Singapore's Cardinal-elect praises the close-knit relationship of the Syro-Malabar community

Cardinal-elect William Goh, Archbishop of Singapore, praised the Syro-Malabar community for passing on their traditions to future generations when he joined them on July 16 at the Church of the Transfiguration to celebrate the Syro-Malabar jubilee of St. Thomas the Apostle.

Speaking at a concelebrated Mass with the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church community, Archbishop Goh compared their faith to that of St. Thomas, who at first doubted that Christ had risen but became "a witness to Christ and a witness unto death" after Jesus showed him his wounds. 

"In order that your faith is growing, like that of St. Thomas, even when you do not see Christ, you  need to be connected with the community," the Archbishop said.

He commended the community's close-knit relationships. Still, he urged them to reach out and remain united with the greater Catholic Church community "so that the Church in Singapore will witness to the world with one faith and one heart, as one people of God, in the unity and variety of the liturgies and traditions."

Archbishop Goh joined Syro-Malabar Mass with Syro-Malabar Curia Bishop Mar Sebastian Vaniyapurackal, Mar Sebastian Vaniyapurackal, Secretary of the Commission for Evangelization and Pastoral Care of the Migrants, Father Sebastian Muttamthottil, and Assistant Parish Priest, Fr Antony Kuttianickal.

Syro-Malabar Catholics trace their ancestry back to St. Thomas the Apostle, calling themselves as Thomas Christians. It is second largest of the 23 Eastern (Oriental) Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome.