Lenten season begins on note of dissent in Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese -OxBig News Network

Members of the Catholic Nazrani Sangham protest by burning a joint circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and his vicar for the archdiocese Joseph Pamplany before the St. Thomas Mount at Kakkanad.

Ash Monday, the first day of the 50-day Lenten season, began for the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church on a note of dissent by the laity group Catholic Nazrani Sangham, known as ardent supporters of the official Church hierarchy and the Synod of bishops.

The members of the group burned copies of a joint circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and his vicar for the archdiocese Joseph Pamplany in protest against the circular allowing both the officially approved Mass and what they called the ‘schismatic’ Mass to be celebrated at the same altars in the archdiocese.

The circular, meant to be read out during Mass on March 2 in all churches, was burned in front of the gates of the St. Thomas Mount headquarters of the Syro-Malabar Church at Kakkanad near Kochi.

The joint circular urged archdiocesan priests and laity to end disputes over Mass celebrations and make a fresh start with the Lenten season. It called for at least one scheduled Mass in all churches on Sundays and days of obligation to be offered in the unified, Synod-approved mode.

But the Catholic Nazrani Sangham, strongly opposed to the rebels supporting a fully people-facing Mass, objected to the circular for permitting it at the same altars.

Spokesman for the Sangham Shaiby Pappachan said the circular had failed in its attempt to implement the unified Mass across the archdiocese. The group held a protest meeting in front of St. Thomas Mount after burning the circular.

Mr. Pappachan said the official hierarchy had also failed to bring uniformity in the observance of the first day of Lent. While the entire Syro-Malabar Church observed it on Monday after ‘Pethratha’ day, the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese marked it on the following day as Ash Wednesday, he claimed.

The official archdiocesan hierarchy finds itself in a difficult position, facing criticism from opposing camps on different grounds. The rebels had earlier described the joint circular as an imposition on them issued without bilateral discussions on various matters confronting the archdiocese.