Diocese of South-West America (Administration)

The Diocese was formed by order number 145/2009 signed by the then Catholicos of the Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas and Malankara Metropolitan, His Holiness Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I on April 1, 2009. The head quarteres of the Diocese is in Houston, Texas.

The Diocese is constituted of the parishes located in the southern and western states of the United States of America and the western provinces of Canada. The head of the Diocese is the Diocesan Metropolitan also known as the Diocesan Bishop, canonically elected, installed, and recognized by order of the Catholicos.

The Diocese is governed according to Holy Tradition, practices, and the Constitution of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church adopted in 1934 and subsequent amendments, (hereafter the Constitution). The Diocese is not an independent church in matters of ecclesiastical discipline or faith, but a part of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and always will remain as such, unless otherwise decided by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.

The purpose of the Diocese is to function as the Central Administrative Body of the individual parishes within its functional jurisdiction and to provide leadership to bring administrative and functional consistency, spiritual harmony, ecclesiastical spread and discipline among the faithful members of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of the Diocese.

The Diocese may engage in various religious, educational, charitable, social, and mission activities allowed to any religious charitable organizations in the United States of America and Canada under applicable law.

By virtue of his office, the Diocesan Metropolitan is the chief administrative officer of the Diocese. All decisions and actions of any diocesan committee, official body or organization shall be executed with the approval of the Diocesan Metropolitan.

Subject to the Constitution, the decisions of the Diocesan Assembly should be executed by the Diocesan Council with the approval of the Diocesan Metropolitan.

In accordance with Section 3(c) Article 65 of the Constitution, matters concerning faith, order and discipline shall, subject to the decisions of the Holy Episcopal Synod, be under the control of the Diocesan Metropolitan.