Season of Apostles

This season comprises 7 weeks from the day of the feast of Pentecost. In this season we give importance to the working of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost is feast intimately connected with the history of salvation. In the Old Testament, we read that the Israelites celebrated Pentecost in connection with harvest. The term ‘Pentecost’ means ‘fifty’ - the feast on the fiftieth day. It was feast of first fruit connected with the harvest. Later this feast turned out to be the commemoration of the covenant by which the Israelites became the people of God.

In the New Testament, this feast is given new meaning. It was on the fiftieth day after Easter that the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. It is the birthday of the new people of God. On that day, God our Father sealed the new covenant in the Holy Spirit, the personification of love. This covenant is written not on stone tables but in human hearts. It is only after Pentecost that the spirit-filled apostles went around the world with the message of the New Covenant and laid the foundation of the communities of faith. The term ‘apostle’ means ‘one who is sent’. This season reminds us that all those who have received baptism and anointing are ‘being sent’. The main themes of this period are the work of the Holy Spirit, deep relationship between the apostles and the Church ie, the people of God, the spirit and unity of the primitive Church and the mission and missionary nature of the Church. Let us join the apostles who moved around the world with the message of their master and formed new communities of the faithful.

A Dream Come True

"How good it is, how pleasant, where the people dwell as one" Ps. 133:1

This church of ours is proof of how the dreams of a group of people united in Christ, living together in faith inherited from Mother Church, get realized through prayer and hard work!

I am blessed to be a part of this vibrant community that prays hard, works hard, and be a witness to miracles. The enthusiasm, energy, and commitment of the people of this community is not of this world, but rather, it is Heaven sent, and I thank God for it!

Now that we have our own Church, our dream for the next generation is closer to reality. Many of us are here with our strong faith and Christ centered lifestyle because of the ecclesial, liturgical, cultural, and social heritage that we received from our parents. It is now our responsibility to proclaim our faith, live our tradition, and pass these Christian values and heritage on to the next generation.

I thank everyone who has helped to make this church a reality, and invite everyone to participate even more actively in our mission.

May God Bless us all.
Fr. George Maliekal (Vicar)

Welcome Message

St Joseph's Syro Malabar Catholic Church of central Florida, Tampa invites and welcomes you all to worship with us. All you are called to constitute the mystyical body and share the life in Christ. Our parish is a wonderful community of faithful people whose primary desire is to worship God , nurture the faith of Children and our families. Let us gather together to celebrate the life in Jesus. And we welcome everybody to join the community.

Syro Malabar Church is an apostolic Church which traces its origin to the Apostolate of St Thomas who, according to the tradition landed at Cranganore in 52 A.D and founded 7 Christian communities at Palayur, Cranganore, Kokamangalam, Kottakavu(parur), Quilon, Niranam and chayal. It is one of the 22 sui juris oriental churches in Catholic communities with its own particular characteristics expressed in worship, spirituality and disciplinary laws. Now we the St Joseph Syro Malabar community of tampa is formed under the territory of Syro Malabar diocese of Chicago. As members of Syro Malabar Community it is our privilege to foster our customs, traditions and heritage for the benefit of our future generations.

Our Bishop

Mar Jacob Angadiath was born on October 26, 1945 at Periappuram in Elanji Panchayat of Ernakulam District, in the State of Kerala, India. His parents were Ulahannan and Mariam Angadiath and his mother was from Veluparampil family, Elanji. His home parish is St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Periappuram, in the diocese of Palai. He has two brothers, A. Andrews Angadiath and A.U. Joseph Angadiath who are at Periappuram and one sister, Mrs. Aleykutty Augusthy Champamalayil at Matholapuram. His father died in 1948 and thereafter his mother and immediate family raised him.

St. Antony’s L.P. School, Kalluvettamada, Mulakulam was his first school were he received formal education for two years. Then he was transferred to Namakuzhy Government High School where he completed his high School in 1962. He was very active in literary practices of the school and catechism and Mission League activities of his parish.