Thiruvananthapuram: A UN body has accorded a special consultative status to the social arm of Trivandrum Syro-Malankara archdiocese.
Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan chaired a special function on August 23 to formally mark the recognition from the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to the Malankara Social Service Society (MSSS).
Addressing the function at the Major Archbishop’s House in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala capital, the speaker said the recognition was a testimony to the society’s dedicated efforts to bring solace to thousands since its inception in 1961.
The speaker said the Christian community introduced a culture of service since the arrival of St Thomas the Apostle AD 52. The Malankara Catholic Church continues the 200-year-old tradition of service and dedication to society, he added.
Major Archbishop and MSSS president Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, in his presidential address, said that the special status was accorded in view of the painstaking efforts for uplifting the downtrodden sections.
The speaker also handed over the official document of the special consultative status to Fr Bovas Mathew, director of the organization.
Auxiliary Bishop Samuel Mar Irenios of Trivandraum, John Mathai, former chief secretary of Kerala, Jacob Punnoose, former DGP of Kerala and Rajan M Karakkattil, chief program coordinator spoke on the occasion.
On the occasion awardees of the Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios Haritha Pathadi received certificates and cash awards from cash from P Sreeramakrishnan and the Catholicos.
Fr Mathew hailed the recognition as “a great achievement” for the organization and the access to the international development platform “will definitely make conducive atmosphere with the sustainable development goals (SDG 2030).”
The society, he added, started the process of interaction and procedures of project application with UN in 2010.
The new status will help the organization to engage with ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, UN secretariat, programs, projects and funds in a number of ways, claimed Fr Mathew, who is also the media coordinator of Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum and chief editor, Christava Kahalam (Christian trumpet), a monthly.
MSSS was started in 1961 by the late Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregarious for the social service and development works of the community. Since then, it has collaborated with various governmental and development organizations for projects and programs and served society in a sustainable and equitable manner.
Its major projects include interventions in women empowerment, rural prosperity, skill development, civic consciousness, health action, disaster management, persons with disabilities.