www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Orthodox Stigmatist Nun - living

I AM POSTING THIS FROM THE UNITED STATES. MY NAME IS RICHARD TASCA. I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT SOME TIME AGO A THREAD OF POSTS REGARDING AN ORTHODOX STIGMATIST WAS POSTED. I HAVE BEEN TO INDIA TO VISIT WITH THE ONLY KNOWN STIGMATIST OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH, MOTHER SUSAN KURUVILLA. SHE FOUNDED THE MAR GREGORIOS ASHRAM IN 1973. SHE IS STILL LIVING AND WILL BE 81 YEARS OF AGE IN JULY. SHE RECEIVED THE STIGMATA AT THE AGE OF 13 AND SUFFERS THE PASSION OF THE LORD EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY. MANY DEVOTEES COME TO THE ASHRAM, ESPECIALLY ON THE HOLY DAYS. FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT www.THEMERCYFUND.ORG. [themercyfund.org.] ALSO, IN INDIA, www.MARGREGORIOSASHRAM.ORG. [margregoriosashram.org.] ALL VISITORS ARE WELCOME TO COME, TO SEE, AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS GREAT WORK OF GOD. THANK YOU.

Richard,
Welcome to the forum! What exactly do you want people to contact you regarding? I was the one who originally posted regarding Mother Susan.

Dear Michael Thomas,

I am a devoted son and servant of Mother Susan Kuruvilla, the living orthodox stigmatist. I have much information regarding this miraculous phenomenon for those who are interested in knowing more. I was giving the contact information in the previous post for those who are interested.

Thank you.

[quoteConsecrated by the Catholics of the east, she entered the sister hood as Sr. Susan Kuruvilla, at the age of 16. With her bishop�s permission she accepted whiter saree 7 veil as her habit to continue her mission works. On good Friday she wears maroon colored habit and suffers the excruciating passion agony for more than 3 � hours reliving Jesus crucifixion

] [/quote]
How can she be Orthodox? Which church does she belong to please.

Dear Friend,

The ancient Church of Our Lord which sprang out of Jerusalem has taken various forms in the many cultures and on the many continents where it is in evidence today. In India, the Orthodox Church traces its roots to Saint Thomas the Apostle who, most historians agree, traveled to India in 52 A.D. and evangelized that area.

While the various othodox expressions in different parts of the world do not enjoy at present full communion, they nevertheless have established in our day the most wonderful ecumenical contacts and this in a spirit of deep fraternal respect and tolerance.

Mother Susan is recognized by not only the Indian Orthodox Church but is widely recognized by Roman Catholics in Canada, the United States and Italy.

The Lord has said, "I know mine and mine know me". I hope that the faithful of all the apostolic churches come to know Mother Susan Kuruvilla, the living stigmatist nun of India.

Dear Richard,
Your reply is very confusing. Which Orthodox Church does she belong to and what is the name of her bishop.
In one of the aritcles it is stated that she sepent 3 years in A Catholic convent:
We in the Orthodox Church emphasize the joy of the
Resurrection rather than the suffering on the cross, so you can see why we find stigmatism unusual in our religio-cultural tradition.

Dear Friend,

Thank you. Please re-read my previous post which is both historically accurate and deeply sensitive to current ecumentical realities.

Further information about the the Indian Orthodox Church is available at this website: http://www.indianchristianity.org/orthodox/index.html

In India, there is much contact and often great cooperation between orthodox and catholic.

All Christians understand the importance of both the Cross and the Resurrection as these comprise the central mystery of our Faith.

God bless you.

Thanks for the link Richard.
Here is where I was looking:
http://www.syrianchurch.org/MalankaraSyrianChurch/Malankara_parishes.htm

This site lists the Monasteries of the Malankara (Indian) Syriac Orthodox Christian Church and I couldn't find any mention of your Mother Susan or her monastery.
Is this another church??????

But I did see a Mar Gregorios listed under orphanages on the site you provided:
http://www.indianchristianity.org/orthodox/orphanage.html

DEAR HALIA,

MAR GREGORIOS ("MAR" MEANS SAINT IN INDIAN) IS THE ONLY AND PRINCIPLE SAINT OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN INDIA.

MANY OF BOTH THE ORTHODOX AND ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS IN INDIA USE THIS NAME.

THE GRANDFATHER OF MOTHER SUSAN WAS A LAWYER WHO WAS A FRIEND OF MAR GREGORIOS. HE LIVED IN THE SAME DISTRICT. THE SAINT SAID THAT GOD WOULD GRANT A GREAT FAVOR TO THE FAMILY OF THE LAWYER ON ACCOUNT OF A FAVOR THAT HE DID FOR THE SAINT. MOTHER SUSAN WAS BORN SOME TIME LATER.

THE BELOVED MOTHER SUSAN'S MAR GREGORIOS ASHRAM IS NOT LISTED ON ANY OF THE OFFICIAL CHURCH WEBSITES BECAUSE GOD INSTRUCTED HER TO FOUND IT AS AN INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION. FREQUENTLY THE BISHOPS AND THE CATHOLICOSE ARE IN ATTENDENCE AT GOD'S MAR GREGORIOS ASHRAM. THEY HAVE OFTEN SOUGHT CONSOLATION AND ADVICE FROM MOTHER SUSAN.

I HOPE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS HELPFUL IN PIECING TOGETHER THE PIECES OF THIS ORTHODOX PUZZLE!

Dear Richard,

You are probably unaware of this, but posting IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS is considered "shouting" out here in "Internet Land" and considered bad form. I'm interested in what you have to say, but posts in all uppercase letters is a bit disconcerting.

Fr David Straut

Dear Friends,

For the sake of clarity, the following websites contain appropriate information about Mother Susan, the living orthodox stigmatist nun of India.

www.margregoriosashram.org [margregoriosashram.org]
www.themercyfund.org [themercyfund.org]
www.stgregorysorphanage.org [stgregorysorphanage.org] (Canada)

For information about the Indian Orthodox Church, this is the appropriate website:

www.indianchristianity.org/orthodox/index.html [indianchristianity.org]

You can learn abou the history of the Orthodox Church in India
at this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Orthodox_Church

Sorry, Father.

Richard

Dear Richard,
Is Mother Susan officially affiliated with a church-Orthdox or Catholic, and if so,which one? Besides God and Jesus Christ, whose authority is she under? Who is her bishop?

Thanks.

Dear Richard,
Perhaps you do not know that there are two Orthodox Churches in India. You stated:
"
The name of the site you give above has been redirected to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malankara_Orthodox_Syrian_Church

I think you are confusing us all by using the name "Indian Orthodox Church" instead of the official name of the church which is Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
Just go to the talk section of the site you mention:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Malankara_Orthodox_Syrian_Church
Here are the two Orthodox Churches in India:
1) There is the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church. The the Church's offical church web site:
http://www.malankaraorthodoxchurch.in/

2) Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church: http://www.syrianchurch.org/
This Indian Church is under the jurisdiction of His Holiness Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I, the Syriac Patriarch of Antioch.

Mother Susan is associated with the Indian Orthodox Church. Please review previous posts for further information and links.

Her Bishop is the Orthodox Catholicose of the East Daseliose Didimose: http://www.indianchristianity.org/orthodox/cath/index.htm

Thank you.