At the anniversary meeting of the reunion movement, His grace the Most Rev. Dr. Cyril Mar Baselios put forward the idea of a “Malankara Catholic Association on 20th September 1989 at Niranam. It has created a great momentum in the Church.

His grace the Most Rev. Dr. Cyril Mar Baselios Metropolitan appointed an adhoc committee in 1996. Their main aim was to make a constitution and to conduct a membership campaign at the parish, district and diocese levels. Accordingly, a committee came into effect under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Varghese Mavelil as spiritual advisor and Varghese Karippayil as president. The Constitution was approved in 1999.

The aims of the Malankara Catholic Association are to help the believers for a development based on Christian principles, and to safeguard and strengthen the interests of the church and the society through this development. MCA is engaged in the roll round development of the members of the Malankara Catholic Church.

The MCA activities are spread over four spheres: Spiritual, Intellectual, Educational and Social. The regular meetings and programs conducted in the unit level help the organization to grow spiritually and intellectually. They are occasions for prayers and for discussions on different themes. One area where the MCA has to work actively is the area of social work. The growth of the MCA will help in safeguarding the interests of the Catholic society to become powerful force.

At present MCA is organized in Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvalla, Bathery, Moovattupuzha and Marthandom Dioceses. The organization and activities MCA is in progress in the extra territorial mission station including oversees. The active leadership of MCA and the different programs organized under is banner started giving a new face to its presence in the society. All the members of Malankara Catholic Church are expected to take part whole heartedly in the activities of MCA for fulfilling its aims and strengthen the church.

 {mospagebreak title=Central Constitution (w.e.f 2004)}

CENTRAL CONSTITUTION - W.E.F 2004

Published under the auspices of His Grace Most Revt. Dr. Cyril Mar Baselios, the Metropolitan Archbishop  the Bishops Council of Malankara Catholic Church.

Name: - The association is named as Malankara Catholic Association.  In short it will be known as MCA.

Central Office:-  The central office of the association will be at the office of the Metropolitan Archbishop.

Aim: - The ultimate aim of the association is to protect the socio-cultural, educational, economic and political interests of the church members and to co-operate with the church authorities for the integral development and the continual sanctification of the church.

Jurisdiction:-  The jurisdiction of the association extends to all the dioceses of the Malankara Catholic Church, its extra territorial areas and all the mission centres.

Programmes:- 

1) The association works for the integral development of the reunion movement.

2) Being the messengers of ecumenism and reunion movement the members should contact with other churches and its association and should pray for the union of all Christians.

3) It tries to foster brotherhood and mutual goodwill among the Malankara Catholic faithful.

4) It works to cultivate the beliefs and ideals of the church in its members and popularise them.  It preserves and popularises the faith, liturgy and ancestry of the church.  So that the ideals and philosophic orders of the church should be cultivated among its members.

5) It studies the contemporary problems and makes the members aware of them and helps in bringing out a common opinion.

6) It works to unite the members of the church in different spheres of life and makes available their services to the church and to the state.  It takes steps for the social and political development of its members and provides full support and recognition.

7) It studies the bills presented on the central and state legislatures or suggestions put forward by any individual or association and makes the church faithful aware of them and respond to them.  For this they can call the attention of the representatives, intellectuals and advocates from the church faithful and can join with other movements common or with the same aim.

8) It seeks different ways to vindicate the problems that adversely affect the church and defends the rights of the church and its members.

9) It manifests different programmes of education and employment for its members and maintains equality of opportunity.  For this, career guidance courses, study classes, adult education centres, libraries etc are established and provides financial assistance. It establishes programmes for the economic self sufficiency of its members and encourages well wishers.

10) It creates facilities of higher studies for talented students and awards consolation prizes to those who secure higher marks.  Scholarships, financial assistance, loans and grants are distributed to financially backward students.

11) The association encourages the church faithful who are talented in national and international level competitions.

12) It arranges competitions and exhibitions to encourage and develop the artistic, literary, intellectual and scientific skills of its members and prizes are distributed to them.

13) The association establishes special programmes and arranges seminars and debates for the progress of students, youth and women.

