Though the work among the students is the real service of MGOCSM, student centers are the visible symbols of these services. Kottayam Students Centre is the headquarters of the MGOCSM, India. Even though MGOCSM was started in 1908 and flourished into a Movement in the 1950s, it had to wait another 2 decades to get a home of its own. Till then, the Syrian Student Conference had its office in the residences of the General Secretaries. This practice continued even when the Movement appointed a General Secretary on regular honorarium. Rev. Dn. K.O. Abraham was the General Secretary of the Student conference and warden of the M.D.Hostel from 1968 to 1970. Rev Fr. P.C Cherian succeeded him in 1971. He was also staying in the MD hostel. Their rooms were the office of the Movement. The MGOCSM always had a hand to mouth existence. The question of an office or Student Centre for MGOCSM was not then in their agenda.
It was the benevolence of an elderly couple that initiated the Kottayam student centre. They had no children. This couple Kollaparambil Mrs. & Mr. Kurien donated 40 cents of land opposite the CMSCollegein 1921 to L/L.St. H H.Vattaseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius, Malankara Metropolitan to "construct a house to help the spiritual growth of our students in the CMSCollege". A hostel for students was built by Thirumeni around 1930s. His grace used for this a part of the Vattipanam Palisa, (Rs.17, 000), he got. He dedicated it in the name of H G. Pulikottil Joseph Mar Dionysius II. So it came to be known as Mar Dionysius (MD) Hostel. In every Holy Qurbana conducted in the chapel of this Kottayam Centre, the celebrant does intercessionary prayers for this donor couple.
Great many men, of other denominations and castes also were inmates of this hostel, including late K.R. Narayanan, President of India. The wardens used to be appointed by the Church. Rev. Frs. T.A. John, C.G. Samuel, and persons like Prof. Dr.C.V. Cherian of CMS College were wardens.
H G Philipos Mar Theophilos requested the Holy Synod of the Church in the Diamond Jubilee year (1968), to give the MD Hostel to the Movement. H H Baselios Augen I Catholicose graciously handed it over. MGOCSM constructed its Diamond Jubilee Memorial building in the hostel premises. The old hostel kitchen and dining room were retained and the main structure on the road side was demolished to construct a 3-storied building. Hostel facilities for 70 students, a chapel, and an auditorium to accommodate 400, a reading room-cum-library and two guest rooms were constructed.Rs.0.55 million was the construction cost. The World Council of Churches and the rest by local collections and a bank loan. Even an attempt was made to collect money through one-rupee tickets among students.
The foundation stone of the new building' was laid By H H. Augen Catholicose. His Holiness himself consecrated and inaugurated the new Diamond Jubilee Memorial building complex on 27 Dec. 1973. The General Secretary Rev. Fr. P C Cherian was its warden. Rev.Fr.K.I.Paul (present Catholicos H.H. Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Paulose II) was appointed assistant warden. He was then doing PG course in the CMS College.
The ground floor rooms of the new building facing the road is give for rent. A Book Shop was opened dealing in Church oriented books, vestry items, candles, etc. Later developments of the Centre were the under the guidance of Rev.Fr.Dr.M.C Cherian, (H.G. Zachariahs Mar Theophilose) who became General Secretary in 1999.
Director: The General Secretary, MGOCSM
Warden: Rev. Dn. Jobu Jacob John
Address: MGOCSM Student Centre,
P.B. No. 610, College Road
Kottayam 686 001
Phone: 0481 2567338/ 2581912
Email: mgocsmoffice@gmail.com
This is another MGOCSM centre that was built during the time of the very pragmaticPresident L/L. HG. Philipos Mar Theophilos. The student's hostel and commercial space in this centre now give most of the rental income for MGOCSM activities. Mr.T.N.Kuriakose, Accountant General (Retd), located a plot for MGOCSM, in the heart of the city and very near the UniversityCollege and St. George's Orthodox Cathedral Church. Thirumeni along with Gen. Sec. Rev Fr. P.C. Cherian and Mr. Kuriakose had to beg and borrow from our members in Trivandrum, Madras and even Bombay. There was a house on the plot. First it was remodeled to house 24 students and a chapel. Rev. Dn. George Kurien (H.G. Geevarghese Mar Coorilos) was the first warden. Late Mr. Baby John, Revenue Minister of Kerala, formally inaugurated it on 10 August 1975. Rev. Fr. K I Paul followed by Rev.Dn. O. Thomas assisted Rev.Fr.George Kurien, when the latter became the Book Shop Manager at Kottayam.
