Centre for Research and Documentation

Degradation of values and deteriorating faith life of the Kerala Church has been alarming in recent years. The misfortunes of social problems such as suicide, abortions, political and communal violence, poverty etc. affect the future of Christians and youth in particular. Unless we have a genuine research and analysis of these issues, we can not address the problems effectively.

Being the hub of Kerala Church and Society, the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly has a leading role to take initiative to study the various problems and situations affecting the faith of the Catholics. The Centre for Research and Documentation is a humble attempt to resolve such a vacuum in the Church. In the spectrum of spiritual and social activities of the Kerala Church CRD is unique. It is specifically aimed at studying the situation of the people in order to propose ways and means to solve the above evils in the Church and society for the welfare of the faithful.

Specific objectives

With rapid socio-economic changes in the society, Catholic life is showing signs of crisis. Consumer culture is taking its toll in every aspect of Christian living. Fundamental changes are taking place in the value systems. On the institutional plain, how is the Church as an institution viewed at both by the Catholics and by the general public? What is the public opinion of the Church? The Church is powerful with educational institutions and health care institutions. What image of the Church do these institutions project? What is the perceived role of the Church in the increasing communalization of politics? These are very serious questions, which should be answered in order that the Church be led in the right path of the gospel.

Research and probing into various dimensions as and when required exposes the trends, changes, problems, needs etc., which enables to choke out solutions, remedies and measures through suitable programmes. Every part and organ of the Kerala Catholic Church has to be reviewed, revived and revitalized so as to make it face the challenges of today on the basis of Gospel values. CRD aims at the following:

• Organize, plan and conduct socio-religious studies by way of data collection, surveys, interviews etc. in order to arrive at the trends of the society and believers.

• Analyze and interpret the data to make right predictions, which call for policy decisions and actions.

• Provide the Synod of Bishops and Bishop’s Councils and other responsible bodies with study-results and appropriate recommendations to evaluate the Church and society.

• Provide timely signals to the leaders and faithful of the Church regarding the changing trends in the society and give creative leadership to keep up the light of the Gospel shining.

The CRD is functioning in the existing infra-structural premises of the Viani Printings and Sathyadeepam weekly. The Center has a full time Director who is a social analyst, academician and who can organize and lead the Centre to achieve the objectives. The Director is assisted by academicians who are experts in religious sociology. They are assisted by necessary staff for the day-to-day administration of the office.