Kochi, Priests protesting changes in the Holy Mass in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly on Saturday rejected a new note by the synod of the Syro-Malabar Church, calling it an attempt to incite conflict in the parishes.
The post-synodal note came amid a furious dispute over a circular issued by the head of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Raphael Thattil, on June 9, 2024, giving an ultimatum to priests who do not comply with his directive to celebrate the uniform Holy Mass in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly from July 3 this year.
Thattil and the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, Bosco Puthoor, issued a post-synodal note on Friday addressed to the priests and faithful of the archdiocese.
In the note, the ecclesiastical authorities detailed a set of decisions formulated during the special online meeting of the Synod held on June 14 and 19.
Among the decisions, the church said that the circular issued by it on June 9 would remain in force and that all priests should celebrate mass in a standardized manner as stated above.
However, he made it clear that canonical punishment, as mentioned in the June 9 circular, will not be initiated against those priests who begin to celebrate at least one uniform Holy Mass on Sundays and other significant days.
The relaxation was based on Pope Francis' directive to make the Uniform Holy Mass known, the post-synodal note adds.
However, the protesting priests said in a statement that the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly rejects the post-synodal note issued by Raphael Thattil and Bosco Puthoor.
They charged that both Thattil and Puthoor had once again "deceived" the priests and all the faithful of the archdiocese.
Instead of a formula to resolve the impasse, this is a note that "provokes unrest" in the parishes over the issue of the Uniform Holy Mass, they alleged, adding that the priests and laity of the archdiocese do not accept it.
The post-synodal note was issued with the intention of subjecting the entire Archdiocese to the Uniform Holy Mass, the priests further alleged.
"This is a serious betrayal of the Archdiocese by the Major Archbishop and the Apostolic Administrator," they said.
A complaint, signed by all the priests of the archdiocese against the June 9 circular, has already been presented to the higher authorities of the church, the dissident priests said, adding that they move forward with the strong conviction that the synod cannot take no measure. Against them.
Five bishops of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church had recently expressed their disapproval of a recent circular issued by the head of their church, which warned priests of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly to protest against the changes made in the customs of the Holy Mass would be excommunicated.
The bishops had alleged that the circular "smacks of the medieval culture of the Church."
In the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, some priests and members of the ecclesiastical community do not agree with the Syro-Malabar Church's August 2021 decision on the uniform Holy Mass.
This decision required a standardized way of celebrating the Holy Mass, where priests must face the congregation only at the beginning and end of the service, turning toward the altar during the rest of the Mass (known as the 50:50 formula).
While most dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church have adopted this approach, many priests of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, along with their parishioners, continue to oppose it. They argue that it breaks with tradition, where the priest traditionally looks at the congregation throughout the Mass.
The post-synodal note came amid a furious dispute over a circular issued by the head of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Raphael Thattil, on June 9, 2024, giving an ultimatum to priests who do not comply with his directive to celebrate the uniform Holy Mass in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly from July 3 this year.
Thattil and the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, Bosco Puthoor, issued a post-synodal note on Friday addressed to the priests and faithful of the archdiocese.
In the note, the ecclesiastical authorities detailed a set of decisions formulated during the special online meeting of the Synod held on June 14 and 19.
Among the decisions, the church said that the circular issued by it on June 9 would remain in force and that all priests should celebrate mass in a standardized manner as stated above.
However, he made it clear that canonical punishment, as mentioned in the June 9 circular, will not be initiated against those priests who begin to celebrate at least one uniform Holy Mass on Sundays and other significant days.
The relaxation was based on Pope Francis' directive to make the Uniform Holy Mass known, the post-synodal note adds.
However, the protesting priests said in a statement that the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly rejects the post-synodal note issued by Raphael Thattil and Bosco Puthoor.
They charged that both Thattil and Puthoor had once again "deceived" the priests and all the faithful of the archdiocese.
Instead of a formula to resolve the impasse, this is a note that "provokes unrest" in the parishes over the issue of the Uniform Holy Mass, they alleged, adding that the priests and laity of the archdiocese do not accept it.
The post-synodal note was issued with the intention of subjecting the entire Archdiocese to the Uniform Holy Mass, the priests further alleged.
"This is a serious betrayal of the Archdiocese by the Major Archbishop and the Apostolic Administrator," they said.
A complaint, signed by all the priests of the archdiocese against the June 9 circular, has already been presented to the higher authorities of the church, the dissident priests said, adding that they move forward with the strong conviction that the synod cannot take no measure. Against them.
Five bishops of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church had recently expressed their disapproval of a recent circular issued by the head of their church, which warned priests of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly to protest against the changes made in the customs of the Holy Mass would be excommunicated.
The bishops had alleged that the circular "smacks of the medieval culture of the Church."
In the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, some priests and members of the ecclesiastical community do not agree with the Syro-Malabar Church's August 2021 decision on the uniform Holy Mass.
This decision required a standardized way of celebrating the Holy Mass, where priests must face the congregation only at the beginning and end of the service, turning toward the altar during the rest of the Mass (known as the 50:50 formula).
While most dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church have adopted this approach, many priests of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, along with their parishioners, continue to oppose it. They argue that it breaks with tradition, where the priest traditionally looks at the congregation throughout the Mass.
