New appointments revive dispute in India’s Syro-Malabar Church

Dec 13, 2024

INDIA: The decades-old liturgy dispute in an Eastern rite Indian archdiocese resurfaced on December 3, when parishioners blocked the entry of newly appointed priest administrators at three parishes.

The parishioners gathered outside the main gates of the parishes in Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese in southern Kerala. They did not allow the administrators, appointed by apostolic administrator Bishop Bosco Puthur, to enter the church premises.

The archdiocese is the seat of Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil, the head of the second-largest Eastern Rite Church in India.

The newly appointed administrators came to take charge with police escort on Dec 3.

Fr Kurian Bharanikulangara, appointed to St Mary’s Forane Church in Tripunithura, was prevented from entering its premises.

However, before leaving, the priest stuck a notice outside the church, claiming he had taken charge.

Similar unruly scenes were witnessed in Martin De Porres church in Palarivattom and Our Lady of Velankanni Church in Mathanagar.

The parishioners shouted slogans against Puthur, accusing him of creating fresh unrest during the advent season by appointing administrators over parish priests.

The dispute stems from liturgical rubrics. The archdiocesan priests and Catholics refuse to accept the rubrics of the Church’s Synod-approved Mass, which asks the celebrant to face the altar during the Eucharistic prayer. They want to continue celebrating Mass with priests facing the congregation throughout the Mass.

Among the 470 priests in the archdiocese, home to more than half a million Eastern Rite Church followers, less than 20 support the Synod-approved rubrics. --ucanews.com