Row over Mass: special synod prompts lay groups to get active
A special synod of the Syro-Malabar Church, which was inconclusive on June 14 (Friday), will continue on June 19.
The lingering synod meet has prompted lay groups opposed and supportive of the synod-prescribed Mass who are on overdrive cementing their positions. Mar Thoma Nazrani Sangham, backing the synod to the hilt and rebels led by Almaya Munnettam are on the forefront of the divide that has grown deeper over the past three years in the Syro-Malabar Church.
At the heart of the matter is the Mass liturgy. The synod has ordered that the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly follow the synod Mass from July 3. The synod Mass involves the Mass celebrant facing the congregation for the opening prayers up to homily. He turns towards the altar for the consecration and faces the congregation for the final blessings after the communion and prayers.
However, rebels, citing more than five decades of their tradition in the archdiocese, want to continue with the full congregation-facing Mass. They want Rome to recognise it as a liturgical variant.
However, a combined circular from Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur early this month set the deadline of July 3 for all to comply with the synod Mass decision. Follow the synod order or consider oneself out of communion with the Catholic fold, the top Church functionaries had said in the circular.
The rebels said on Saturday that copies of the combined circular would be burnt in a protest on Sunday, and that the full people-facing Mass would continue even after July 3.
Nazrani Sangham spokesman Tensen Pulickal told the media here on Saturday that bishops Thattil and Puthur were trying to make fools of the faithful by issuing circulars. He said though Rome had sought action against those who desecrated the Eucharistic sacrament on December 23 and 24 in 2022, no action had been taken.
The Sangham expressed its lack of faith in the sincerity and seriousness of Church officials with regard to the circular. The group also alleged that the chancellor of the archdiocese had leaked the circular. “He should be taken to task,” it said. Action should also be taken against those who publicly rejected the circular and allegedly raised the voice of revolt, the Sangham said.
The group also alleged that senior Church functionaries had not taken the faithful, who stood with the Pope and the Church, into confidence and were preparing ground for clashes among them.
Almaya Munnettam alleged that some bishops, who had participated in the special synod on Friday, had made a move to ruin the archdiocese. Riju Kanjookkaran, spokesman of the group, said former apostolic administrator Archbishop Andrews Thazhath should be ousted from the Catholic Church.
The group of rebels also said Bishop Puthur should face action, and a complaint against him would be filed before Rome. The rebels added the bishops had also tried to sabotage synod decisions.
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