KOCHI: The 33rd Synod of the Syro Malabar Church began on Tuesday. At the opening session, Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil urged the faithful to move forward as one in reconciliation, aiming only for the good of the Church. “We can welcome this New Year with hope and with folded hands before God and live as witnesses of faith,” he said.
Thattil said those entrusted with pastoral ministry should be role models and inspirers with good decisions and actions.
“Let us work hard to achieve the goal with collective responsibility, setting aside personal interests and divisiveness. Even in the midst of problems, let us hope walk together in the spirit of 'Synodality' without losing fraternity and communion,” he said.
The Synod meets at a time when problems in the Ernakulam Angamaly Archeparchy have become severe with Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur taking a strong stand on adherence to the Church diktat on the implementation of the Uniform Holy Mass.
He recently suspended five priests as parish vicar and also administrators in a move to curb indiscipline among priests. The priests were expelled from their residence in the parish and banned from celebrating Holy Mass, including sacraments.