The Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church will continue with the practice of fully congregation-facing Mass though the Synod of the church, an Oriental Church under the Universal Catholic Church, ruled in August last year that the Mass celebration should be uniform with the celebrant facing the congregation for the first half of the Mass and then facing away from the congregation for the second half.
Archbishop Antony Kariyil, Metropolitan Vicar of the archdiocese, who looks after the day-to-day administration of the diocese, said the opinion and sentiments of the archdiocesan community of lay people, religious and priests was conveyed to the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Vatican, which looks after the affairs of the Oriental Churches.
Archbishop Kariyil said it was not possible, under the current circumstances, to issue a fresh circular to adopt the uniform system of Mass celebration. The announcement on the Mass celebration saw lay people and priests, who were on a fast, end their protest after nine days.
