Almaya Munnettam, the combine of lay persons in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabar Church, has said that parishioners under its leadership would once again defy archdiocesan administrator archbishop Andhrews Thazhath on Sunday.
A circular from Archbishop Thazhath, demanding the implementation of a uniform Mass system in the Syro-Malabar Church, would be first dumped in the waste bin by the parishioners and then burned, said Riju Kanjookkaran, spokesman for Almaya Munnettam, in a statement here on Saturday.
He also said that if attempts were made to read the circular in any parish, it would be strongly opposed. The Almaya Munnettam also alleged that the circular did not have the approval of any official forums. Besides, over 300 parishes under the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly had opposed the uniform Mass system.
The uniform Mass system was imposed on the basis of a decision taken by the Synod of bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church in August last year. This involves the priest celebrating the Mass turned to the congregation for the first half and then turned away from the people in the second half. However, most parishes have favoured the fully congregation-facing Mass in which the celebrant faced people throughout the duration of the Mass.
The stand-off between Archdiocesan Administrator Mar Andrews Thazhath and the parishioners had found reflection in the Vatican last week when a group of faithful from the archdiocese demanded before Pope Francis that a fully people-facing Mass be implemented.
