Thiruvananthapuram: Major Archbishop Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos Bava is a beacon of light spreading hope and compassion in Kerala society, CM V D Satheesan said on Saturday.Speaking at the concluding session of the celebrations marking the silver jubilee of Bava’s episcopal ordination, Satheesan said the Cardinal had been a source of solace, reaching people as a small ray of light even in places and human hearts surrounded by darkness.The silver jubilee celebrations began with a concelebrated Holy Mass at 9am, with Bava as the principal celebrant. Cardinal Oswald Gracias delivered the homily.The public meeting that followed was inaugurated by Satheesan. Archbishop Varghese Chakkalakal, president of Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC), presided over the function. Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma delivered the keynote address, while Patriarch Ignatius Youssef III Younan of Syriac Catholic Church of Antioch delivered a blessing message.Satheesan and Sangma jointly inaugurated a series of charitable initiatives launched as part of the silver jubilee celebrations.Muhammed Basil, a student of Mar Ivanios College who won a silver medal at the recently held Commonwealth Games, was felicitated at the function.Cardinal Filipe Neri António Sebastião di Rosário Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa; Union minister Suresh Gopi; Catholicos Baselios Joseph Bava of Jacobite Syrian Christian Church; Mar Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan of Mar Thoma Syrian Church; minister K Muraleedharan; businessman M A Yusuff Ali; Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt of Pala; Bishop Joseph Mar Dionysius, secretary of Inter-Church Council; Shashi Tharoor, MP; K N Balagopal, MLA; mayor V V Rajesh; and former DGP Jacob Punnoose, general convener of silver jubilee celebrations, addressed the gathering.Metropolitans Samuel Mar Theophilos and Eugine Kuriakose of Believers Eastern Church, CSI Bishop Jose George and Thomas Mar Athanasius, Metropolitan of Kandanad Diocese, released books during the event. Anto Antony, vice-president of Catholic Council of India, and former chief secretaries John Mathai and Santhosh Mathew received the books.In his response, Cardinal urged people to pray for him so that he could continue to work for the common good of society rather than confining his service to the Church.The Cardinal also emphasised the need for people to live with a broader commitment to society and contribute to the welfare of the wider community.
