India, March 2 -- Syro-Malabar Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil may have set a cat among the pigeons with his appeal to the government to declare the Christian community a Micro Minority, but a commission headed by a retired high court judge could well offer poorer Christians of Kerala more substantial relief.

Earlier this February, the Kerala cabinet finally spoke on the Justice JB Koshy Commission report that had generated rumours, leaks, and frustration within the state's Christian institutions. Two years after the jurist submitted it to the government, it was announced that the report would be published soon.

The government also said it would revise how Latin Catholic community certificates are issued to the poorer group of Christia...