14) It envisages social service by supplying financial assistance for building houses, medical treatment, marriage, food and relief fund.

15) It takes leadership in arranging family apostolate programmes, preachings and pilgrimages encourage vocation to popularise the teachings of the church about the value of life, oppose the activities that harm it and helps in forming a general opinion about it.

16) The association establishes marriage bureaus.

17) It studies and popularises the current teachings of the Catholic Church, prepares programmes accordingly and executes them.  It gives training to its members in theology, church history, code of canons and moral theology.

18) It helps to provide justice to Dalit Christians, the exploited and the poor especially the church faithful by providing free legal aid and such programmes.

19) It reacts strongly against social problems like exploitation, bribes, consumption of alcohols, vulgarity etc. and works for establishing a value based society.

20) It tries to vindicate the problems of unemployment by giving vocational, agricultural and industrial training.

21) It makes its members aware of the environmental problems and make them to act against it.

22) It co-operates with the national and international movements of the church and other Christian movements affiliated to the church on the basis of human values. 

 III. Membership

 The Malankara Catholics who have completed 25 years of age can become the members of MCA by following the conditions given below .

1) They should not be a member of any movements prohibited by the universal catholic church or Malankara catholic Episcopal synod

2) They should not have been inflicted by any punishment by the church. 

3) They should pay Rs.10/- as admission fee along with application form.  The membership should be renewed once in every three years by paying Rs.10 Only.

4) The month of May is celebrated as the month of membership

5) The Membership will be lost if they fail to renew it twice continuously.

6) New membership will be given to those who loses the membership once.

7) The life long admission fee is Rs.300/- 

8) The life long members should be given special certificates.

9) The fees, subscriptions and contribution, what so ever they have so paid, shall not be re-funded to them or their legal heirs if they lost their membership.

10) The membership is cancelled if they lose the membership of the church

 The Central Executive Committee has the authority to cancel the membership of the individuals who are involved in crime or offence that are against the dignity of the church.

 A.  Structure:-

Malankara Catholic Association has structurally 4 levels.  The first level is the basic unit.  The basic unit is in parish/mission/foreign mission levels.  The second level is in Regional/ Extra Territorial region/foreign mission.  Above to that is the third level.  That is Diocese/ Extra territorial mission centres/foreign mission levels.  The fourth level is the central committee.

 B.  Self-Rules:-

Diocese/Extra territorial mission centre /foreign mission centre can make rules for the different programmes, election, Committee, meetings, rewards, amount and properties at parish / mission/foreign mission levels and regional/extra territorial mission levels and diocese/extra territorial mission centre / foreign mission centre levels in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of MCA.

C.  Assemblies:-

There are assemblies at 4 levels - Parish/Mission/Foreign mission assemblies, Regional/ Extra Territorial missions/foreign mission assemblies, Diocesan/mission centres/foreign mission centre assemblies and central assembly.

1.  Parish Assembly: -  The parish general bodies are called parish assembly

2.  Regional Assembly: - The representatives to the Regional/ Extra territorial region/ Foreign mission region are elected from the basic units in accordance with the provisions of the constitutions of Diocesan/ Extra territorial mission centre and foreign mission centre. .

3.  Diocesan Assembly :-  The representatives to Diocesan/ Extra territorial mission centre/ Foreign mission centre are elected from the Diocesan region/ Extra territorial mission regions/ Foreign mission regions in accordance with the central constitution of Diocesan/ Extra territorial mission centre and foreign mission centre.

4.  Central Assembly: - It includes Diocesan spiritual advisors, 25 members from each Diocesan Assembly including its central executive committee members and 5 members each from the mission centres and foreign mission centres.  Its 30% seats are reserved for women.

V.  Patron – The patron of this association will be the head of the Malankara Catholic Church and the Diocesan Bishop will be the head of the Diocesan unit.  The patron of the mission centres will be either the head of the Malankara Catholic Church or the Bishop or priest appointed by the Malankara Catholic Episcopal Council.

 (a)     Chairman:-  The chairman of this association will be the bishop approved by the Malankara Catholic Episcopal Council.

