KOCHI: At the presbyterium (council of priests) convened by the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese’s apostolic administrator, Mar Bosco Puthur, around 300 priests unanimously demanded that Holy Mass celebrated facing the people be recognised as a liturgical variant. In case such a decision cannot be arrived at, they insisted that the archdiocese be disassociated from the Syro-Malabar Church synod and be given recognition as a separate church directly under the Pope.
“The priests urged Mar Puthur to rectify the misleading affidavit that he presented before the munsiff court. The affidavit was drafted in such a manner so as to lead the court to issue an order directing the locking up of all churches in the archdiocese,” Fr Jose Vailikodath, public relations officer of the Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi, said.
The apostolic administrator convened the emergency meeting at Niveditha, in Chunangamveli, after receiving letters from Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the dicastery for the eastern churches, on the issue of Unified Holy Mass. The meeting was purportedly convened to prepare an action plan for the implementation of the Unified Holy Mass in the archdiocese.
“But after the major archbishop’s letter, which stated that disciplinary action would be taken against priests who refuse to celebrate Unified Mass, was read, the priests as one said it would be better to establish a religious court to try the 450 priests as soon as possible and start punitive measures instead of negotiating,” said Fr Vailikodath.
The standoff persisted as Mar Puthur said it would never be possible to implement Unified Holy Mass in phases, Fr Vailikodath said.
“The priests even tried to remind him that as apostolic administrator, he has to inform Rome of this matter. In many parishes in the archdiocese, only a few individuals seek implementation of Unified Holy Mass. They are being effectively used by the Unified Holy Mass lobby operating from Mount St Thomas and causing trouble for vicars of parishes. The priests also made clear that the cost incurred by churches to fight the cases would be deducted from the money due to the archdiocese,” said Fr Vailikodath.
The priests also condemned suggestions published in the Syro-Malabar Synod News, which included demoting Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese from its position as an archeparchy, changing the name of the church and demoting Ernakulam St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica as the head church.
The ad hoc committee of priests had sent a letter to the Pope regarding the misleading report sent by former apostolic administrator Mar Andrews Thazhath to the Vatican.
In his official reply to Fr Jose Edassery, the convener of the committee, the Pope had written that he wants an open and sincere dialogue on the liturgy.