Row in Syro-Malabar Church also over priestly ordinations
The long-postponed rite takes place amid protest. The apostolic administration of the "rebel" Diocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly limited the rite to new priests who sign an affidavit in which they commit themselves to celebrate the liturgy according to the "uniform" rite adopted by the synod. In a circular he banned priests and lay people from participating in associations that “criticise the official stance of the Church”.
Kochi (AsiaNews) – The ordination of new priests in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly is further stoking the row over the liturgy that continues to tear apart the Syro-Malabar Church since 2021.
After a long postponement, eight deacons were ordained priests during a celebration held yesterday at the Minor Seminary of the Sacred Heart in Thrikkakara.
The Apostolic Administrator, Bishop Bosco Puthoor, agreed to proceed only after the deacons signed an affidavit in which they agreed to carry out priestly functions following the laws of the Church, with particular reference to the "uniform" form of the celebration of the Sacra Qurbana, the Eucharistic liturgy of Malabar communities, which has been a source of tensions for years in the Church of Ernakulam-Angamaly.
In a 30-October circular, Bishop Puthur asked priests and laity “not associate with organisations that criticise the official stance of the Church or demean its leadership on social media.”
In the circular, the prelate announced that police would be deployed outside the Curia, banning "any gathering without the permission of the apostolic administrator.” Reactions were not long in coming.
“Almost two hundred priests participated in the ordination ceremony,” said Fr Kuriakose Mundadan, secretary of the archdiocese's presbyteral council, speaking to AsiaNews.
“Usually in the ordination liturgy the first part is the ordination and then the first Holy Mass will be celebrated,” he explained.
“Many priests from the archdiocese attended the ordination ceremony. But they boycotted the first Mass of the new priests with Mar Bosco Puthoor to express their dissatisfaction with the recent appointments and not allowing the new priests to celebrate the Mass facing the people as it is celebrated in almost all the parishes in the archdiocese.”
“After the ordination ceremony the priests gathered together and passed a resolution asking the apostolic administrator to immediately reinstate the canonical bodies in the archdiocese,” Fr Mundanan said.
Representatives of the Almaya Munnettam forum also waited for the end of the celebration to register their protest to Bishop Puthur against the circular of 30 October, which some groups of faithful burnt at the end of last Sunday liturgies.
The group also stated that it plans to boycott the apostolic administrator in all public forums, since they do not approve the appointment of new members of the curia.
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16/01/2023 16:37
