(UCAN): The permanent Synod of Bishops in the Eastern rite Syro-Malabar Church has formed a panel to initiate a dialogue with warring priests and laity in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly which is threatening to break away from the Vatican over a protracted liturgical dispute.
The panel consisting of Archbishop Mathew Moolakkatt, Archbishop Joseph Pamplany and Bishop Jose Chittooparambil was set up at an online emergency meeting on November 24. It has been authorised to dissuade the archdiocese from exiting the global Catholic Church.
“The panel was scheduled to meet the leaders of protesting priests and lay people on November 25,” an official statement said.
The priests and laity in the archdiocese formed a human blockade at the gates of the Archbishop’s House on November 21 and say they will not allow the apostolic administrator, Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, to enter it or any other archdiocesan institution.
The protesters declared a boycott of Archbishop Thazhath in October after he unilaterally ordered priests to comply with an August 2021 decision of the Synod of Bishops to adopt a uniform Mass over traditional liturgical practices in the Church.
The synod-approved format requires the priest to face the altar against the congregation during the Eucharistic prayer to Communion, but a majority of priests and lay people in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese want to continue with the traditional Mass with the celebrant facing the congregation throughout.
The protesters declared a boycott of Archbishop Thazhath in October after he unilaterally ordered priests to comply with an August 2021 decision of the Synod of Bishops to adopt a uniform Mass over traditional liturgical practices in the Church
More than 500,000 faithful and 460 priests in the archdiocese have demanded a “liturgy variant” status for the traditional Mass though the other 34 dioceses in the Eastern rite Church have adopted the Synod-approved Mass since November last year.
They also petitioned the Vatican seeking its intervention, but to no avail.
The Vatican appointed Archbishop Thazhath on July 30 with a mandate to settle the dispute, in place of Metropolitan Vicar Archbishop Antony Kariyil who had saved the archdiocese from breaking away by invoking his power of dispensation.
Church officials said that Archbishop Thazhath further soured the atmosphere with his autocratic style and disregard for the sentiments of priests and believers in the archdiocese.
They said this is the first time that the synod has adopted a reconciliatory approach since the liturgical dispute, dating back nearly five decades, resurfaced after the August 2021 Synod decision on a uniform mode of Mass.
“We had sent more than 100 representations to the Synod of Bishops, but not a single one was acknowledged by them in any of their reports,” said Shaiju Antony, one of the leaders of the Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency.
“We are happy that at least now the synod has agreed to hear us,” he said.
However, protesters insist they will not settle for anything less than their traditional Mass receiving liturgy variant status, failing which they will part ways with the Catholic Church and declare themselves independent.
George Cardinal Alencherry, head of the Syro-Malabar Church has appealed to all faithful to pray for an amicable settlement and urged the parish priests and heads of religious institutions to organise at least one-hour adoration for the cause.
The Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly is the largest diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church and the second-largest Catholic diocese in India with more than half a million believers.
