The decades-long liturgical dispute in India’s Eastern-rite Syro-Malabar Church took a dramatic turn with priests and laypeople taking to the streets to protest the decision by the bishops’ synod to have uniformity in celebrating Mass.
Catholic priests and lay groups began gathering separately on Nov. 12 in front of St. Thomas Mount, the church’s headquarters in Ernakulam district of Kerala state, seeking a review of the synod’s decision.
The synod in August had agreed to implement a 1999 decision for uniformity in Mass celebration in all its dioceses as part of an effort to bring in more unity among its members, especially in liturgy.
The 1999 decision had agreed to the priests facing the congregation during Mass until the Eucharistic prayer, and then again from communion to the end of the Mass. During the Eucharistic prayer, they were required to face the altar against the congregation.
As the Nov. 28 deadline for implementing the decision in all 35 dioceses inched closer, groups of priests and laypeople demanded that the entire Mass be celebrated with the celebrant facing the people, as they have been doing for at least four decades.
Some people see the 1999 decision as a “compromise formula” to satisfy two factions of the church, divided over the liturgical renewal efforts that began after the Second Vatican Council.
The synod’s decision without consulting anyone — the priests and the laity — is not acceptable to us
One group wanted renewal on modern lines requiring the priests to face people during the Mass, while the other wanted the traditional way where the priest faces the altar.
Some dioceses already follow the 1999 decision but it was put on hold in some dioceses due to opposition from a section of priests and laity. To bring unity, the synod set Nov. 28 to start implementing the unified form of Mass in all dioceses.
The synod also gave dioceses until April 17, 2022, to implement the decision.
The main opposition to the compromise formula has come from the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly and Trissur besides Irijnalakuda Diocese.
Thank you. You are now signed up to Daily newsletter
Police blocked protesters at the gates when they tried to present a memorandum to the church’s major archbishop, Cardinal George Alencherry, who heads the Syro-Malabar Church.
Riju Kanjookarn told UCA News on Nov. 14 that they have been following the Mass with the celebrant facing the congregation for more than five decades.
“The synod’s decision without consulting anyone — the priests and the laity — is not acceptable to us,” he said.
Some laypeople supported the synod and insisted on complying with its decision within the set deadline.
The bishops had not forced any decision on anyone as being made out but had acted in good faith for unity and uniformity among our people and for our better future as one people of God
“It is painful to see our priests and laity staging protests in front of the church’s headquarters,” said Father Alex Onampally, media commission secretary of the Syro-Malabar synod.
“The bishops had not forced any decision on anyone as being made out but had acted in good faith for unity and uniformity among our people and for our better future as one people of God,” he told UCA News on Nov. 15.
Although some people oppose the Synod decision, the majority support it, he said.
“It is the duty of the Church to follow one liturgy as Syro –Malabar being a sui juris Church for its better future and it should not be misinterpreted” he asserted.
“The liturgy is the invaluable wealth of the Church can preserve for the future generations,” the priest said.
The synod had followed all the provisions of canon law and there is no chance of any change in its decision, church officials said.
The protesters, however, vowed to continue their protest if the synod refused to revoke its decision.
Support UCA News…
….as we enter the last months of 2021, we are asking readers like you to help us keep UCA News free.
For the last 40 years, UCA News has remained the most trusted and independent Catholic news and information service from Asia. Every week, we publish nearly 100 news reports, feature stories, commentaries, podcasts and video broadcasts that are exclusive and in-depth, and developed from a view of the world and the Church through informed Catholic eyes.
Our journalistic standards are as high as any in the quality press; our focus is particularly on a fast-growing part of the world – Asia – where, in some countries the Church is growing faster than pastoral resources can respond to – South Korea, Vietnam and India to name just three.
And UCA News has the advantage of having in its ranks local reporters who cover 23 countries in south, southeast, and east Asia. We report the stories of local people and their experiences in a way that Western news outlets simply don’t have the resources to reach. And we report on the emerging life of new Churches in old lands where being a Catholic can at times be very dangerous.
With dwindling support from funding partners in Europe and the USA, we need to call on the support of those who benefit from our work.
Click here to find out the ways you can support UCA News. You can make a difference for as little as US$5…
Credit: Source link
