By Santosh Digal
Kottayam: The Catholic Church in Kerala gave away various awards to priests, nuns, individuals, families and institutions to mark end of Year of Mercy.
Inaugurating the valedictory of the Year of Mercy programs, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan lauded the humanitarian work of the Church such as the housing projects, palliative care, and educational and health-care initiatives being taken up by the Church were source of inspiration for others.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis presided over the event and almost all bishops of the 31 dioceses in the southern Indian state along with a large number of priests, religious and laity participated in the event.
Cardinal Cleemis, who is also the head of the Syro-Malankara Church, Archbishop Soosai Pakiam of Trivandrum the Latin rite, Archbishop Mathew Moolekkatt, head of the Knanaya Catholic archdiocese, and others spoke on the occasion.
The Year of Mercy special awards were given to Dayabhai, an activist among tribals in central India, Fr. George Kuttickal, who works among the destitute, Thomas P.U., Ambalathara Kunjikrishnan, Muhammed Shameer B, and Save A Family Plan India Trust, Aiswaryagram, Kanjoor.
List of Nominees for honoring persons having outstanding performance or ontribution in environment and agriculture sectors were James P. Mathew (Palakkad), Molly Paul (Bharananganam), Mr. Devasiachan ( Poonjar), KebeeyarKannan (Payyannur), Raman Cheruvayal (Mananthavady).
Differently abled and especially talented were Joby, Adukkom, Kottayam and Biju Varghese, Venkurinji, Mukkoottuthara.
The program also honored eight families from Kochi, Quilon, Irinjalakuda, Pala, Tiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, Kothamangalam, and Mavelikkara dioceses.
Eight priests and nuns were also given awards and 14 institutions.
“Individuals, Institutions and Families known for their years of commitment to works of mercy, nominated by the dioceses and selected from the general public were specially honored in the meeting. It was to show our support and appreciation to the causes they are committed,” Father Varghese Vallikkatt, KCBC deputy secretary, told mattersindia.com.