too have the feeling that monasticism in our Church can afford improvement. To revive it, we must seek out and develop leaders with proper monastic charisma. This will help our lay people tremendously. I refuse to believe that getting such leaders is like the chances of winning in a lottery. We can definitely groom them if we give strong emphasis to a liturgical revival, increased opportunity for higher spiritual education, and a culture that actively promotes the contemplative life.

ICON: Our understanding is that there are no theological or Biblical restrictions against women having voting privileges at the parish, diocesan and Malankara Association levels. What measures will you take to help revise our constitution and provide equal status to women?

H.G. Yuhanon Mar Dioscoros: There are instances in India where it seems that women are in leadership roles typically held by males only. If we want to make this a norm, the Church constitution must be revised. When I am in a position to do so, I will do my best to put forward this suggestion, with the agreement of the Church leadership.

ICON: Thank you HG for taking time to explain your views and vision to ICON members.  We are grateful to you and our prayers are with you as you re-dedicate yourself to assume this most important responsibility.