Archbishop’s circular burnt in front of Bishop’s House in Ernakulam

KOCHI

Members of the Archdiocesan Movement for Transparency (AMT) burnt a copy of the circular issued on Friday by Mar Andrews Thazhath, the Apostolic Administrator of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, in front of the Bishop’s House in Ernakulam on Saturday to register their protest.

The circular had reminded priests and laity of the archdiocese of communication sent by the Pope on the need to adhere to the unified mode of worship at all parishes under the Syro-Malabar Church.

The AMT, a combine of priests and lay people, had said that representatives of parish councils would meet at the Pastoral Orientation Centre here on Sunday to discuss the developments. “It appears that our views have not been conveyed properly to the Vatican,” said AMT spokesperson Riju Kanjookkaran on Saturday.

The AMT said representatives of various parishes would dump the circular in a public garbage bin on Sunday soon after a meeting at the Renewal Centre at Kaloor. It will be followed by the burning of the circular in all churches on October 9.

Mr. Kanjookaran said lay people and a majority of priests of the archdiocese were opposed to the implementation of the uniform Mass celebration. He claimed that the letter in which the Vatican had stood for a uniform Mass system was part of a personal letter received by Archbishop Thazhath. It was not a public document as claimed by the archdiocesan administrator.

The meeting of lay people on Sunday will also discuss a circular proposed by the administrator of the archdiocese to be circulated and read out at parish churches on October 9.