By Matters India Reporter
Kochi, July 26, 2022: The dispute over liturgy in the Syro-Malabar Church took a new turn July 26 with the reported resignation of Archbishop Antony Kariyil, metropolitan vicar of the archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly.
According to reports, Archbishop Kariyil has tendered his resignation to Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli at the residence of the Ernakulam archbishop.
The archbishop’s resignation is believed to be the fall out of his inability to convince the priests and laity in the archdiocese to follow the uniform mode of celebrating Mass as mandated by the synod of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Official announcement to this effect has not yet been made.
The Syro-Malabar Church in August 2021 decided to implement a uniform Mass in all its 35 dioceses in India and overseas in a bid to find a permanent solution to the liturgical dispute and foster unity.
The dispute over the Eucharistic liturgy is more than four decades old. The Synod of Bishops in 1999 ruled that the priest “will face the congregation until the Eucharistic prayer, and then again from communion to the end of the Mass. From Eucharistic prayers until Communion, the priest will face the altar.”
The synod’s formula, seen as a compromise requires priests to face the congregation during the start and concluding parts of the Mass but face the altar during the Eucharistic prayer.
Barring the archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, all Syro-Malabar dioceses implemented the synod decision with effect from November 2021.
Archbishop Kariyil, however, could not implement the synod Mass in the wake of opposition from the priests and laity in the archdiocese.
The archbishop, according to Church sources, was summoned to nunciature in New Delhi on July 19 and was asked to tender his resignation the following day by Archbishop Girelli.
Archbishop Kariyil, however, disagreed with it and sought time on the plea that he wanted to inform Pope Francis about it as no reason was cited for demanding his resignation.
The nuncio, however, flew down to Kochi July 26 and finally got his resignation and returned to the national capital, sources in the Church told Matters India.
More than 90 percent of the priests and laity in the archdiocese, sources said, favoured the Mass in where the priest faces the people and Archbishop Kariyil supported it as he understood the sentiments of the people.
Now with Archbishop Kariyil’s exit, Church observers are worried about the reactions of priests and people in the archdiocese.
The nuncio met the archbishop to discuss the fissure in the Syro Malabar Church.
People and priests in all the 34 dioceses agreed with the synod order. Why a group of people and a few priests decided to oppose it? A totally unwanted controversy. This Metropolitan vicar, this Kariyil simply failed to convince the importance of accepting the majority decision. Now this small group wants the Cardinal to be removed from his position. A ridiculous proposition. The whole matter is misleading the faithful. Hope the Papal intervention will finally bring to an end to the matter.
The present crisis on account of the liturgical guidelines for unification of the celebration of the Eucharistic is unfortunate and unnecessary. Certain guidelines are good when for example the very purpose of the liturgy is brought down to merely a stage show, interpolating dances and music with a theoteric effect. Liturgy no more becomes a medium of God’s Blessings when a stage show effect is imposed on. The fundamentals are to create an ambience whereby the participants grow in the fear of God. People are likely to experience seldom the above spiritual benefits as the guidelines revising the practices come in at Interawells. The revision of the missal and the prayers for example is not helping the faithful, rather bringing in confusion and stammering. Who are, the intruders. The so called liturgusts. Priests who are fanatics who do not have fear of God are the one behind these development s..It’s mercy not sacrifice. Learn….
I simply cannot understand how the learned and supposedly saintly bishops, priests, sisters and laity of Malabar Church imposing Uniformity to all Dioceses. God/ Jesus didn’t create UNIFORMITY! The Creation is PLURIFORM! This is the domination tactics of the Autocrats! Is the Kerala Church a Autocracy ? They proclaim UNITY IN PLURIFORMITY to the World Church,. It looks like a confused leadership is prevailing in Malabar Church !
It is a pity that no one with any understanding the fundamental theological differences between the Eastern and Latin liturgies has commented. Since I am no expert in either, I shall not speak for either side. I only wish (as someone brought up in one rite and practiced another for almost all his life and appreciate both) that the beautiful differences between rites not be trivialized.
I also wonder if Matters India caters primarily to the sentiments of the Latin Church.
The fact is that Archbishop Antony Kariyil, metropolitan vicar of the archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly “DID NOT RESIGN” on his own. He was FORCED, rather COMPELLED, to resign from his post. His resignation is believed to be the fall out of his inability to convince the priests and laity in the archdiocese to follow the uniform mode of celebrating Mass as mandated by the synod of the Syro-Malabar Church.
Surprisingly, the Archbishop, when he met the Nuncio in Delhi, asked for time. But his request was not heard. Shockingly, the Nuncio flew down from Delhi to Kochi just to take the resignation letter of the Archbishop. A few questions to the Nuncio:
1) Was the Archbishop involved in criminal activities causing a big scandal to the Church?
2) The Archbishop sought time to contact the Pope on this issue. But why did you reject his plea?
3) Are you not aware of Bishop Franco’s case? Why do you protect such a criminal bishop?
4) You are well aware of the accusations on Bishop William of Mysuru diocese. Still, you have not done ANYTHING to make him resign. Why is this partiality?
5) If you have the real guts, could you pull-up the office-bearers of CBCI/CCBI and question them about their support to Franco and William?
There is a saying- even if the son beats the mother, there will be two factions arguing for and against the deed. So people can favour or disfavour the norm or standard set for the liturgical reform in Syro Malabar Mass. Where is the end ? Personally I favour priests facing the faithful during the whole time. But I believe in the Church and I will remove my ego and abide by Church decision. I cannot resort to trade union tactics or political ways to gather the faithful and put up a fight, because I am bound by the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now brace for more bomshel from group opposing the Cardinal and the Nuncio. Clearly a schism is in the making. It could even lead to a split. Larger question is whether the Vaatical will recognise the new grouping or will it lead to a declaration about establishment of separate Catholic faction (fourth one after Syro Malabar, Syro Malankara and Latin rites) complete with a Pope of their own based in Kerala.
I wish the church leadership showed the same alacrity in taking action against several Indian bishops who stand accused of both financial corruption, and moral turpitude. These allegations are in the public domain, and were, in fact, conveyed to the previous and the current Nuncios by various church groups, including religious sisters and Lay organisations working for reforms and transparency.
The Kerala crisis shows another aspect of the complexity of liturgy with a cultural history when it is faced with reforms predicated by the Second Vatican Council. Some would say Rome has been very harsh on the Bishop who did not deserve this treatment in the final years of his long and otherwise untainted service as a priest and bishop.
On the eve of the sui juris status to two Kerala Rites, in many dioceses in India, including in Delhi, there was lay resentment on issues of liturgy. The Sui Juris status and all india jurisdiction have not resolved the issue in several dioceses which ha Bishops from the two Kerala Rites. Non Malayali parishioners have been cribbing privately they do not have Latin vicars whereas before the division of parishes in North India, some as Delhi, always had a vicar to take care of the Oriental rite .congregations and special groups such as Anglo Indians and people from the North East. There may be even need to have Vicars appointed by the Bishops to cater to other micro groups for a more focussed approach to their pastoral needs.
At his death the temple curtain was rent, signifying that the veil between God and man had been lifted. The gap between sacred and profane was bridged. Sad that we don’t understand elementary Christian discipleship.
The simple question is – during the Last Supper how was Jesus seated? He was not even standing, and he was amidst the people, not separated from them.