January 2013

© St. Mary’s Malankara Catholic Church, Toronto

MONTHLY EVENTS Newsletter Volume 4 Issue 7

2:30 PM Sunday School

3:30 PM Song Practice

4.00 PM Namaskaram &

Confession

4.30 PM Holy Mass

Contact Information: Fr. John Kuriakose,

222 Ridley Blvd,

Toronto, ON, M5M 3M6

Tel: (416) 485 7781

[email protected]

SUNDAY LITURGY

Malankara Catholic Church St. Mary’s Mission Toronto

St. Eugene’s Chapel◊13 Regina Avenue◊Toronto, Ontario◊M6A 1R2

www.stmarysmalankaracatholicchurchtoronto.ca

[email protected]

Table of Content

Showcase: : One Direction

2-3

Snippets from Science : Shroud of Turin

4-5

Spotlight:: Yaldo Qurbono with Metropolitan of Exar-

6

New Years Thoughts and Reflections

7

Saint of the Month : St. Stephen

8

Spotlight: : Parish Night 2012

9

January 2013

January 12th

♦ Parish Prayer Meeting -

Raju & Shirly’s Residence

@ 6.30pm

January 19th

♦ Women’s Prayer Meeting -

Regi & Jesse’s Residence

@ 6.30pm

First of all, before we begin talking about the

special events and activities of the past

month, the MCYM Toronto would like to take

this time to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

We truly hope that the New Year will be

blessed and that it will open up a fresh start

for all of us. From various feasts, events and

activities as Christmas, Parish Night, MCYM

Elections, visitations of our past vicar and our

current Bishop, December was quite the fun-

filled, jam-packed month for our church. Lo

and behold, the Christmas season is done

once again and it’s New Year! If you are still

confused about your New Year’s Resolution,

make sure to read the amazing article by Jon-

athan Mani which talks in-depth about resolu-

tions and how we can incorporate spirituality

into our daily lives to guide us and therefore

make a few tweaks and changes in our lives to

draw us closer to God. The MCYM, under the

initiative of John Achan, have also grown sig-

nificantly in the past year and have done quite

a lot for the church such as launching MY Ser-

vices to contribute to the church building

fund, the monthly bulletins, food drives, etc.

From formatting a laptop, babysitting/

tutoring your child to leading the children’s

session during the monthly prayer, our vibrant

youth is always on the constant move towards

becoming better leaders and active members

of our Malankara Catholic Church.

More information about the overview of

our year undertaken by the MCYM can

be found in the article by Neil

Thazhamon, Vice-President for 2012. Once

again, our parish joyfully gathered together

as a family on December 29th

for a night of

fun, games and entertainment in Markham

for our annual parish night. The perfor-

mances were top-notch and kept the audi-

ence wanting for more after every act. For

more information about this event and the

performances, please refer to the article

‚Parish Night 2012‛ by Shanjini Mathew.

We also have a riveting article on the quest

of the true ‚One Direction‛ by Prathibha

Mathews. For this month’s edition of the

Saint of the Month, we will be learning

more about the life of St. Stephan, the mar-

tyr. He was a champion of Catholic faith

and an excellent role model for us especial-

ly during these times of constant struggle

between the church and the modern socie-

ty. And last but not least, in our regular

section Snippets from Science – Glimpses

of God’s Beautiful Mind, Amit Mathews

discusses the legend of the Shroud of Tu-

rin. We hope that you enjoy this edition of

the bulletin just as much as we did putting

it together. God Bless and Happy New

Year!

- The Editors

The Editorial

mailto:[email protected]


Page 2 Malankara Catholic Church

One Direction

I guess I have your attention now with the title of this article. While this article is not about One Direction, the

band which is sweeping young teenage girls off their feet; it’s the name of the band and the whole hoopla

surrounding it that has prompted me to write this article.

I was reading some facts on One Direction and listening to some of their songs on YouTube. The admiration

and overwhelming adoration towards the boys really hit home. This also made me think about areas of my

own life where we sometimes succumb to the popular and ‚cool‛ thinking that we sometimes forget the true

‘One Direction’ we need to follow. So folks, here I’m taking One Direction, the band as a representation to

share a few of my thoughts.