Subsequently plans were drawn up with the assistance of Mr. Thomas Panicker, Chief Architect of the Govt. of Kerala, for a hostel to accommodate 80 students, a central building with an auditorium on top and a chapel and guest room on the ground floor. Construction was started in 1975. H H. Piemen, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia unveiled the memento stone of this new building on 24 Jan 1977. German Bishop Hans Thimme, a friend of our president HG. Philipos Mar Theophilos gave substantial aid. The new complex was consecrated on Dec. 1977 by L/L H.H. Marthoma Mathews I, Malankara Metropolitan and was inaugurated by Bishop Hans Thimme.
The second stage in the development of the centre was the construction of the commercial complex. President appointed a Planning committee on Pentecost 1983 with M/s T.N.Kuriakose, Prof.Joseph K. Alexander, Engr. Thomas Panciker, E.J.Markose, O.George and Fr.George Kurien. By another order Prof Joseph K. Alexander was also appointed Director of the TrivandrumCenter. Rev. Dn. M.C. Cherian relieved from the Book Shop Manager post at Kottayam joined the group in the same year as warden of the Trivandrum Centre Hostel.
When this Fr. M. C Cherian left to USA for his doctorate in Theology, Rev. Dn Thomas Zacharia took over as Warden. Rev. Dn. Thomas Zacharia went on leave and Rev.Fr.PhilenP.Mathew was appointed as Director and Warden of the Centre in 2002.
A part of this complex was later remodeled to make the Mar Theophilos Hall in memory of the illustrious president of MGOCSM. When Fr. Philen Mathew left for higher studies Rev.Fr.Titus Mathew was appointed as warden in 2006. The second floor of the old building was converted in 2007 into rooms to accommodate 25 more students. After Rev Fr. Titus Mathew left for higher studies , Dn. Geevarghese Mekattu was appointed as Director and Warden of the centre in 2010.
Director & Warden: Rev..Fr. Saji Raju
Address: Orthodox Student Centre
Gas House Jn.
Opp AKG Centre, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram
Phone:0471 2469408, +91 9496800217
Email: ocsctrivandrum@gmail.com
The idea of starting a student centre near Aluva U.C.College and Chacko Home in honour of the 80th Birth day of HG Philipos Mar Theophilos came up in the General Assembly meeting of the MGOCSM on 11th Feb. 1989. Rs.10- a- stone "SILPI Coupons" to collect funds through MGOCSM members were inaugurated in 1991. Prof. Abraham Mathew of the U.C. College gave the leadership for the campaign. Rev. Dn. V. I. Chacko was its first warden. When he went to Germany for higher studies Rev. Dn. Thomson Roby became warden. Mr. Kunjumon Varikad was appointed to assist him. When Dn. Thomson Roby left; Mr. Kunjumon Varikad became the warden. In view of the paucity of inmates, the hostel was temporarily closed in 2006. In 2007 Rev. Fr. Philen Mathew was reappointed in MGOCSM as warden to revive the student hostel of the Aluva Centre. Fr. Mobin Varghese was appointed as Warden and Director from 2015, as Fr. Philen P. Mathew took charge as the General Secretary of the Movement.
Director And Warden:Rev. Fr. Jibin Zachariah
Address: MGOCSM Student Centre
U.C. College P.O.
Aluva 683 102.
Phone 0484-2604068,
Email: aluvamgocsm@gmail.com
MGOCSM purchased a plot of land in Devangere in 2004 and constructed a chapel for students. The dedication ceremony of the chapel was held on 19th Feb. 2006 by H.G.Zacharias Mar Theophilose, Bishop Vice president of MGOCSM. Rev. Fr. Jinesh Varkey was in charge of the chapel. It is proposed to expand this center and its activities. Rev. Fr. Paul T Varghese had worked as a chaplain of this centre. Presently Fr. Jinesh K. Varkey is the Chaplain of the Centre.
Chaplain: Fr. Jinesh K. Varkey +91 9448371298
Address: MGOCSM Student Centre, Near Bapuji Boy Hostel
Anjaneya Layout, Davanagere, Karnataka 577 005
Email: mgocsmdvg@gmail.com