Sabha Samrakshana Samithi, a forum of lay people in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro Malabar Church, has expressed optimism that a resolution of the ongoing differences over mass liturgy is imminent.
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Sources in the forum, which has supported the official hierarchy of the archdiocese on the mass liturgy issue, claimed here that senior church officials in Rome had invited permanent synod members of the archdiocese for a meeting in Rome in the first half of May.
The meeting is expected to evaluate the situation so far and issue a final verdict to be implemented in the archdiocese, where the vast majority of priests and lay people have favoured the mass in which the celebrant faced the congregation throughout the mass, as against a synodal diktat to celebrate the mass with the celebrant facing the congregation for the first and last parts of the mass, turning away from them for the consecration of the Eucharist.
The dispute over mass liturgy has divided the archdiocese, the largest of the Syro-Malabar Church, leading of closure of some churches, including St. Mary’s Basilica, the seat of the archdiocese in the city. The basilica was opened ahead of Easter for ceremonies and sacraments other than mass.
The group opposed to the synod mass has said that it will insist on continuing with the tradition of full congregation facing mass instead of the synod mass. They have also appealed to the archdiocesan authorities not to prolong the ordination of deacons to priesthood on account of the dispute over mass celebration.