April 2006

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

Greetings to you all in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

It is said that once a peculiar idea troubled a certain author and left him no peace of mind.  He wished to write a book having only one page, and on that page he thought there should be only one sentence, and that sentence he thought should consist of only one word, and that word he thought should express all that he as an author wanted to say.  He fretted over this idea for a long period of time and finally gave up; realizing that what he was aiming at was beyond the possibilities of human language.

But what was impossible to that author, the Creed has solved, for in the Creed there is one word that sums up everything.  Indeed, God’s plan for human kind and man’s destiny upon the earth is summed up in that one word, viz., “Crucified”.

We honor the cross because Christ died upon it. By dying on the cross, Christ transformed the cross into an instrument of Salvation from the symbol of disgrace that it was.  By Christ’s death upon the cross, the cross has become the hope of the living, the symbol of resurrection for the dying, the key to eternal life for the righteous and the sure way to the kingdom of God for all His people.  That is why St. Paul said, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Gal 6:14)

But was it necessary for Christ to die on the cross?  St. Thomas Aquinas answers this question in the affirmative.  He says that it was necessary for Christ to die upon the cross on two counts, viz., as a remedy for our sins, and as an example for our behaviors.  All the evils that befall human kind due to sin find their remedy in the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May we then learn to glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that, sharing in his cross on earth; we may be counted worthy to share in his glory hereafter.

Let us always be happy with the Lord.  I pray that this Lenten Season will help us to enter into a life of commitment, obedience and devotion.

Let us always be happy with the Lord

I wish all of you a life giving Easter!.

Yours in Christ’s Love

Jojan Achen

Rev. Jojan Mathews John (Vicar)

We are blessed to be under the pastoral guidance and leadership of Rev. Jojan Mathew John as Vicar of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church NY. Achen's mother parish in India is Kuttapuzha Varicadu Sehion Mar Thoma Church located inThiruvalla. Achen attended college at Mar Thoma College, Thiruvalla; completed his M. Phil. from Bombay and received a Bachelors in Divinity from Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam.

Rev. Jojan M. John was ordained as a priest in the Mar Thoma Church on July 6, 1994 and has served as Vicar previously at Trivandram Quillon Diocese (Kovilloor , Mezhacodu, Melpalai and Kuttamala[Kulasekharam Center] ) for five years and Mar Thoma Church Thane, Mumbai for five years.

Jojan Achen was the convener for Land for Landless project and council member of the Trivadram Quilon Diocese. He served also as the president of the 35th Western India Youth Conference in 2001, Mumbai. In his many roles Achen has served very well as an administrator, organizer, and is also a talented singer.

Achen's wife is Mrs. Susan Mathews John BSc, BEd, and children, Vishakh John Mathews, age 5, and Vrindha Chinnu Mathews, age 2. Achen's father, Rev. V. K. John, is a senior priest of the Mar Thoma Church.

 

Jojan Achen's Address in India is:

Varikkamakkal House

Chumathra P.O.

Kuttapuzha, Thiruvalla 689103

Phone: 0469-2601424

 

 

email Jojan Achen at
revjmj@yahoo.co.in
 

 

 

Vicars of the Past Quarter Century
(including Vicars of the Mar Thoma Congregation of Greater New York)


Mar Thoma Congregation of Greater New York

Rev. Oommen Koruthu

(Student Achen later elevated as 
Bishop Zacharias Mar Theophilus)

May 1975 — Aug. 1975

Rev. K. S. Mathew 

(Student Achen)

Sept. 1975 – Sept. 1977

Rev. Thomas P. George  

(Student Achen)

Sept. 1977 – Aug. 1979

(Late) Rev. M. V. Benjamin  

 

Sept. 1979 – May 1981


St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church, New York

(Late) Rev. M. V. Benjamin

Co-Chairman Ad-hoc Committee Church in formation   

Oct. 1980 - Jan. 1981

 

Vicar                                     

 Jan. 1981 - May 1981

(Late) Rev. K. J. Philip

Co-Chairman  Ad-hoc Committee Church in formation

 Oct. 1980 - Jan. 1981

 

Associate Vicar                    

Jan. 1981 - Aug. 1981

Rev. N. M. Cherian

Vicar of all Mar  Thoma Congregations in New York

May 1981 - June 1983

Rev. Dr. T. Jacob Thomas    

(Student Achen)

 

 

Assistant Vicar

July 1981 - May 1983

 

Vicar   

June 1983 - Mar. 1985

Rev. George Varghese

 

Mar. 1985 - April 1989

Rev. Johnson Varghese      

 

June 1989 - May 1992

Rev. Dr. T. P. Abraham  

 

June 1992 - May 1995

Rev. P. M.  Thomas

 

May 1995 - April 1999

Rev. K. Y. Jacob         

 

May 1999 - June 1999

Rev. Thomas P. Chandy   

 

June 1999 – May 2002

Rev. Dr. K. A. Abraham     

 

May 2002 - August 2004

Rev. Jojan Mathews John

 

May 2004 - Present