 VI.  Spiritual Advisor – The central spiritual advisor of the MCA will be the priest appointed by the head of the Malankara Catholic Church in consultation with the Episcopal Council.

2. The Diocesan spiritual advisor of the MCA will be the priest appointed by the bishop of that Diocese

3. The parish priest will be the parish advisor

4. Regional spiritual advisor – The protopresbyter or a priest elected by the District priest council is the Regional Spiritual Advisor.  The spiritual advisor of the Extra territorial region will be the priest appointed by the patron or the priests council of the Extra territorial region.

5. The spiritual advisors of the foreign mission centres will be appointed by the patron of the foreign mission.

Administration and Election

Committees

For the administration, managing committees and executive committees are there in four levels – Diocese, Regional, district and parish level.  The office bearers of these various committees will be elected for a period of 2 years.

2. Central Managing Committee:-   The committee includes 15 members elected from central Assembly through secret ballot on the simple  of relative majority, central secretariat, Diocesan spiritual advisors, presidents, secretaries, three members nominated by the patron and central spiritual advisor.  The president of the Association will be the president of the central managing committee.

3.   Central Executive Committee:-  It includes the central secretariat, three members elected by the managing committee and the central spiritual advisor.

4.   One of the three members elected to the central executive committee and 5 of the fifteen members elected to the Central Managing Committee must be allotted to women.

B.  Office Bearers

1. Presidents, Vice Presidents, Secretary Joint Secretary and the treasurer are the important office bearers.

2. The President: - The president in each level should be elected by the concerned assemblies.  He should get two third majorities in the assembly.  If he didn’t get two third majorities in the first election, the voting should be continued again.  If the result is same in the second time, the voting shall be arranged third time to get simple majority.  The presidential candidate should have completed 35 years of age.

3. Vice Presidents: - The association should have a women vice president and one vice president each from all dioceses other than the diocese which the president of the MCA belongs.

4. All office bearers except the president of MCA are to be elected through secret ballot system in the simple majority.

5. The president, the secretary and the treasurer are to be elected from different diocese by following the rotation system.

6. The elections at the diocesan and central levels are to be approved by the patron. Only after the confirmation, the office bearers can take charge of their duties.

7. If any of the office remains vacant on account of death, resignation or punishment of the official, the managing committee should arrange temporary adjustments.  The assembly should be summoned within six months and the concerned office bearer/s should be elected then.

8. The important office bearers like the president, secretary and the treasurer should not enjoy other lower office in the same time.  But they will continue as the members of the lower councils.

9. Those who are elected to the central executive committee must either be the members of the central managing committee or be the members of the Diocesan executive committee.

 VIII   Tenure

1)     The term of office of the central Diocesan Assembly will be 2 years.

2)     The term of all elected office bearers will be two years

 IX. The working year

The working year of the Association will be the calendar year.

X.  Powers and Duties

A.  Assembly

1. It elects the president, other office bearers and the members of the managing committee.

2. It approves the report and account of the previous year

3. It approves the budget

4. It appoints the auditors

B.  The Central Managing Committee

1. It frames the policy of the association

2. It conducts election of the executive committee members.

3. It conducts arrangements for elections in time

4. It takes decisions to summon assembly

5. It approves the report, the account and  the budget

C.  Executive Committee

1. It administers the day today affairs of the Association.

2. It summons the Assembly at the instruction of the managing committee

3. It implements the decisions of the Assembly and the Managing Committee

4. It summons the managing committee

5. It records and keeps the statement of the income and expenditure and other records of the association

6. It looks after the properties of the association

D.  The Spiritual Advisors

1. He inspires the members to act according to the policies of the church and the basic aims of the Association.

2. He should be present in the meetings of the association and should give advice whenever it is needed.

3. He presides over the election meetings

 E.  The President

1. The power of general administration and leadership vested in him

2. He issues declarations in accordance with the basic aims and policies of the association in consultation with the patron or the spiritual advisor.

3. He can summon or suggest to summon the assembly and committee meetings

4. He presides over the assembly and committee meetings.

5. He can visit any lower office and inspect the records or he can delegate anybody to inspect the records.

6. He can take any appropriate steps to settle disputes in the lower units if any

7. He can grant fund for any matter not listed in the budget.  But the amount should be determined by the managing committee in different levels.  But this should be ratified in the next meeting of the managing committee.

