Msgr. Maria Callist Soosa Pakiam and Maria Valtorta
Born in 1946, Mgr M. C. Soosa Pakiam was Latin-rite bishop of the Diocese of Trivandrum (Kerala) from 1991 to 2004, when the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese. He then served as its archbishop from 2004 until his retirement in 2020. He held various collegial responsibilities in India, including that of President of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Conference (KCBC) from 2016 to 2019.
On May 30, 2011, during an Ad limina Apostolorum visit,[1] he is cited by Benedict XVI as leading the delegation of bishops from the Indian Episcopal Conference. The Pope noted:"It is a source of satisfaction to see that the proclamation of the Word of God is bearing abundant spiritual fruit in your local Churches, particularly through the spread of small Christian communities, in which the faithful gather to pray, reflect on the Scriptures and support one another in fraternal charity."He had the opportunity to give his pastoral opinion on the writings of Maria Valtorta on the occasion of the translation of her work into the local language, Malayalam.
Opinion on the Work of Maria Valtorta
26th March 1992.Dear Rev. Fr. Louis Koduppana,
It is a subject of wonderment to know that one of the most unique and irreplaceable book - "The Poem of the Man God"[2] with English version is now going to be translated and published into the Malayalam version having fifteen volumes.
This is truly a labour of love, a laudable enterprise and an invaluable contribution to the Mission of the Church, to make Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, known and loved! The issue will be feasible to anyone and everyone in all walks of life irrespective of age or status. It will certainly be presenting a compendium, to mark the programme of the Church for Evangelisation 2000.[3]
My hearty Congratulations to you! May Mary the Mother of the Man God, be your constant guide and stay, and strengthen you in your ardous and zealous mission of spreading the Gospel of Love.
God bless and crown your enterprise with success.
Yours sincerely in Jesus and Mary,
† Soosa Pakiam M.
Bishop of Trivandrum.
Notes and References
- ↑ The Ad limina Apostolorum visit (literally "to the threshold of the Apostles" in Latin) is an official and periodic visit that Catholic bishops make to Rome to report on their ministry to the Pope. It takes place every 5 years (Code of Canon Law, 400). The audience with the Pope is the key moment at which bishops present the realities of their local Church.
- ↑ Known today under the title The Gospel as Revealed to Me.
- ↑ A "compendium" is a structured and comprehensive summary of a body of knowledge or teachings. Here, the archbishop suggests that The Poem of the Man-God offers a living and concrete synthesis of the life, teachings and historical context of Jesus Christ. The work is seen as a pedagogical tool for making the figure of Jesus accessible to a wide audience (all ages, all social conditions), addressing a need for spiritual and historical deepening — a central concern for evangelization. At that time, the Catholic Church was actively preparing for the Jubilee of the year 2000, launched by John Paul II as an opportunity for spiritual renewal and a new evangelization based on the need to rediscover Christ and revive faith in a secularized world.