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The universal church
Jesus came into the world with a vision "the reign of God": not only did he announce the arrival of it, but he realized and fulfilled in himself the "reign of God". The church was established in order to continue the life and ministry of Jesus. The Church is the symbol of the permanent presence of Jesus Christ in history. It is the people of God brought into unity from the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is constituted and organised as a society in the present world which is governed by the Pope and by the Bishops in communion with him.
It draws its life from the Word and the Body of Christ and itself becomes Christ's Body and its prime mission is evangelisation. The Church in each place or each community is full in itself and it is one. The local church becomes real when it is made as a Liturgical and Eucharistic assembly.
The Universal Church is the whole people of God under the guidance of the Roman Pontiff and the college of bishops and is spread throughout the world. It is present in the local church when it fulfils the liturgical action, especially when the local assembly of the faithful gathers under the bishop and united with his priests. The local church depends on the vitality of the universal church and a mutual relationship between them is essential for its health and growth.
Formation of the Diocese
By the Papal Bull, 'Ad aptius prevehundum' of 14th June, 1996 His Holiness, Pope John Paul II bifurcated the Diocese of Trivandrum and erected the Diocese of Neyyattinkara. The five foranates, namely Neyyattinkara, Vlathankara, Undencode, Kattakode and Chullimanoor formed the new Diocese and the two foranates, viz., Nedumangad and Aryanad were formed later.
The new Diocese consits of the taluks of Neyyattinkara and Nedumangad except the area that was under the erstwhile Padroado.
It covers a geographical area of 1497 square kilometers and a total population of 1.3 million of which Catholics are 130,000.
Decree on the Erection of the Diocese of Neyyattinkara
JOHN PAUL II, BISHOP OF ROME AND SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD
For Perpectural Memory: In order to promote effectively the work of Evangelization in South India, Our Venerable Brother Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church and the chief officials of the sacred Congregations for the Evangelization of the Peoples, having duly weighed the matter and equally taking into consideration the favourable opinion of those to whom it is of concern, have proposed that a new diocese is to be established in that region.
Therefore, entrusted with most grave responsibility of the supreme Pastor of the universal catholic church and approving such a proposal, by Our authority we do hereby decree as follows:
From the diocese of Trivandrum of Latins, we hereby separate those eastern parts, namely the Taluks of Nedumangad and Neyyattinkara except the coastal areas called Padroado. And comprimising of these parts, we hereby constitute the new diocese of NEYYATTINKARA, which is made suffragan to the Archdiocese of Veropoly and subject to the jurisdiction of the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples.
Moreover, we order that the Episcopal see be established in the city of Neyyattinkara and we elevate the church dedicated to Immaculate Conception of mary to the dignity of Cathedral Church. The rest of the things are to be ececuted according to the provisions of canon law. Our Venerable Brother Maria Callist Soosa Pakiam, the bishop of Trivandrum of Latins, is to see to the execution of what we have prescribed above and after true copies are made and sent soon to the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples. Finally, we wish that this constitution remains in force now and in future, not withstanding anything contrary.
Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, on the 14th day of the month of June, 1996, 18th year of our pontificate.
Angelo Cardinal Sodano
Secretary of State
[Translated from the original Latin text]
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