8. If any office remains vacant, he can make necessary arrangements for its functioning.

F.  Vice Presidents

1. He helps the president in his organisational activities

2. The senior vice president (in age) acts on behalf of the president in his absence

3. Vice presidents perform other duties suggested by the managing committee

G.  Secretary

1. He administers the day to day affairs of the association

2. He convenes the meetings at the instruction of the president

3. He writes the minutes of the meetings and prepares and presents the reports

4. He conducts the correspondence for the association.  He keeps the files and records of the association

5. He supervises all the offices and institutions of the association

6. He can give written consent to the treasurer to use fund for the provisions put in the budget.

7. He can spend or retain the money allotted by the managing committee for the emergent matters and its accounts must be handed over to the treasurer.

8. He can entrust any powers or responsibilities of the secretary to the joint secretary with the consent of the managing committee.

9. He should act on behalf of the treasurer in his absence

 H.  Joint Secretary 

1. He helps secretary in his official duties

2. He acts on behalf of the secretary in his absence

3. He does other duties suggested by the managing committee

 I.  Treasurer

1. He records and keeps the day-to-day accounts of the association.  He must present the annual account of the income and expenditure in the assembly in accordance with the audit.

2. He presents the annual budget

3. He prepares and presents the three months statement of the income and expenditure in the executive meeting

4. He prepares the accounts of the properties and income and expenditure.  He keeps the documents, bank passbooks and other records in his own responsibility

5. He can keep money for the emergent matters, allotted by the managing committee

6. He can receive any fees, monthly subscriptions and other contributions and he must give official receipts for that.

 XI.  Meetings

A.  Central Executive Committee

1. The committee can be summoned whenever it is required

2. The meeting should be convened in the presence of the spiritual advisor or the president (vice president in the absence of the president)

3. The quorum of the meeting will be one third.  If there is no quorum in the first meeting, no need of fixed quorum in the subsequent meeting with the same agenda.

4. It should be convened at least once in 3 months.

 B.  Central Managing Committee

1. The committee can be met and can take steps whenever it is required

2. The quorum of the meeting should be one third plus one.  If there is no quorum in the first meeting, no need of quorum in the subsequent meeting with the same agenda.

C.  Central Assembly

1. The assembly should be summoned atleast once in a year and special session can be held by the secretary, so proposes by the managing committee

2. The annual assembly should be held before January 31 in which the accounts of income and expenditure of the previous year and the budget of the year should be presented.  But in the years of election, the budget should be presented within a month after the election.

3. The notice of the assembly meeting should be send before 15 days.  The notice must have the details of venue, date, time and the agenda.

4. The quorum of the central assembly will be one fourth plus one.  If there is no required quorum in the meeting the next meeting should be arranged within 20 days after serving notice duly for the second time.  In that meeting the quorum is not necessary.

5. To amend the constitution of the organisation, there should be two third majority in the assembly upon the special agenda. The amendment proposal should be ratified by the Malankara Catholic Episcopal Synod (Council)

6. The notice of the meeting for the amendment of the constitution should have the details of the matters to be amended.

7. The resolutions to be presented in the assembly should be handed over to the secretary two days prior to the meeting.  The matters disapproved by the managing committee should not be presented in the assembly. If the cause of matter is emerged after the day of presentation, it can be presented with the approval of the central executive committee.  But in the official matter no prior notice is needed.

8. The managing committee can nominate 5 members from different spheres of life to the assembly.

9. The former president, general secretary, and treasurer will be the special invitees to the next assembly.

10. The office bearers of other laymen association of Malankara Catholic Church will also be the special invitees of Central Assembly.

11.The managing committee will elect the representatives to the federations like All India Catholic Union, KCF etc.

D.  The quorum of the Diocesan and parish level meeting and the order of the programmes should be in accordance with the constitution of the Diocese.

E.  If any office bearer at any level is absent in three meetings consecutively without giving written statement, his membership should be cancelled automatically.  This should be informed written to the member concerned by the upper office.

