KOCHI: It seems the peace the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese has been enjoying for some time might soon get disrupted. The trigger for the latest development that has many priests deciding not to say even the one unified holy mass agreed on is related to the ordination of eight deacons in the archdiocese.
The priests are miffed over the missive sent to the Permanent Synod by Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur, in which he has reiterated that the deacons will have to give an undertaking that they will only celebrate the synodal mass.
The priests called the missive a big conspiracy. According to a priest, who has decided not to celebrate the synodal mass in his parish, things have been progressing peacefully in the archdiocese from July 1.
“These past three months were peaceful following the consensus that was arrived at through a circular issued jointly by the head of the Syro-Malabar Church and the chairman of the synod, Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil, and the representative of the Pope, Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur,” he says.
“In parishes where there are no cases and no pastoral issues, we have implemented the consensus proposal that a synodal mass should be celebrated on Sundays. Along with that, the priests had assured that eight deacons of the archdiocese who should have been ordained as priests 10 months ago in December 2023 will be ordained and the canonical councils such as the Presbyteral Council and the Pastoral Council will be restored. It was on these assurances that we agreed to say the synodal mass on Sundays, even though we were not very keen on it,” says another priest.
The priests claimed that all eight deacons were ready to sign the declaration that any deacon of the Syro-Malabar Church would have to sign to get ordained as a priest.
“However, we had demanded that once they got ordained, they should be able to enjoy all the benefits that the priests in the archdiocese are entitled to,” the priest adds.
This included the approval to celebrate the people-facing holy mass, the priests aver. They claimed that in a meeting that had the apostolic administrator and Synod Secretary Mar Joseph Pamplani participating, along with the priests and laity forums, the bishops had agreed to the consensus formula.
The dissenting priests said the bishops had agreed to ordain the priests on October 1. “But things seem to have changed since the meeting,” they say.
They allege the steps taken by Mar Puthur show he wants to create two groups in the archdiocese.
“Now, it seems the ordination of the deacons won’t happen anytime soon,” said a priest.
The priests demanded that the deacons be ordained without further delay and in line with the decisions arrived at during the meeting. The priests have decided not to celebrate the synodal mass.
