(UCAN): The Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency [AMT], a group of priests, religious and lay people in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, India, welcomed the decision of the Syro-Malabar Church to seek the appointment of a papal delegate to settle a five-decade-old liturgy dispute after the bishops failed to reach a consensus.
The Church’s 56 bishops attended a June 12 to 16 special Synod of the Church, following Vatican’s instruction to settle the dispute amicably. The synod, however, failed and recommended that the Vatican to appoint a papal delegate to find a way out.
George Cardinal Alencherry, the head of the Syro-Malabar Church announced the decision at the end the meeting held at the Church’s in Kerala state.
“This is exactly what we have been asking for in the past five years but the bishops did not want to listen to us,” said Riju Kanjookaran, the spokesperson of AMT.
“We are happy that at least now the bishops agreed with one of our demands,” Kanjookaran said on June 19.
The Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, with more than half a million faithful, has been at loggerheads with the Synod, in a liturgical dispute that has simmered since the 1970s with traditionalists wanting priests to face the altar throughout the Eucharistic celebration, while modernists wanted them to face the congregation [Sunday Examiner, 4 December 2022].
After years of research and study, in 1999 the synod approved an order of the Mass as a compromise accommodating both demands. Accordingly, the synod-approved Mass directed priests to turn to the altar during Eucharistic prayer and face people for the rest of the mass.
This is exactly what we have been asking for in the past five years but the bishops did not want to listen to us
Riju Kanjookaran
But the Synod-approved Mass could not be implemented following opposition from priests and laity in many dioceses.
In August 2021, all 35 dioceses were asked to adopt the synod-approved Mass to bring about unity of liturgical celebration in the Church.
Some 10 dioceses including Ernakulam-Angamaly, the seat of Cardinal Alencherry opposed the synod Mass. However, by 2022 all dioceses, except Ernakulam-Angamaly, had adopted the synod-approved Mass.
Priests and a large section of the laity in Ernakulam-Angamaly say they wanted priests to face people throughout the Mass. They also resorted to public rallies, hunger strikes, and other forms of protests.
St. Mary’s Basilica, the cathedral of the archdiocese, was shut down on the eve of Christmas 2022 because of the physical violence arising from the dispute.
“We are hopeful that the Vatican will act immediately upon the recommendation of the Synod, as the special Synod was held following direction from the Vatican,” Kanjookarn said.
He also cautioned bishops against any attempt to influence the papal delegate.
“Any such move would not be tolerated,” he said adding that the priests and people would not compromise on their demand.
Cardinal Alencherry also dismissed news about dividing the archdiocese as rumours and appealed to people to pray for a permanent solution to the dispute.
