Section of priests to intensify protest, hold prayer meet at HQ

KOCHI: Strengthening the protest against the Synod’s decision to implement a uniform mode of conducting Holy Mass across the Church, a section of priests will hold a prayer meet on Friday at Mount St Thomas in Kakkanad, the headquarters of the Syro-Malabar Church. 

“We have been practising Holy Mass by facing the faithful for more than 50 years. We will not accept any decision other than that. The Synod meeting should be called and a decision should be taken to accept the conduct of Holy Mass facing the public,” said a priest.

“It is likely that there will be discord in many parishes after November 28. Therefore, the Bishops of the Synod should keep their ego aside and reexamine their decision,” he said. Meanwhile, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, Cardinal George Alencherry, said the way of worship is a priceless possession and a symbol of its tradition.

The Cardinal was speaking at the inauguration of the webinar ‘Liturgia 2021’. Organised by the Church’s Liturgy Commission, the webinar discussed the new service rites. Alencherry asserted that the Church is looking forward to the day uniform rites of service are followed by all, and reiterated that it would show the unity of the Church.  

‘Decision unilateral’
‘Sathyadeepam’, the weekly published by the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese, yet again came out criticising the Church’s decision. In its latest editorial, the weekly termed the unification unilateral. “The Syro-Malabar Church is passing through unparalleled times of crisis. The Holy Qurbana, which is a celebration of the Church’s unity, has become an occasion to display its internal differences. The new service will come into force on the 28th of this month. The directive that the new uniform way of conducting Holy Mass  service should be followed everywhere has triggered new problems within the Church,” said ‘Sathyadeepam’ editorial.