By Ajin Joseph

New Delhi: Pope Francis has bestowed the title of Chevalier on Cyril John, a member of CHARIS International Service of Communion.

This is the fourth highest papal order in the Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great.

The CHARIS International Service of Communion was constituted in 2018 on the personal initiative of Pope Francis.

John started began his involvement in charismatic renewal movement in 1993 by leading his parish prayer group in New Delhi.

He served as the chairperson of the Diocesan Service Team for 6 years from 1994. He was a member of the National Service Team of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in India from 1995 to1998. He became the chairperson of the team in 2001 and held the post until 2010.

John was a member of International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services for three years from 2004 and then its vice president until 2015.

The former government of India official was also chairperson of ICCRS sub-committee for Asia-Oceania from 2006 to 2019.

He played a major role in promoting, strengthening and consolidating the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in India and in Asia region, says a press release from the Delhi Charismatic Service of Communion.

Pope Gregory XVI established the Chevalier order in 1831. It is awarded for conspicuous service to the Catholic Church.

John’s name was recommended by the Delhi charismatic team for his distinguished service to the Church at the diocesan, national, continental and international level, especially through the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

The recommendation was endorsed by Archbishop Anil J Couto of Delhi and former Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro.

John’s special charism is intercession, especially prophetic intercession – a topic that he has developed, which has been well accepted in the Church all over the world.

He has traveled to several countries on mission, and especially to conduct training courses on prophetic intercession. He has authored five books on various aspects of the Church life. Some of these books have been translated into as many as 16 languages.

He was instrumental in setting up Jeevan Jyoti Ashram, a retreat center, in Delhi that can accommodate 200 people for residential programs.

John has served the secretariat of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament for 34 years. He retired in 2016 as joint secretary and chief of protocol.

He is a native of Kuravilangad, a village in Kerala’s Kottayam district. He now lives in New Delhi with his wife Elsamma and children.