Well, to begin with, the name of the band itself has a psycho-

logical impact on turning heads and hearts towards them. The

lyrics of their songs are pretty much part of popular culture which

mostly do not conform to ethics we as Christians follow. I was

shocked to see the photos of female fans crying, screaming

themselves hoarse and almost causing a stampede at concerts.

What could possibly drive young girls to this level of despera-

tion? Surely they are seeking something and are in distress.

Frankly, it’s not about even about the music, it’s the image. Boy

bands are nothing new. There were others before them and there

will be many bands like this in the future. A few years from now,

no one will even remember who One Direction was because a

new band would be creating a new commotion. We actually need

to deeply examine ourselves and direct and orient ourselves to the true One Direction - Jesus Christ.

Teenage is an age of strength, energy and vision – the stepping stone to womanhood who are the bedrock

for future generations to come. Even though it is never too late to start a personal relationship with God, it is

very important to lay the foundation during teenage years. As the holy scriptures say, ‚You reap what you

sow‛, so our future years’ harvest depends on what you sow now. Genesis 3: 8 says that God would walk in

the Garden of Eden, where he created and placed man and woman in the cool of the day. This is a clear indi-

cation of God’s desire to have a personal relationship with each member of the human race. If so, why would

we possibly want to throw away that personal invitation? Furthermore, the Holy Scriptures say, ‚Unto you, a

Saviour is born‛ and (who perfectly fits every heart). Therefore, when we bring people or things equal to Him, I

can’t help but think that it is a sin. Liking a celebrity or admiration for talents is not a sin, but worshipping ce-

lebrities or thinking more about what people think of us rather than what God thinks of us is what takes us on

the wrong track. When you go against pop culture and peer pressure, you are bound to face unpleasantness

and difficulties, but take courage and turn to God for fulfillment and satisfaction. Success and admiration for

the goodness in you will follow you throughout your life. That is because love and peace will flow through you

as you speak loudly of God’s goodness.

Continued on Page 3



One of the most profound losses when we do not follow the True One Direction of Jesus is that we lose the

purpose God has for us in our life. God designed each of us in His own image but again, in our own

uniqueness so that only you can be you. To me, it feels amazing to imagine that the Kingdom of God, is

like a huge puzzle where we all are distinct parts fitting into distinct spots. When our lives begin shaping in

a way which does not conform to the purpose God has for us, we start sticking out of the grand puzzle. So

every day, we are faced with a challenge to choose the King of our hearts and our real One Direction

amidst a thousand other directions.

‚For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am

fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.‛- Psalms 139: 13-14

Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year 2013!

- Prathibha Mathews

Jesus One Direction/………/………./Other aspect

Giver Takers

Humble Pompous

Personal Touch Mass Mania and Hysteria

Loves You Love themselves

Knows You No idea who You are

Thinking about you Sorry, but who are you?

Made the world for us Money scavengers

Interested in You Interested in your money



Shroud of Turin

The Legend Begins

For centuries, devout Christians have believed that an ancient piece of linen (4.34 meters X 1.09 meters) is the burial

cloth, or the Shroud that was wrapped around the body of Jesus Christ. The Shroud bears the faint outline of a man,

and the figure’s facial features have been the inspiration behind the popular image of Christ. Since 1578, the Shroud

has been preserved in the cathedral at Turin, a city in northern Italy. For nearly 500 years, except for a brief period

during World War II, the Shroud has been locked away in an ornate silver casket in a Turin cathedral. However, the

tranquility of the image’s repose has frequently been disturbed by those who doubt its authenticity, and their clamor-

ing has grown louder in recent years as science and faith clash over the Shroud’s cryptic origins. If the Shroud of Turin

is indeed the burial cloth of Christ and bears the features of our Lord and Savior, it is by far the most precious relic of

Christianity. It is also the most carefully guarded one.

The Mysterious Image

The Shroud’s defenders do have substantial evidence on their side.

