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An Eastern-rite community grows closer to Christ in a Latin-rite Church in Clifton

Connor Bergeron | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

Fr. Justin Puthussery, pastor of St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Community of Northern Virginia, celebrates a Mass in the Syro-Malabar rite at St. Andrew Church in Clifton.

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Parishioners of the St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Community of Northern Virginia participate in a Mass in their new location at St. Andrew Church in Clifton.

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Christian hymns from India echo in St. Andrew Church in Clifton
on Sundays at 4 p.m. 

New parishes can relate to the St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic Community
of Northern Virginia’s struggle to find a place of their own. Before their
relocation to St. Andrew, the St. Jude Community rented space at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Centreville to celebrate Mass.

“Almost all members of our community grew up in established
Catholic churches in India and were used to the serene Catholic church ambiance
and environment which was lacking in the Lutheran Church,” said Jophy Jose, a
parishioner of the St. Jude Community.

“We didn’t feel like we were in a church. The children would play
around,” said Father Justin Puthussery, pastor of the St. Jude Community. 

Once the community of 250 families arrived at St. Andrew Church,
Father Puthussery said the playing stopped and participation increased. He believes
having the real presence of the Eucharist in a permanent place is the reason. Jose
said the biggest change is the children’s reverence.

“When I see them kneel in front of the Blessed Sacrament, it
brings a great deal of joy to my heart, because it assures me that our culture
and traditions wouldn’t be extinct with us, but will carry on to our future
generations,” said Jose.

The St. Jude Community celebrated its first Mass at St. Andrew
Church on the feast of St. Thomas, July 3, 2016, commemorating when the apostle evangelized
their ancestors in India in AD 52. Syro-Malabar-rite Catholics are the second
largest of the 23 Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, and its name comes  from the Syriac language (a form of Aramaic)
that St. Thomas introduced in the region where he preached — the Malabar Coast
(modern-day Kerala). As with all Eastern rites, the Syro-Malabar rite expresses the
Catholic faith in its own language and tradition. 

Courtesy PhotoThe relocation allows the community to catechize its 170 children
in the classrooms at St. Andrew and celebrate Mass every Sunday.

The arrangement between the Arlington Diocese and the St. Thomas
Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago permits the St. Jude Community temporary
use of the facilities for six months, starting last September. They will renew
their agreement soon. Father Puthussery hopes to purchase
land to build a church or purchase an older church to renovate within two years.

“They are a separate parish using our facilities from a different
diocese,” said Father Christopher J. Mould, pastor of St. Andrew. “(Father
Puthussery) is very thoughtful. He helps with confessions and helps the diocese
as a part-time chaplain for INOVA Hospital in Fairfax.”

Though the community celebrates weekly Mass and holds religious education classes St. Andrew, Christmas and Easter provide
scheduling dilemmas. This Easter, the St. Jude Community celebrated Mass at
Liberty High School in Bealeton. Weekday Masses are offered at Corpus Christi
Church in South Riding.

Father Puthussery said there are elements of St.
Andrew that do not resemble a Syro-Malabar church such as a second altar (for
the readings) and a curtain to separate the congregation from the tabernacle. 

“That’s the trouble when we don’t have our own facility,” said
Father Puthussery. “Once we get a church, the spirits of the people go up.”  

Before the move, Father Puthussery was known as the “driving
priest” for celebrating Sunday Mass in Richmond and Northern Virginia. The Syro-Malabar
community is scattered, which often prevents them from attending Mass regularly
in their tradition. Because most are immigrants, they are uninformed about the
differences between Christian churches in the area. 

“We had trouble, people were going to a Baptist church,” he said.
When St. Andrew is too far, Father Puthussery encourages his
parishioners to attend a nearby Latin-rite church.

“St. Andrew Church was the first Latin church, (at which) I concelebrated
when I moved (from India),” he said. 

While the two parishes use the facilities of one church, they demonstrate
St. John Paul II’s words of reconnecting Western and Eastern Christianity, “The
Church must breathe with her two lungs.”

Find out more

For more information on Indian Catholic communities in the
area, go to the diocesan Office of Multicultural Ministries.; about  the St. Jude Syro-Malabar Catholic
Community of Northern Virginia., go to stjudenva.org.

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