THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, was presented with the first ‘Servant of God Bishop Jerome Fernandez Good Samaritan award’ by the Latin Catholic Diocese of Kollam at a colourful function at St Antony’s Church, Koivila, Kollam.
The award was in recognition of his contribution to humanitarian causes and manifold ventures for the care of the marginalised and the less privileged. Some single-handed initiatives of the Cardinal include Bethlehem Boys’ Home in Kattakada, Sneha Veedu (Home for the destitute) in Nalanchira, Special School in Cheekanal, Pathanamthitta Community Hospital in Pirappankode, dialysis unit in Pirappankode, 50 houses for poor Hindu/Muslim families, Santhwanam, a centre for free boarding and lodging for poor patients who come to Thiruvananthapuram for treatment, Cancer Care Home in Pirappancode, Rehabilitation of the victims of natural calamities in Odisha, assistance for families rendered helpless consequent to Ockhi, rehabilitation programmes for people affected by the flood in 2019 and Amma Veed in Anchal for tormented women.
Paul Antony Mullassery, Bishop of Kollam, presented the Cardinal the prestigious award in memory of the first native Bishop of Kollam, the first Catholic diocese in India. Minister for Fisheries J Mercykutty Amma, N K Premachandran, MP, Fr Jolly Abraham and Fr Romance Antony were present on the occasion.