MGOCSM Leadership for 2011-2012

Former Metropolitan of the Northeast American Diocese:
His name, Metropolitan His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas, fits him ever so perfectly, because of his fervor to propagate the Holy Gospel of the Lord. He went where others hesitated to go and puts his heart and soul to live his divine call. His austere and simple way of life always earned him immense respect from every one who meets him. He has only one shepherd. His humility is such that he never holds on to the high esteem of “Episcopacy”. His needs are few and so, he is never a burden for the people whom he leads. He is extremely faithful in all financial matters of the diocese and under his leadership the parishes of the Northeast American Diocese enjoy peace and steady progress.

New Metropolitan of the Northeast American Diocese:
Metropolitan His Grace Zachariah Mar Nicholovos was born on August 13, 1959 in the famous Poothiyottu family at Mepral. His boyhood name was Cheriyachen. He has three brothers and one sister.

He studies in different schools in Kerala until he finished his High school. The first two years of his college education was in Malabar Christian College. He received his BA (English) from the St. Joseph College, Devagiri (Calicut University). He continued his studies in Theology at United Theological College, Bangalore and received a Bachelors of Divinity and a Masters of Theology.

His Grace Kuriakose Mar Coorilose ordained him Deacon on January 4th, 1986 and priest on May 16, 1990 at his home parish St. John’s Church, Mepral. His Beatitude Mar Baselios Paulose II professed him as Ramban on August 5, 1993 at Moovattupuzha. His Holiness Moran Mar Ignatius Zakka Iwas I, Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, consecrated him as Metropolitan on August 15, 1993.

Metropolitan Mar Nicholovos served as the Ecumenical Secretary of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church and taught as a professor at the Malankara Syrian Seminary at Mulanthuruthy. His ecumenical activities led him to serve as a member of the Syrian Orthodox – Roman Catholic Dialogue Commission. His Grace remains very active in the Ecumenical and Inter-Religious movements. Metropolitan Mar Nicholovos was appointed as the Assistant Metropolitan of the American (Northeast American) Diocese in 2002.

Metropolitan of the Diocese of Southwest America:
Metropolitan Alexios Mar Eusebius is a member of St. George Orthodox Church, Puthoor of Kollam Diocese. He hails from Vattakkattu family, Puthoor. Late Fr. V.J. Jacob, Vattakkattu is his paternal uncle. He is the fourth son of Late. Y. Daniel and Smt.Chinnamma Daniel. He had his B.Sc (Kerala University), LL.B (Bangalore University), GST (Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam), BD (Serampore University), M.Th (St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute of Theology, Bangalore), Diploma in Biblical Geography (Tantur Ecumenical Institute, Jerusalem) and Research Study in Old Testament (Federich Alexander University Germany). He is pursuing Doctoral Research in O. T. (St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute of Theology, Bangalore).

In 1995, H. H Baselious Mathews II ordained him to the priesthood. He was appointed as the faculty of Old Testament in St. Thomas Orthodox Theological Seminary, Nagpur. He has served as: Warden, Director of Fieldwork, Bursar, Director of OVBS, Treasurer of School for Mentally Challenged Children, Nagpur, Treasurer, the Orthodox Sunday School Association of the East (Out Side Kerala Region) and Director of Akhila Malankara Orthodox Shushrushaka Sangam (Out Side Kerala Region). He has worked in various parishes in Bangalore, Germany, and Calcutta Diocese.

Fr. Alex Daniel enrolled as an advocate in the High Court of Kerala in the year 1994 and practiced as a Civil Lawyer in the District Court, Kollam. He handled the regular columns in the Malankara Sabha, Sahayatra, Parish Mission Literatures of the Nagpur Seminary and in the Souvenirs and Magazines of various Churches. He has published a book in Malayalam named “Vachanathejas”, a compilation of Sunday Sermons for a complete year. He has participated in many conferences of SATHRI and ECC, Bangalore, VIth annual conference of CMAI, Schillong (2006), the Curriculum Revision Committee of Serampore University (2006), five-day conference for the youths of Orthodox-Lutheran Churches held at Greiswald, Germany (2005), works of NCCI and India Peace Center, Nagpur.

