A Bold Missionary Response in Troubled Times
Amid a tense and challenging atmosphere in India, where Christians are increasingly subjected to unjust attacks, false cases, and persecution, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church has prayerfully discerned and launched yet another powerful missionary initiative—one that seeks to shake the spiritual world and rekindle the missionary fire among the lay faithful.
Though numerically a small community, with fewer than five million faithful, the Syro-Malabar Church has a vibrant and visible presence across India and throughout the world. From the earliest apostolic times, this Church has remained deeply missionary in spirit, courageously engaged in the work of the Lord across cultures, regions, and continents.
Birth of a SyM Lay Missionary Movement
In order to regularise, organise, and systematically guide the missionary activities of Syro-Malabar lay faithful, the Synod of the Church officially introduced a Lay Missionary Movement, aptly christened “Jeevan Jyothi” (Light of Life).
The Jeevan Jyothi Syro-Malabar Lay Missionary Movement (JJ SYMLMM) was solemnly inaugurated on 26 January 2026 at Mount St. Thomas, Kakkanad, Kochi, in an official ceremony presided over by:
His Beatitude Mar Raphael Thattil, Major Archbishop and Head of the Syro-Malabar Church
Archbishop Mar Prince Panengadan, Chairman of the Movement
Rev. Fr. Francis Eluvathingal, Secretary of the Movement
The event was attended by numerous zealous mission-minded lay activists who are deeply committed to spreading the Good News to the nooks and corners of India and the world.
“The Word of God Cannot Be Chained”
After the ceremonial lighting of the lamp and formal inauguration, Archbishop Mar Prince Panengadan, in an emotional and prophetic address, quoted 2 Timothy 2:9:
“The Word of God cannot be chained.”
Referring to the alarming rise in false cases, arrests, and persecution against Christians in many parts of India—often instigated by religious extremists—he reminded the faithful that no force on earth can silence the Gospel. Reports indicate that nearly two incidents of attacks on Christians are recorded every day in India, yet the Church continues to stand firm.
Christians, inspired by faith, will never stop spreading and sharing the Love, Light, and Life that is Jesus Christ, as proclaimed in John 1:4–5:
“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
A Mission That Cannot Be Silenced
The faithful draw strength from the courageous declaration of Apostles Peter and John in Acts 4:20:
“We cannot keep silent about what we have seen and heard.”
No persecution, no government, no political party, and no organisation can stop a true missionary from proclaiming Christ. The Jeevan Jyothi Movement stands as a bold testimony to this unshakeable conviction.
Through this movement, lay missionaries are officially authorised and appointed to proclaim the Gospel, affirming the teaching of the Church that every baptised person is a missionary (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 900).
Five Missionary Methods – The Vision of Jeevan Jyothi
As beautifully depicted in its logo, the JJ SYMLMM seeks to proclaim the Good News through five distinct missionary methods:
Intercessory Prayer
Personal Evangelisation (telling individually)
Evangelisation through Service
Witnessing by Life
Proclamation from the Rooftops (bold and public testimony)
Organised Missionary Groups
To effectively realise these objectives, the movement has formed various dedicated groups, including:
Intercessors
Preachers
Street Evangelisers
Professionals such as teachers, doctors, and nurses
Social media and digital Evangelisation teams
Each group contributes uniquely to the common mission of spreading the Gospel with creativity, courage, and compassion.
Conclusion
In an age marked by fear, hostility, and spiritual confusion, the Jeevan Jyothi Syro-Malabar Catholic Lay Missionary Movement rises as a luminous sign of hope. It reaffirms that the mission of the Church is alive, unstoppable, and entrusted not only to clergy, but to every baptised believer.
Indeed, the Word of God cannot be chained.
Those who are interested to join this great movement, please contact:
Syro Malabar Mission: 9496038700
Rev Fr Francis Eluvathingal (Secretary): 9869685140