The imprint on the cloth shows a man with what appears to be

wounds in his wrists and at his waist, possible marks from the cruci-

fixion. But it is the marks down the center of the image that are

most intriguing. They are a faint representation of a human body,

both front and back, a bearded male with long hair and about 5’11‛

tall. In medieval iconography, Christ’s wounds were traditionally de-

picted on his hands, complicating the charge made by skeptics that

the cloth is the work of a medieval forger. The print on the cloth is

in the form of a negative photographic image, depicting both the

front and rear views of a man. Many of the Shroud’s anatomical de-

tails were not discernible until it was photographed and a positive

version was created. Naturally the big question surrounding the

Shroud is whether it is genuine or not. So how was the image creat-

ed in the first place? Some claim that the imprint was caused by a

stain produced by embalming oils smeared on the body. Others

maintain that gaseous exchange between the skin and the atmosphere acted chemically on the cloth to produce the

image, while yet another group suggests that Jesus emitted a certain kind of proton radiation, a result of his personal

agony that acted on the cloth as light does on a photographic plate. But there is no trace of actual blood on the cloth,

nor the scientific analysis been able to discover traces of any material which might have been used to imitate blood,

or of pigment which might have been used to paint the marks on the cloth if its is a forgery. Perhaps the strangest

fact of all is that those marks are only on the surface, they have not penetrated the fibers at all as they would have

done if they were made by real blood or by any sort of paint. Yet their representation of various blood flows on the

cloth is according to scientists, highly accurate.

A History shrouded in Mystery

The history of the Shroud is no less alluring. It can be traced back by documentary evidence to the village of Lirey in

France, in the possession of a knight Geoffrey de Charny (1354). A century later, in 1453 it came into the possession of

Duke of Savoy. The Duke of Savoy later became ruler of part of the north of Italy and moved the Shroud to Turin,

where he planned to move his capital. A special chapel was built for it and until recently it was kept rolled up around a

pile, inside a silvered wooden reliquary behind a grill above the altar.

Continued on Page 5



On the night of December 3, 1532, a fire broke out in the chapel where it was kept in a silver repository. The molten

silver scorched the cloth in several places before it was rescued. Later triangular patches were sewn in to repair the

worst of the scorch damage. Fortunately, those marks are on the side and do not interfere with the main image. Be-

cause of several attempts to destroy it, it has been removed to a place of greater security. However, an exact replica is

on public display at all times in the chapel. Because of its fragility, the Shroud was rarely exposed to the public view.

But this was done in May 1898 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Kingdom of Italy.

Evidence to Providence

In order to answer this question of authenticity, scientists have used a variety of modern techniques. The Shroud has

been subjected to physical, chemical and microscopic analysis; X-ray, ultraviolet photography and Radiocarbon da-

ting. Finally in 1998, scientists at the University of Arizona, carbon dated the cloth and concluded that it was no more

than 725 years old and of European origins. These results were duplicated by three studies at three different labs.

Other scientists have refuted the results completely, reasoning that the cloth was subject to high temperatures during

the fire in the chapel. Such temperatures would change the chemical composition of the cloth itself thereby skewing

the carbon dating results. Radiocarbon dating is one of the most reliable techniques know to man but in this case, it

has fueled the controversy instead of finding a solution. The main argument against the Shroud is the lack of any doc-

umentary evidence that it existed at any time before 1354. However, there is no proof that it did not and there are

hints that it may have. There is a reference to a Shroud of Christ in the 5th century by St. Nino, a native of Jerusalem.

More importantly, in the Byzantine art of 5th century, Christ was frequently represented with details that are visible

upon the Shrouds of Turin. William of Tyre, who accompanied the King of Jerusalem, to Constantinople (modern Is-

tanbul) in 1171, reported that the Shroud of Christ was placed in the imperial palace and there are several other refer-

ences to the Shroud being in Constantinople. How it reached France from Constantinople is a mystery in itself. The

cloth is herringbone twill, the type used in the Middle East. The presence of cotton fibers mixed with linen means that

it could not have been made in Europe since cotton was not grown or used in Europe during the Middle Ages. The

absence of wool is consonant with its being of Jewish origin, since the Mosaic law forbade mixing linen and wool in

making of garments, and the presence of even one wool fiber would have proved that this could not have been Jew-

ish burial Shroud. More recently, one Israeli scientist has performed tests on the Shroud that revealed traces of two

pollen species that coexisted only in one place and at one time in world history: first century Palestine which would fit

Jesus’ time and place.