F.  If any committee acted against the ideals and rules or stopped functioning, the upper office can take exemplary actions such as suspension, dismiss or reorganise the committees.

G.  If any member violate the provisions of the association or to turn away from the association, the upper council can take exemplary action against the member.  The upper council can even suspend him or cancel his membership to a certain period of time.

XII

A.  Flag

The papel flag bearing the emblem of the association is the flag of the organisation.  The length and width of the flag will be 3:2 proportion.

B.  Emblem

<!--[if !vml]-->
<!--[endif]-->

C.  Slogan

Truth, unity and peace is the slogan of the association

D.  Heavenly Mediator

 St.Joseph is the heavenly mediator of MCA.  St.Joseph is considered as the holy mediator of the labourers and so. St.Joseph’s day i.e., May 1 is observed as the day of MCA.  May 1 Sunday or first Sunday of May will be observed as the Day of MCA.

E.  The oath of MCA is given below.  It can be taken in the official meetings of the association and the investiture ceremony of the office bearers.

Pledge

I, the member of the Malankara Catholic Association in the Malankara Catholic Church which is an individual apostolic Church in the Catholic Communion, believe in the Holly Catholic Church and the Econonmy of Salvation which is revealed by God, the Father through the Sun, Jesus Christ and fulfilled through the Holy Spirit.

I am proud of the apostolic patrimony and the spiritual heritage of the Malankara Catholic Church, founded by St. Thomas, the Apostle, and the cultural uniqueness of India.

I am individually and collegially obliged to work for the evangelisation of the people which is the prime mission of the Church.

I have the conviction that I am called for the reunion efforts which is the charism of the Malankara Catholic Church.

I pledge that I work together with the authorities of the church for the social, cultural, educational and political betterment of the Church and society, according to the laws and programmes of the M.C.A.

Mary, the Mother of God, all the Saints and St. Joseph, the patron of M.C.A may help me to keep this pledge.

F.  The official anthem of MCA is given below.

G.  The prayer to be sung in the official meetings of MCA is given below.

H.  The Days of observances

The following Days are to be observed at central, diocese, regional and parish levels.
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]-->

1.  January 1                 -           New Year Day

2.  January 26             -           Republic Day (Founding day of MCA)

3.  March 19                 -           The feast of St.Joseph

4.  May 1                       -           MCA day (First Sunday of May)

5.  July 3                       -           St.Thomas Day

6.  July 15                     -           Mar Ivanios Day

7.  Aug 15                      -           Independence Day (Assumption Day of Mother Mary)

8.  Sept 8                      -           St.Mary’s Day

9.  Sept. 20                   -           Reunion Day

10. Octo. 2                    -           Gandhi Jayanthi – World Peace Day

11.  Dec. 25                   -           Christmas

12.  St.Vianee’s Day    -           The Day of Clergy

 XIII  Properties

1. The movable and immovable properties are to be received in favour of the president on behalf of the association.  It will be the property of the Malankara Catholic Church.  No member can claim on the property of the association.

2. If the association is dissolved or ceased to function, the properties, after setting the liabilities, will be spend at the will of the Episcopal synod (Council)

3. The fund of the association should be invested in any of the scheduled Bank in the joint account of the president, secretary and the treasurer.  The fund can be released jointly either by the president and secretary or by the president and treasurer. 

4. 15% of the membership fee and annual subscription are to the reemitted to the central association.  Balance of the amount should be spent according to the rules of the Diocese.

5. 25% of the contribution collected on the Day of MCA should be given to the central committee and the balance should be spent for the parish/region/Diocesan activities.

6. All the disputes or suits filed by and against the association will be in the name of the president.

XIV  Punishment procedures

In the case of dereliction or negligence of duty arise on an office bearer, one third of the Assembly members of that level can file written complaint to the patron against that office bearer/s.  The patron can take exemplary action after conducting proper enquiry.  The patron can suspend or dismiss anybody.  The decision of the patron will be final and ultimate.

XV.  Interpretation of the constitution

The Managing committee is empowered to interpret the constitution, but to become legally valid, they are to be ratified by the patron.