Pastoral Dimension of Liturgy

No liturgical text which does not have the appoval of the majority of the Bishops shall be imposed on the people by the Holy See. Bishops being pastors and as such in constant contact with the needs and sentiments of the people, are the best judges as to what will contribute to the spiritual progress of the flock committed to their care. A liturgical rite has its historical, structural and pastoral dimensions but the last one (the pastoral dimension) is the most important of all. At the hands of the so-called experts, the pastoral dimension often becomes a casuality. Hence they are not to say the last word on the feasability of a liturgical text. (Cardinal Pareckattil, Ernakulam Missam LIII. (1983)

Bishop Thomas Chakiath on Cardinal Pareckattil

Another remarkable instance of his prophetic and readical action was his decision to sell the golden (pectoral) cross of the late Bishop Louis Pazheparambil and of Archbishop Augustine Kandathil, his predecessor, and of his own and to donate the amount to the educational fund he had founded in 1967. Tha Archdiocese has the history of selling a golden cross of the Angamaly parish for raising funds for the construction of St.Joseph's High School, Angamaly. One is reminded here of St Armbrose, the courageous bishop of Milan, who exhorted his priests not to hoard gold in the possession of the Church but to spend it for those who were in need. He even advised the clergy to break up the sacred golden vessels and ornaments of the Church and even the "mystic cup", if necessary to ransom the captives and help the poor.

Syro Malabar Church is not an Offshoot of Chaldean Church

Cardinal Parecattil wrote to Archbishop Miroslaw Marusyn, Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches: I wish to make it clear that our Church, tracing its origin from the apostolate of St. Thomas is not an offshoot of the Chaldean Church, though our liturgy happened to be an offspring of the liturgical colonialism spearheaded by the immigrants of the 4th century under Thomas of Cana.
Commenting on this Statement Bishop Gratian Mundadan Wrote: The Cardinal used to argue that the Church in Kerala had no need to surrender its identity to any foreign Church. He refuted the arguements based on a "host of conjectins" and "other obnoxious claims" on the origin of the Rite of St. Thomas Christians and concluded that they are only manifestations of a vain endeavour to establish that the Chaldean traditions should be restored in toto and no adaptations be tolerated. He unhesitatingly asserted that the Syro Malabar Chruch has its own identity independent of that of the Chaldean Church.

Cardinal Parecattil's Views on Liturgy

Whenever they (the apostles) preached the Gospel, they have given shape to liturgical worship in the local languages, making use of symbols borrowed from local cultures. This is how different Rites originated. Our Father St Thomas too must have thus established the nucleus of an indigenous Rite in India...Although we do not know any details of this early form of worship, we can, all the same, safely say that St. Thomas, while planting the seed of the gospel in the Indian soil, must have taken the initiative in setting the liturgical ball rolling the Indian way

His Liturgical Vision

Regarding the liturgical renewal, he had reservations on merely restoring the ancient traditions. Althouth he was in favour of restoration, he objected to restoring everything in toto irrespective of the contemporary needs and aspirations of the people of God. He informed the Council Fathers that his reservations were based on the principle of the spiritual growth of the faithful and their pastoral exigencies. (Cf. Ernakulam Missam LII.4 (April 1983)

Cardinal Parekattil on Priestly Commitment

I am dedicated to God for all eternity. I have taken the irrevocable step. The vision about this step was a solemn profession to remain firm in the service of God till death. The principle remains the same even today, but often its practice yields to compromises. Today, we see the pathetic situation in which not only clerics of lower grade, but even those persons who belong to the higher ranks of priestly order seeking exemption from their vows and leaving. Further the philosophy of "situation ethics" and the like have diluted the value of solemn professions and permanent commitment. For people like me, the priestly life then had all the fullness of the signs of a total dedication.
(From the Autobiography of Cardinal Parekattil)

International Recognition of Cardinal Parekattil

Mathias Mundadan CMI in his book on Cardinal Parekattil, "Cardinal Parekattil: The Man, His vision, and His contribution" writes about the international fame of Cardinal Parekattil

"A book published in the United States of America on the eve of the conclave which was to elect the successor to Pope Paul VI bearing the title "The Inner Elite" gave a short accounts of all the cardinal electors. About cardinal Parekattil the book records a number of things which touch upon his personality and his vision in a succinct manner. It is to be noted with gratification that in the analysis of the book Cardinal Parekattil was placed sixth among the ten top ranking Cardinals. This is an index of the esteem the Cardinal commanded on international level." In this particular book mentioned his choice would be, "Parekattil was very much in favor of greater independence for national hierarchies. In special conclave, his choice of candidate would be greatly influenced by the individual's attitude to decentralization. He certainly would not favor a candidate who sought to retain rigid curial control of all Church activities."