On the way to Emmaus, we meet Jesus a Eucharist-centered model of pastoral care to the second generation of the Malankara Catholic Church in North America

On the Way to Emmaus, We Meet Jesus: A Eucharist-Centered Model of Pastoral Care to the Second Generation of the Malankara Catholic Church in North America is a project aimed at helping Malankara Catholic Young Adults to find their identity as Malankara Catholics in the midst of two cultures, namely, the Indian heritage of their parents and the host culture of the United States in which they live. The study examines the faith and culture of the Malankara Church and its unique heritage, especially the richness of the Antiochian liturgical tradition, the Catholic faith and the heritage of St. Thomas developed on the Indian soil. The project is a qualitative research study conducted utilizing a pre-test/post-test design. The highlight of the project was a three-day retreat for 18 Malankara Young Adults. To educate the subject group the following topics were included in the three-day retreat: history, culture, liturgy and its comparison with the scriptural narrative of the Emmaus Journey. The educational retreat also included worship, devotions, classes, discussions and evaluation. The participants evaluated the classes and later attended worship for five consecutive Sundays. There was observation and email correspondence for five weeks conducted by the researcher and a research assistant. The project concluded with a post-test group after five weeks of examining the outcome of the retreat. It is also hoped that the results of this educational retreat will be developed in to a catechetical program for the benefit of the second generation of the Malankara Catholic Church in North America. The task of the upcoming generation is to make this Church meaningful in the American context.