Late last year I had written a piece in Corruption Free CSI on the cold war between the CSI Synod and Madhya Kerala Diocese (MKD). This over an attempt by the Synod administration to operationalize the Diaspora Diocese that had been approved at the highly controversial triennial Synod held at Hubli in January 2023.
The opposition to the establishment of the new diocese, though largely covert and subtle, is mainly from MKD currently led by Bishop Sabu K. Cherian. The diocese he heads is the most international of CSI dioceses controlling many CSI congregations outside India (where erstwhile MKD families outnumber others), most notably in North America. There is little doubt a separate diocese to administer overseas CSI congregations will puncture MKD leadership abroad and attendant benefits including flow of foreign funds.
The MKD, according to its website, currently has overseas pastorates in Edmonton, Vancouver, Dallas, Great Lakes, Greater New York, New York, Hudson Valley (New York) Philadelphia (2 churches), Atlanta, Toronto, Greater Houston, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dublin, London, Manchester, Belfast, Brisbane, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Jebel Ali, Kuwait, Ahmadi, Muscat, Salala, Sharjah and Los Altos (California). Needless to say such an impressive international portfolio with MKD stokes jealousy not only among the Synod and non-Kerala dioceses but also among other five Kerala dioceses which have nowhere near this number. Much of the Diaspora Diocese move is driven by such jealousy.
My article of last December on the rift between MKD and the Synod over Diaspora Diocese had also been carried by the Anglican Ink and can be viewed here. Readers are advised to check the above piece for background to the rift before proceeding with this update.
The first Diocesan Council of the Diaspora Diocese (DD) was held at Love of Christ CSI Church in Dallas, Texas, USA, on July 22, 2026. The event marked the official launch of CSI’s 26th diocese and only the second outside India – the first being the Jaffna diocese in Sri Lanka which dates back to the founding of the church. The Council inter alia elected its first Executive Committee, office bearers (Vice President, Lay Secretary, Clergy Secretary, Treasurer, etc) and its representatives to the CSI General Synod (see group pic).
Of the 28 active congregations in North America, only 22 sent representatives to the Council Meeting. The six who boycotted represent by far the largest CSI congregations in North America. These include prominent churches in New York, Pennsylvania, Chicago and Canada. The governing bodies of these churches decided not to send either their pastors or lay representatives to the meeting. That said two congregations in Houston and Atlanta represented by MKD pastors did attend the Council meeting. Unlike in India where CSI churches are not independently registered, all CSI churches in the US are themselves legal entities with their own registration under US law.
Apart from Moderator Reuben Mark and General Secretary Fernandas Rathinaraja, the Council saw the participation of four bishops – Bishop Royce Manoj Victor of Malabar Diocese, Bishop Paul Francis Ravichandran of Madras , Bishop Vincent Vinod Kumar of Karnataka Central and Bishop Hemachandra Kumar of Karnataka Southern.
Notable by his absence at the DD inauguration was the MKD bishop. It would appear the Synod was not keen to have him present judging by a letter sent barely two weeks before the Dallas meeting. In it Bishop Cherian was reprimanded by the Moderator in unusually strongly language (see attached). He was warned to “strictly adhere to the CSI Constitution” and clear “all official engagements, travel and ecumenical commitments “ with the DD bishop who currently is the Moderator himself. The letter even threatened the MKD bishop with “disciplinary proceedings,” should he fail to comply.
Meanwhile the Church of South India Congregations in North America (CSINA), a 40-year-old body registered under American law, is questioning Synod actions on behalf of what it says are “core congregations” in North America. In a letter dated July 14 addressed to the Moderator and fellow Synod Officers it has decried the attempt to “forcibly” bring congregations under the DD. Also noted was the fact that the registered U.S. trademark for the CSI name and logo is with CSINA.
Then a trademark attorney firm in the US called Trademark Elevate vide a letter dated July 17, 2026 served a “Cease and Desist” notice (see attached) on two prominent members of the then Administrative Committee of DD diocese. Sources say this was a response to legal notices served on several CSI churches in North America saying they cannot use the CSI name and logo without proper authorization of DD authorities.
Trademark Elevate reiterated that CSINA is the owner of Trademark “Church of South India That They All May Be One.” The firm noted that the new DD, which is registered in Florida, had registered “Church of South India” as a trademark and use of the same may damage CSINA’s own “goodwill, reputation and valuable trademark rights.” Hence, says the notice, DD should cease and desist from using the CSI trademark and convey compliance of the same within 10 days.
There is little doubt the formation of the DD has deeply divided the congregations in North America. How this division will eventually be resolved will likely depend on what happens at the Synod itself. The current officers have brazenly continued to occupy their posts despite their second three year term having expired in January this year. Their supporters have delayed the inevitable through filing opportunistic cases in support of their continuing. But the Madras High Court is now set to pronounce on August 3 an important order that could see major changes at the Synod. The court is set to rule on a plea the current officers should be removed, a retired judge appointed as interim administrator and long-overdue Synod elections held.
