Canon 124 0f the CCEO prescribes that there should be Commissions to take care of the different fields of activity in the Church. Commissions are erected by the Major Archbishop, constituted of persons chosen by him and are governed by norms established by him. (Synodal News, No. 1, August 1993, p. 47)

In the very first meeting of the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, held from 20 to 25 May 1993 at the residence of Mar Antony Padiyara, the then Major Archbishop, at Ernakulam under the chairmanship of Archbishop Abraham Kattumana, the Pontifical Delegate to the Syro-Malabar Church, decision was taken to constitute the Major Archiepiscopal Commission for the Evangelization and Pastoral Care of the Migrants. The Synod elected Bp Mar Gregory Karotemprel CMI as the chairman and Bps Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil (Pala) and Mar Paul Chittilapilly (Kalyan) as members of the Commission. (Synodal News, No. 1, August 1993, pp 6-7, Synodal News, No. 6, May 1995, p. 41)

While the VI Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church was in session from 12th to 24th January 1998, Mar Varkey Vithayathil C.Ss.R., the Apostolic Administrator of the Syro-Malabar Church reconstituted the Commission for the Evangelization and Pastoral Care of the Migrants with Bp Gregory Karotemprel CMI as the chairman and Bps Joseph Pallikaparampil and Gratian Mundadan CMI as members. The Commission members took charge on 21st May 1998. (Synodal News, No. 11, March 1998, p. 15)

The VII Synod of Bishops, held at Mount St Thomas from 14 to 20 November 1999, took the decision to establish a Mission Secretariat under the auspices of the Major Archiepiscopal Commission for Evangelization and Pastoral Care of the Migrants at the Major archiepiscopal Curia at Mount St Thomas. Mar Varkey Vithayathil, the then Apostolic Administrator, canonically erected the Mission Secretariat at Mount St Thomas vide Decree No. 1871/99 on 17th December 1999. (Synodal News, Vol. 7, Nos. 1& 2, December 1999, pp 56, 70, 124)

In the course of the XI Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church, which began at Mount St Thomas on 3rd November and ended on 15th November 2003, Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil, the Major Archbishop reconstituted the Commission for the Evangelization and Pastoral Care of the Migrants with Bp Gregory Karotemprel CMI again as the chairman and Bps Vijay Anand Nedumpuram CMI and Mathew Vaniakizhakkel VC as members. (Synodal News, Vol.11, No.2, December 2003, p. 30)

Secretaries

Fr Jose Poonely CMI was the first secretary to the Commission and he was in office till Fr Elvis Mangalappilly took charge of the office in 2002. Bp Gregory Karotemprel appointed Rev. Fr Elvis Magalappilly MST the secretary to the Commission on 1st July 2002. He was in office at the Major Archiepiscopal Curia at Mount St Thomas, Kakkanad, till 20th June 2005. Fr Joby Koottumkal mst, appointed on the 20th of June 2005, is the secretary to the Commission at present.