The Malankara Syrian Christian Association met on September 11, 2008 at Pampakuda elected him as the bishop along with six others. On December 4, 2008 His Holiness Baselius Marthoma Didymus I professed him as Ramban. On February 19, 2009 he was ordained as bishop by H.H. Baselius Marthoma Didymus I, at St. George Orthodox Church, Puthupally.

MGOCSM North America General Secretary:
Deacon Vijay Abraham Thomas, General Secretary of the MGOCSM of North America, has a heart for youth ministry. After graduating from Rutgers University, NJ with a Bachelors in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Dn. Vijay began working as an engineer. Soon after, He soon realized his calling to serve God. He left his job and enrolled in St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, NY.

While pursuing his theological studies, Dn. Vijay served as the MGOCSM Area Council Member for New Jersey/Staten Island/Rockland from 2007 to 2009. He was then ordained as sub-deacon on March 21, 2009 at St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in Staten Island. Soon after, he was appointed MGOCSM Northeast Regional Secretary. After graduating from St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Dn. Vijay continued his study of Liturgy in Old Theological Seminary in Kottayam, India. Currently, Dn. Vijay is back in the U.S. and serving the Church by teaching Christ’s Gospel to the next generation.

MGOCSM North America General Treasurer:
Teji Abraham has always had a love of ministry and pastoral work. After graduating with a degree in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin, he taught high school math in Plano, TX (a suburb outside of Dallas). He has felt a calling to serve God and the Church all his life, but had no clear idea of how to actualize this desire. He has served the MGOCSM in many ways, including being the second Dallas Area MGOCSM Coordinator and being on the MGOCSM Missions Committee for all the missions trips from 2008. In 2009 he answered God’s call for further service to the Church and received the blessing of H.G. Alexios Mar Eusebius, Metropolitan of the Diocese of South-West America, to begin his theological studies at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, PA. After marrying Linju George in 2010, he transferred to St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, NY and continued his theological work. Teji has a love of Scripture, pastoral work, missions, and the music, depth, and richness of the Syriac tradition. He is enthusiastic and committed to serving the MGOCSM, the Church, and God.

Diocesan MGOCSM Vice-Presidents:
Rev. Fr. Andrew Daniel
Rev. Fr. Mammen Mathew
Rev. Fr. Mathew Koshy
Rev. Fr. Philipose Philip
Rev. Fr. Abi Chacko

MGOCSM Council Members:

Southwest Diocesan Secretary: Rev. Dn. Jake Kurian
Northeast Diocesan Coordinator: Mr. Georgie George
Northeast Diocesan Treasurer: Mr. Jibu Vergis
Atlanta: Ms. Jo-Ann Thomas
Bronx/Westchester/Boston: Ms. Anu Thomas
California: Ms. Pushpa Zachariah
Chicago: Ms. Sara Mathew
Dallas/Oklahoma: Mr. Danny Thomas
Detroit: Ms. Lisa Lukose
Florida: Ms. Jesica Geevarghese
Houston/San Antonio/Austin: Mr. Renin Cherian
Northwest (Seattle/Edmonton): Ms. Sunita Geevarughese
North Jersey/Rockland: Ms. Princy Thomas
Philadelphia: Mr. Libu Geevarghese
Queens/Long Island/Brooklyn: Mr. Stanley Thomas
Staten Island/Central Jersey: Ms. Jeena Thomas
Toronto: Mr. Manoj John
Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia:Mr. Manoj Varghese

2012 Statistics: 69 Registered MGOCSM Units || 1756 Active Members (Age 14-23)
2011 Statistics: 60 Registered MGOCSM Units || 1532 Active Members (Age 14-23)