KOCHI: The laity movement of the Syro-Malabar Church’s Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese has forwarded a complaint to Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur demanding the removal of St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica administrator Fr Antony Poothavelil, who violated the agreement and conducted the Holy Mass in the unified format secretly at the cathedral on Christmas.
“The apostolic administrator had assured the status quo will be maintained at St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica. However, Fr Antony Poothavelil entered the Cathedral through the back gate at 7 am on Monday and conducted the Holy Mass in the unified format secretly. We have video evidence of the incident, which has been forwarded to Mar Bosco Puthur,” said laity movement convener Jemi Augustine.
He said the apostolic administrator informed them that the Curia would meet on Wednesday and take a decision on the violation of the agreement.
“We have demanded the removal of the Basilica administrator, and if he is allowed to continue, we will launch an agitation,” Augustine said.
The laity movement claimed that 290 of 328 parishes in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese had conducted midnight mass on the occasion of Christmas facing the congregation.
“Around 100 parishes conducted one Holy Mass in the unified format on Monday morning. In many churches, the Unified Mass was conducted without the participation of the faithful,” said laity movement spokesperson Riju Kanjookaran.
At the St Thomas Church, Chittoor, a group of people tried to obstruct the midnight mass facing the congregation on Sunday night. However, they were removed by the police to avoid tension.
‘No more Unified Holy Mass’
After allowing one Unified Holy Mass on Christmas, according to the agreement between Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur and Pontifical Delegate Cyril Vasil, the laity movement declared on
Tuesday that there will be no Unified Holy Mass in the archdiocese until the Vatican takes a final decision on the dispute.
“As per the agreement, one Holy Mass was conducted on Christmas by the unified mass approved by the synod. However, the archdiocese will be conducting only the Holy Mass facing the congregation hereafter in the parishes under it. We hope the Vatican will take a decision honouring the wishes of the laity,” said laity movement spokesperson Riju Kanjookaran.
Syro-Malabar Church media secretary Fr Antony Vadakkekara said, as directed by the Holy Father, one Holy Mass was conducted in the unified format in all parishes under the Ernakulam archdiocese on Christmas.
“Many parishes conducted two or three Holy Masses on Christmas, of which one was in the unified format. A few churches had conducted midnight mass too in the unified format,” Fr Vadakkekara said.