To His Beatitude Mar Raphael Thattil, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, and the Members of the Syro-Malabar Bishops’ Synod
Your Beatitude and Your Excellencies,

With profound respect and filial obedience, I humbly approach Your Beatitude and the Members of the Syro-Malabar Bishops’ Synod with a request concerning the continued reception of Holy Qurbana by children who have received the Sacraments of Christian Initiation.

In the tradition of the Eastern Catholic Churches, Christian Initiation is understood as a unified sacramental journey in which the newly baptized and chrismated are also nourished by the Holy Eucharist. In this context, the administration of the Divine Eucharist to infant neophytes should not be understood as being limited merely to the moment of the celebration of Christian Initiation.

The Instruction for Applying the Liturgical Prescriptions of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, issued on January 6, 1996, states in paragraph 51:

“The administration of the Divine Eucharist to infant neophytes is not limited to only the moment of the celebration of Initiation. Eucharist is the Bread of life, and infants need to be nourished constantly, from then on, to grow spiritually.”
This teaching beautifully expresses the Eastern Christian understanding of the Holy Eucharist as the Bread of Life, by which the faithful are continually nourished and strengthened in their spiritual life. If infants, having received the grace of Christian Initiation, are considered worthy to receive the Holy Eucharist, it would seem consistent with this tradition that their Eucharistic nourishment should continue rather than cease after the day of their Baptism and Chrismation.

Therefore, with humility, I respectfully request Your Beatitude and the Members of the Syro-Malabar Bishops’ Synodto kindly consider granting the necessary pastoral direction for children who have received Baptism, Chrismation, and their first reception of Holy Qurbana in infancy to continue receiving Holy Qurbana regularly.

I also respectfully request clarification as to whether any canon, particular law, liturgical norm, or other legitimate ecclesiastical provision of the Syro-Malabar Church requires children who have received the Eucharist as part of Christian Initiation to abstain from receiving Holy Qurbana until they reach a particular age. If such a provision exists, I would be grateful if the relevant authoritative provision could be identified for the guidance of the faithful.

Such a practice would help parents to understand that the Holy Qurbana is not merely an event associated with a particular age or ceremony, but the continual nourishment of Christian life. It would enable these children, from their earliest years, to grow in communion with Christ and in the life of the Church.

I would be deeply grateful for Your Beatitude’s and the Synod’s careful consideration of this matter, and for any pastoral guidance, clarification, or permission that may be deemed appropriate.

May the Lord, who gives Himself to us as the Bread of Life, bless Your Beatitude and all the Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church abundantly and strengthen you in your pastoral ministry.