KOCHI: Rejecting the synod circular directing priests of the Syro-Malabar Church to shift completely to Unified Holy Mass after the catechetical (period of familiarisation) in Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese from June 3, the Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi on Saturday said that Mass celebrated facing the faithful will continue in the archdiocese even after the catechetical. The samithi alleged that the Church head has not kept his promise to make do with one Mass in unified mode on Sundays and debt days and to withdraw the June 9 circular.
It also demanded that mass celebrated facing the public be recognised as a liturgical variant.
“At an earlier meeting that Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur had held with representatives of the clergy, it was decided to withdraw the post-synodal note that followed the June 9 circular. It was also agreed that the circular issued after the online synod meeting of June 19 will have an order legalising public Mass in the archdiocese. As per the agreement, there was to be just one Mass in keeping with the unified mode every Sunday from June 3,” samithi representatives said, adding that the major archbishop and apostolic administrator have further betrayed the faithful with their latest circular.
“Around 400 priests of the archdiocese have signed a revoke petition and sent it to the office of dicastery for legislative text. The priests are going ahead in the belief that the synod will not take action against them or spread falsehoods in the context of the illegal circular. We have filed a review petition with the major archbishop and the apostolic administrator demanding withdrawal of the June 9 circular,” said Fr Sebastian Thalian, convenor of the samithi. The current status of Mass will remain unchanged until the complaint is addressed, he added.
Meanwhile, the Samyukta Sabha Samrakshana Samithi said that issues within the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese will not be resolved without the suspension and expulsion of priests who do not comply with Church’s directives.