So much for the scientific and historical search for proofs. The image itself has such pathos and agony that if it is in-

deed a fake made by a medieval forger; God Himself inspired his hands. Only the greatest artist in the history of the

world could have painted a face of such tranquility, royal authority and divine beauty in negative, at a time when neg-

atives were not even known. Others have said that, ‚the Shroud is intrinsically unfakeable!‛ It is either the closest pos-

sible relic of Jesus Christ known or one of the most ingenious and clever products of the human mind possibly even

inspired by God Himself. It is one or the other; there is no middle ground.

- Amit Mathews



Yaldo Qurbono (Christmas Mass) celebrated by His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Mar Eusebius



MCYM Toronto Looking Back on 2012

and Forward to 2013 with Smiles

Another successful year for MCYM Toronto! The year of 2012

marked the progression of fellowship in Christ and the beginnings to

more responsibilities which He calls of his youth. In the past year, the

youth have grown closer together and closer to Christ, simultane-

ously. Through, the retreats, prayer meetings and get together our

youth have progressed in knowledge and faith. This progression

shows no signs of stopping with the many initiatives the youth will

begin and have begun such as weekly prayers, leading monthly pray-

er meetings for children, and monthly prayer meetings for study of

the Catechism of the Catholic Church during this Year of Faith.

MCYM Toronto also continues its services to the church such as the

bulletin that has steadily been publishing every month; providing

information, insight and enjoyment for the past couple years. As

mentioned before, new ways are being found and have been in this

year to serve the church; one of the most significant being MY

(Malankara Youth) Services. In light of all the efforts of St. Mary’s

Mission to raise funds for house of worship, the youth have recog-

nized its important and started an endeavour to help by offering

time and skills in services such as computer repairs, tutoring, baby

sitting and even manicures, in return for donations to the church

building fund. Additionally, the youth arranged events of celebration

for parish like Mother’s and Father’s Day, and Parish Night festivities.

It’s safe to say, the youth of this mission can look back at 2012 with

feelings of accomplishment and memories of good times.

As with the end of every year, another begins, along with new lead-

ers. With prayerful wishes and congratulations, I look with great an-

ticipation for what’s to come in 2013 with our new appointed MCYM

Committee of Toronto! Happy and blessed New Year to all!

- Neil Thazhamon

NEWLY ELECTED OFFICE MEMBERS OF MCYM TORONTO Top, left to right: Christopher Thomas (Joint Treasurer), Jonathan Mani (President),

Lynn Babu (Web Coordinator), Daniel Philip (Treasurer)

Bottom, left to right: Isabel Mani (Joint Secretary), Rajesh Jacob (Animator),

Fr. John Kuriakose, Jessy Mani (Animator), Nisha Thomas (Secretary),

Stephina Alexander (Vice President)

New Year’s Resolutions and How God

Fits into the Big Picture And that’s a wrap. All the laughter and tears are now but a

memory in our minds. For some of us, the year was great and for

others, maybe not so much. Whatever the case may be, many of us

might make a commitment to change or improve our lives over the

course of the next year. Resolutions like ‚losing weight‛ or

‚reducing stress‛ are completely fine in themselves, but it often

happens that we can pursue our resolution while leaving God com-

pletely out of the picture. For this New Year, I call all of you to self-

reflection and self-reformation in light of what God calls us to do.

A good example of this is the ‚two-part‛ resolution that can be

seen in Psalm 119:59, where the psalmist says, ‚I have considered

my conduct, and I promise to follow your instructions.‛ It is possi-

ble many of us follow the first part of this verse, after all, part of

making resolutions is inherent on self-reflection, but perhaps we

consider our conduct in materialistic sense. Reducing stress might

be great, but how are we to do this without a spiritual foundation?

