Ernakulam dissidents reject papal delegate’s excommunication threat

By Matters India Reporters

Kochi, Aug 20, 2023: Almost 95 percent parishes under the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese offered the Sunday Masses on August 20 with the priest facing the congregation, rejecting the papal delegate’s order to follow the synod method or face excommunication, claim the dissidents.

“The Ernakulam Archdiocese has completely rejected the proposal of Archbishop Cyril Vasil,” says a press statement from the Almaya Munnetam (laity front) that spearheads the protests against the uniform mode Mass imposed by the Syro-Malabar Synod.

“Archdiocese of Ernakulam congratulated more than 450 priests who stood with the stand of its 550,000 believers,” says the statement issued by the front spokesperson Riju Kanjookaren.

Jesuit Archbishop Vasil on August 17 ordered all parishes in the archdiocese to offer the Sunday Masses according to the contested mode or face canonical punishment, including excommunication.

The same evening, hundreds of Catholics responded to the delegate by burning his order, especially in front of St Mary’s Church, the archdiocese’s central basilica that had remained closed for more than 260 days because of the liturgy dispute.

The laity front says only 6 of the 328 churches in Ernakulam offered Mass according to the Synod’s instructions. Mass in the synod way was interrupted in seven other churches because of commotion.

An attempt to offer the synod Mass in the cathedral basilica with police assistance was thwarted by the faithful.

The uniform mode of celebrating Mass, decided by the Church’s governing synod in 2021, requires the priest to face the altar rather than the congregation during the Eucharistic prayers.

The dissidents have asked the priests who are reluctant to offer in the traditional way facing the congregation, to leave the parish presbyteries within two days and go home or find an alternative place of stay.

The statement told these priests that they are duty bound to fulfil the spiritual needs of the faithful since they receive salaries from people’s contributions.

The dissidents want the Syro-Malabar Synod that is scheduled to meet from August 21 to recall the papal delegate, who they allege, has followed only the synod instructions and never tried to understand the genuine grievances of the Ernakulam faithful.