Anxiety continues to persist among the faithful over how the issue of celebrating mass in the archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly of Syro Malabar Church will finally end even as Sunday mass was suspended in several parishes, including the St. Mary’s Basilica parish fearing tension between people.
Papal delegate to the archdiocese archbishop Cyril Vasil and apostolic administrator Andrews Thazhath had issued a warning to priests and laity to either celebrate the synod-imposed unified mass or face the prospects of going out of the Catholic church.
Fr. Antoney Puthavelil, rector of the Basilica church said the Sunday mass would not be celebrated amid tension. The mass is not for celebration with so much tension, he added.
The first signs of resistance to the papal delegate’s and apostolic administrator’s diktat came with two parishes — Kottakkavu St. Thomas Forane Church and Manjapra Holy Cross churches abandoning Sunday mass early Sunday after resistance from those who oppose the unified mass and, support a full people-facing mass as has been the practice in the archdiocese over more than 50 years.
A spokesman for Smayukta Sabha Samrakshana Samithy, a forum of lay people in support of the synod decision said that there would be no standoff with those who opposed the synod mass. If there is opposition from those who support a full people facing mass, the mass will be abandoned.
Around a hundred parishioners of St. Mary’s Basilica, the principal church of the archdiocese, camped inside the compound of the church determined to foil any effort by the rector of the basilica Fr. Antony Puthavelil to celebrate the synod mass.
The group was inside the compound from the early hours of Sunday even as the official mass had been scheduled for 9.30 a.m., sources said.
The quarrel in the Syro-Malabar archdiocese is over the way the mass is said. The group opposed to the synod wants the priest to celebrate the mass facing the people throughout the ceremonies while the synod decision is that the mass is celebrated with the priest or celebrant facing the people during the opening of the mass and then turning away from them and facing the altar for the consecration. The celebrant again faces the people for the final blessing and conclusion.
The liturgy issue has been simmering for about 50 years now and has recently emerged as the biggest bone of contention in the five million-strong Syro-Malabar church. The Archdiocese of Ernakul-Angamaly accounts for about half-a-million believers and is one of the most prominent voice for reforms in the church.
Groups of lay people and priests in the archdiocese claim that they are opposed to the synod mass because it is a break with the tradition and the vast majority of the parishes support the view. A communication from Alamaya Munnettam, the voice of the laity, in favour of a full people-facing mass, said that all the 326 churches in the archdiocese supported the move for a full people-facing mass.