Similarly, a lot of the issues in our lives can be solved by trusting in

God and turning towards Him. I urge you to be like the psalmist,

who first evaluated himself and then submitted himself to God. As

many of us are seeking improvement, it is best to use a ‚spiritual

yardstick‛ to measure our successes. Everything God

wants from us is in the Bible and the rest is in His hands.

As you begin, contemplate things like the state of your soul. Are

there areas in your life that need fixing? If so, pray for that, go to

Mass or perhaps attend a retreat. There may also be lingering sins

spread out throughout your life. Confess them, as it would be best

to start the New Year with a clean conscience. Another thing to

consider is your means of grace. This refers our effort to read and

learn our Bibles, as well as our daily prayers. Just as it is important

to pray, it is important to be prayerful. Set aside time to pray, but I

believe that this year, we can all do better. Try to fit prayer into the

crevices of your life. Traffic jams are the perfect opportunity to

pray a rosary. Waiting in line for that coffee can be the opportune

time for a prayer of thanksgiving. We can also send a prayer while

cooking or doing laundry. Think of your daily routine and I’m pret-

ty sure you can fit a 30 second prayer in more than one place. By

this standard, we will have prayerfully lived our lives by always

thinking about and acknowledging God in our lives. Not only will

you be setting aside time for God with your daily prayer, but you

will have also intertwined Him with your daily schedule.

All in all, creating a list of resolutions is a great endeavor, but as

you make them, try to see how God fits into the big picture.

You’ve recognized the problem, and I’m positive He has the solu-

tion. Keep praying and Happy New Year to all of you!

- Jonathan Mani



Altar Servers Schedule

Date Candle Candle Marbahasa Marbahasa Bell Readings Thurible

January 6 Issac Alvin Alexi Cyrus Deepak Neil Lynn

January 13 Sarath Aaron Jerome Anugrah Christopher Anil Daniel

January 20 Alvin Alexi Cyrus Issac Samson Deepak Sebin

January 27 Anugrah Sarath Aaron Jerome Neil Manoj Lynn

The Saint of this month is the first Christian mar-

tyr and one of the first deacons of the Church.

Saint Stephen was one of seven men selected

and ordained by the Apostles to provide aid to

the poor, elderly widows within the church com-

munity. St. Stephen was a gifted evangelist and

was respected for his preaching abilities. Saint

Stephen ministered mostly to the Hellenistic con-

verts, with whom the Apostles had difficulty

speaking. He was greatly admired for his speak-

ing skills and the Church had publicly acknowl-

edged him as a man with good reputation, full of

the Holy Spirit and God's wisdom. However,

many controversies arose against St. Stephen by

people around the world. The Libertines, the

Cyrenians, the Alexandrians and those of Cilicia

and Asia challenged him to a conflict and were

embarrassed by him. Prideful and full of hatred,

they bore false witness upon St. Stephen, testify-

ing that he had spoken words of blasphemy

against Moses and against God.

HIS EXCELLENCY RT. REV. DR. PHILIPOSE MAR STEPHANOS

FEAST DAY JANUARY 8TH

Forced to stand before the Sanhedrin and endure false accusations, St. Stephen

spoke; he recited the mercies of God towards Israel and of Israel’s ungratefulness. The

Jewish people were enraged by his words and their fury was incensed when he ac-

cused them of murdering the just One, Jesus Christ, as the prophets had foretold. St.

Stephen looked to heaven and said, ‚Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son

of man standing on the right hand of God‛ (Acts 7:56). At this, the enraged crowd ran

violently upon him and cast him out of the city. He was stoned to death but had cried

out to the Lord to not condemn his enemies. Stephen, whose name means ‚crown‛,

was the first of Jesus’ disciples to receive the martyr’s crown. His feast day is Decem-

ber 26th and he is the patron saint of deacons and altar servers. Recently His Beati-

tude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos was elevated into the position of Cardi-

nal of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, His Beatitude now wears the red vestments

which represent the blood of the martyrs who died for Christ which also referred to as

the Princes of Blood.

