History of Eparchy of Mississauga
“The plans of the Lord stand firm forever; the purposes of his heart through all generations” (Psalm33:11). This brief history is a ‘looking back and a moving forward’ with the firm plans of the Lord about the Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Mississauga. The Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada are a migrant community, with rich cultural and Catholic backgrounds. Although the faithful are scattered and settled among the several Canadian provinces and territories, they have maintained their faith and religious identity through their limited community connections and contacts with their mother Church, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India. From 1960-1980, majority of these communities were relying on the part-time pastoral services of priests from the Syro Malabar Catholic Church and other Catholic Religious Orders from India, who were serving in the different Latin Catholic Dioceses of Canada. We would like to convey our gratitude to those priests who took care of the community; and we gratefully acknowledge the valuable guidance and support of the Archbishops and Bishops who gave their invaluable services to maintain the Syro-Malabar Catholic faith.
From 1980-2015, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Community in Canada grew in size mainly due to the growth of population and by the arrival of new Syro-Malabar Catholic immigrants from India and other countries. Although the accurate number is not identified, based on the available data, there are approximately 23,000 Syro-Malabar Catholics settled in Canada. We gratefully acknowledge the amazing generosity and pastoral support of all Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops of Canada.
1.1 Erection of the Syro-Malabar Apostolic Exarchate
August 6, 2015 is a memorable day in the history of the Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada. It was on that day the Holy Father Pope Francis, “Desiring to protect and promote the spiritual riches of the Oriental Churches…”(Cf. Decree of Erection), erected the Apostolic Exarchate for the Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada and appointed Very Reverend Dr. Jose Kalluvelil as the Apostolic Exarch by the Apostolic Constitution “Spiritualem ubertatem”. The Episcopal Ordination of the Apostolic Exarch and the formal inauguration of the Syro-Malabar Exarchate took place on September 19, 2015 at the Church of Virgin Mary and Athanasius Canadian Coptic Centre by His Beatitude George Cardinal Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.
Ever since the erection of the Syro-Malabar Apostolic Exarchate, we initiated our faith journey with specific Vision and Mission. Our main objectives are, To Form, To Fortify and To Evangelise the People of God and provide them with all the necessary pastoral care. Based on the promise of Christ: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt. 6:33), despite of the initial struggle, we could slowly build up the Exarchate from scratch.
1.2 Elevation to Eparchy
The Apostolic Exarchate for the Syro-Malabar Catholics in Canada is elevated to the rank of an Eparchy with the title of Mississauga by His Holiness Pope Francis on 22 December 2018. The inauguration of the Eparchy and the installation of Mar Jose Kalluvelil were solemnized on 25 May 2019 by His Beatitude George Cardinal Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, at St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Cathedral, Mississauga. Let’s thank God for this ineffable gift, a gift for the missionary zeal, hard work and coordinated efforts of all the People of God in this far-reaching country.
