TEXAS – Twenty-two lay members of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Forane Parish in Dallas have successfully completed a Theology degree program. This academic achievement is the result of a theological course conducted by the Marthoma Theological Institute, the Catechetical Department of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Diocese of Chicago, which operates under the Paurastya Vidyapeetham in Vadavathoor, Kottayam, and is affiliated with the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome.
The Forane Vicar, Fr. Sibi Sebastian Kochittathottath, distributed the graduation certificates to the 22 recipients. This group marks the first batch of Theology graduates from the Dallas St. Thomas Parish.
The course was specifically designed for adults, aiming to provide them with a deeper understanding of God and the Church and to strengthen their faith. The program was initially launched in the Diocese of Chicago in 2019.
