Miami: Hundreds of Keralite Catholic priests serving across the United States are preparing to gather in Florida this week for Koinonia 2025, a national fellowship conference that aims to deepen unity and strengthen spiritual bonds among clergy. The event will be held on November 18 and 19 at Our Lady of Health Forane Church in Coral Springs as part of the silver jubilee celebrations of the St Thomas Syro Malabar Diocese of Chicago.
Organisers expect nearly five hundred priests from different states to take part in what is being called a historic gathering. Clergy from various rites, including Syro Malabar, Syro Malankara and the Latin Church, are expected to join the two day programme.
The programmes begin on the evening of November 17 with the reception of bishops and dignitaries at the parish grounds. A traditional welcome procession with drums and ceremonial umbrellas will lead the guests to the church. At 5 pm, about two hundred priests will concelebrate the Holy Eucharist. A community dinner will follow, along with a cultural event titled Pavanam featuring more than one hundred performers.
The organising committee is led by Fr George Elambasseri, vicar of the host parish. Chicago Syro Malabar Bishop Joy Alappatt is serving as the main patron of the event. Committee members say the conference is designed to create a space for priests to share their experiences, reflect on their mission in the diaspora and celebrate their cultural roots.
The Syro Malabar Diocese of Chicago, which oversees more than eighty parishes and missions across the United States, is marking its twenty fifth year of service. With more than seventy priests and around one hundred thousand faithful, it has become one of the fastest growing Eastern Catholic communities in North America.
Organisers believe that Koinonia 2025 will help build stronger bonds among Keralite priests who work in parishes spread across the country. They hope the gathering will inspire new ideas for pastoral care, community support and cooperation while celebrating the rich heritage of Keralite Catholics in America.