- Issac Mathew

HIS BEATITUDE MORAN MOR BASELIOS CARDINAL CLEEMIS CATHOLICOS

FEAST DAY JANUARY 1ST

HIS EXCELLENCY RT. REV. DR. THOMAS MAR ANTHONIOS FEAST DAY JANUARY 17TH

HIS EXCELLENCY RT. REV. DR. GEEVARGHESE MAR TIMOTHIOS

FEAST DAY JANUARY 22ND

HIS EXCELLENCY RT. REV. DR. JOSHUA MAR IGNATHIOS FEAST DAY JANUARY 29TH

FEAST WISHES

St. Stephen, the Martyr



PARISH NIGHT 2012

On Saturday, December 29th

, the Toronto

Malankara Catholic community hosted their

annual Parish Night at Victoria Square Commu-

nity Centre in Markham. This year, we were

blessed with the presence of our vicar, Fr. John

Kuriakose and honorary guest Dr. Gigi Philip,

former parish vicar. The evening was filled with

lots of great spirit of joy, laughter and many

good memories. As with every year, the night

starts off with the youth arranging entertain-

ment with challenging games for both children,

and even some adults, to partake in and win

some prizes. Additionally, youth organizes a

successful raffle in which great prizes were won throughout the night such as gift-

cards, paintings, iPods, laptops and even a massage! Soon after games ended, din-

ner was served. The community enjoyed a wonderful meal and were ready for the main event! The parish night pro-

grams commenced with the lighting of the lamp by the Fathers, who also gave wonderful speeches, a welcome dance

and singing of the Canadian national anthem. Fr. Gigi delivered

a Christmas message on the prophecy and fulfillment of our

Lord’s birth which we currently celebrate through song, dance

and drama, as one could see through the night’s programs. Per-

formances consisted of beautiful dances performed by our be-

loved aunties, youth girls and guys, dramatic but thrilling skits

by the youth and Sunday school children and many other danc-

es from our hard-working and dedicated children. The night

ended with all the youth performers coming together for the

finale, singing ‚Ten Thousands Reasons‛ and ended with India’s

national anthem.

Overall, Parish Night was another great night and a wonderful

opportunity for the Sunday school children, youth and adults to

come together enjoy each others presence whilst glorifying

God’s name with their incredible talents. With all the hard work

from ongoing practices, everyone worked efficiently and put in

all their effort in making this occasion a great success. Let us

thank the Lord so that He may continue to shower us with His

abundant blessings.

- Shanjini Mathew



Coffee Sponsors

January 6 Aju & Alpha

January 13 TBD

January 20 Raju & Shirly

January 27 Renish & Rani

Liturgy of the Month Week Gospel Readings Epistles Old Testament Readings Reader

Jan. 6 Matthew 3:13-17

Baptism of Jesus

Acts 19:1-10

Hebrews 10:19-25

Genesis 24:10-27

Ezekiel 47:1-12

Isaiah 12:1-6

Rajesh

Jacob

Jan. 13 John 1:43-51

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

1 Peter 3:8-17

Philippians 1:15-20

Exodus 3:1-15

Wisdom 7:1-12

Isaiah 1:4-20

Neil

Thazhamon

Jan. 20 Luke 4:16-22

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

1 Peter 1:13-25 Romans

3:1-8

Joshua 4:1-14

Proverbs 10:1-12

Isaiah 61:1-4

Francis

Thazhamon

Jan. 27 Matthew 24:45-51

Day and Hour Unknown

1 Acts 20:25-38

Hebrews 13:7-16

Deuteronomy 34:1-9

Sirach 7:29-36

Isaiah 65:13-16

Joshua

Joseph

Commemoration of

Mary

Mother of God of

Seeds

January 15TH

Table of Editors

Editors ——-—> Deepak Wilson and Neil Thazhamon

Layout ——–—> Tom Mathew

Chief Editor —-> Amit Mathews

Advisor ——––> Rev. Fr. John Kuriakose

Got Feedback? Please address them to the Chief Editor at

[email protected]

Letters will be published in the next issue of the bulletin.

Documents

January 2013