KOCHI: With trouble rearing its head again in the Syro Malabar Church, the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archeparchy Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur has urged the priests, laity, and other religious men and women not to release any wrong statements, especially over the ordination of the deacons.
In another call for restraint, the Syro Malabar Church has urged its priests and faithful to desist from agitation aimed at weakening the church.
“Nobody should circulate wrong facts regarding the ordination of the eight deacons in the Ernakulam-Angmaly Archeparchy,” Puthur said in a note.
He said the issue had been discussed at various levels in the church. “During the talks, suggestions had been made that the ordination can be done if the deacons are ready to obey the guidelines and rules of the Syro Malabar Church,” Puthur said.
As part of these mediations on July 1, 2024, the major archbishop and the apostolic administrator jointly issued an explanation note in which a temporary concession regarding the celebration of the synodal mass had been given.
“The priests had been allowed to celebrate one Unified Holy Mass on Sundays and the days of debt,” said the note.
This temporary concession had been given as the first phase in the introduction of the Unified Holy Mass in the entire archdiocese. The apostolic administrator said the priests should not consider this temporary concession as a right or benefit they are entitled to.
He pointed out that the ordination of these deacons as priests is getting delayed due to the non-submission of a written declaration by them that they would abide by the rules of the church.
Fr Joshy Puthuva, public relations officer of the archdiocese, said the deacons have been directed to come with the signed declaration and meet Mar Puthur to decide on the date for ordination rituals.