Even as the issue of the Unified Holy Mass stands partially solved, another problem has been raked up by some of the laity forums.
These forums have taken to social media platforms and resorted to staging agitations before the Archdiocesan Curia over the alleged collusion between bishops, priests and those opposing the Synodal Mass to ordain priests by overlooking the directive as per which only those deacons who give a declaration that they would celebrate Unified Holy Mass can be ordained.
The situation is such that the Archdiocesan Curia’s work has been severely affected with the members fleeing fearing the agitators.
The Apostolic Administrator of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese in a missive said, “Our Archdiocese headquarters is the ecclesiastical administrative centre that coordinates parishes, institutions and monastic communities of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese and fulfils the pastoral needs according to law. In the wake of the recent crises, the service of the Archdiocesan Curia may not be able to continue.”
“With the talks deadlocked, the Advisory Committee meeting held on September 26 took a detailed look at how to address the challenges facing the Archdiocese. Members of the Advisory Committee and I spoke over the phone with Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil who is on a pastoral visit to the Diocese of Great Britain. The Major Archbishop told us that he would be going to Rome to attend the Global Synod and once there, he would inform the church leaders of the current situation in the Archdiocese,” said Mar Puthur.
According to the Apostolic administrator, the priests serving in the Curia informed him and the Advisory Committee that if the current crisis is not resolved, it will be practically impossible to continue to carry on with their responsibilities due to the out-of-control protests.
He said, “We should not find solutions to the crises in the church through unrelenting agitations. Efforts to solve problems, obedience to authority, and prayer for the special intervention of the Holy Spirit are required on the part of all of us.”