Kochi, five bishops of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church have expressed their disapproval of a recent circular issued by the head of their church, which warned priests of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese to protest against changes made in the customs of the Holy Mass they would be excommunicated.
The bishops have alleged that the circular "smacks of the medieval culture of the Church."
The circular dated June 9, 2024, jointly sent by the head of the Syro-Malabar Church, Raphael Thattil, who is also the major archbishop of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, and its apostolic administrator, Bosco Puthur, was issued as a warning to priests who do not agree with the way suggested by the synod of celebrating the Holy Mass.
Among the bishops who raised their voice of protest were Ephrem Nariculam, Jose Chittooparambil CMI, Jose Puthenveettil, Kuriakose Bharanikulangara and Sebastian Adayanthrath. They serve as bishops of various dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Church.
"Excommunication is a term unprecedented after the Second Vatican Council. The Eastern Code of Canon Law (CCEO) does not provide for automatic excommunication ('latae sententiae')," the five bishops said in a dissenting note, copies of which are in their possession. from the media and were confirmed by ecclesiastical sources on Thursday.
The dissenting note came days after the Syro-Malabar Church issued an ultimatum to priests who did not comply with its directive to celebrate the uniform Holy Mass in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese from July 3 this year.
On Sunday, protests were held in several Catholic churches under the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly by a section of lay people against the ultimatum issued by the Syro-Malabar Church.
The bishops said it was a cause for concern that such a serious circular was issued without seeking the opinion of the synod at its scheduled online meeting.
"We, as members of the synod, had the responsibility given by the Holy Father (the Pope) to examine this issue collectively and find a viable solution," they said, asking how such a serious decision should have been made. by the synod was already prepared before the synod meeting.
"How did the circular planned to be discussed in the synod leak from our Chancellery?" the bishops asked. "It is rumored that things like this also happened in the past."
The bishops clarified that they in no way justified the resistance to celebrating the Holy Mass uniformly in all churches of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, but advocated a benevolent approach in this regard.
The bishops said they feel that in light of the recent circular, the entire archdiocese will be in crisis and that it will affect each and every member of the archdiocese, including their own family members.
Interestingly, the five dissident bishops come from places that fall under the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese.
"As members of the synod and bishops who are well aware of the reality of Ernakulam-Angamaly, we sincerely appeal to your high authority to reconsider the matter and not create a division in the Church. We respectfully request you to register this note of dissent with our names and share this with the members of the synod," the bishops said in the note.
The Syro-Malabar Church has not officially responded to the recent events.
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 bishops have alleged that the circular "smacks of the medieval culture of the Church."
The circular dated June 9, 2024, jointly sent by the head of the Syro-Malabar Church, Raphael Thattil, who is also the major archbishop of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, and its apostolic administrator, Bosco Puthur, was issued as a warning to priests who do not agree with the way suggested by the synod of celebrating the Holy Mass.
Among the bishops who raised their voice of protest were Ephrem Nariculam, Jose Chittooparambil CMI, Jose Puthenveettil, Kuriakose Bharanikulangara and Sebastian Adayanthrath. They serve as bishops of various dioceses of the Syro-Malabar Church.
"Excommunication is a term unprecedented after the Second Vatican Council. The Eastern Code of Canon Law (CCEO) does not provide for automatic excommunication ('latae sententiae')," the five bishops said in a dissenting note, copies of which are in their possession. from the media and were confirmed by ecclesiastical sources on Thursday.
The dissenting note came days after the Syro-Malabar Church issued an ultimatum to priests who did not comply with its directive to celebrate the uniform Holy Mass in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese from July 3 this year.
On Sunday, protests were held in several Catholic churches under the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly by a section of lay people against the ultimatum issued by the Syro-Malabar Church.
The bishops said it was a cause for concern that such a serious circular was issued without seeking the opinion of the synod at its scheduled online meeting.
"We, as members of the synod, had the responsibility given by the Holy Father (the Pope) to examine this issue collectively and find a viable solution," they said, asking how such a serious decision should have been made. by the synod was already prepared before the synod meeting.
"How did the circular planned to be discussed in the synod leak from our Chancellery?" the bishops asked. "It is rumored that things like this also happened in the past."
The bishops clarified that they in no way justified the resistance to celebrating the Holy Mass uniformly in all churches of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, but advocated a benevolent approach in this regard.
The bishops said they feel that in light of the recent circular, the entire archdiocese will be in crisis and that it will affect each and every member of the archdiocese, including their own family members.
Interestingly, the five dissident bishops come from places that fall under the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese.
"As members of the synod and bishops who are well aware of the reality of Ernakulam-Angamaly, we sincerely appeal to your high authority to reconsider the matter and not create a division in the Church. We respectfully request you to register this note of dissent with our names and share this with the members of the synod," the bishops said in the note.
The Syro-Malabar Church has not officially responded to the recent events.
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.
