Synod members to meet Vatican authorities

Kochi: Major archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church cardinal George Alencherry has issued a letter informing the clergy and the lay faithful that the members of the permanent synod would meet the Vatican authorities to ‘discuss the issues in the archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly and find a lasting solution to the present deadlock’.As per the letter dated May 1, the decision was made at an online meeting held on March 23, 2023. Accordingly, the members of the permanent synod requested an appointment with the prefect of the dicastery for the eastern churches and the secretary of state. “In response to our request, an appointment has been granted for a joint meeting of the members of the permanent synod with His Eminence Pietro Cardinal Parolin, the secretary of state and His Grace Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the prefect of the dicastery for the eastern churches, on May 4, 2023, in the apostolic palace,” the letter says.Meanwhile, over 200 hundred priests of the archdiocese met at the Ernakulam bishop's house and said that after the land deal row and the uniform mass issue, the bishops were trying to create a new problem--- the division of the archdiocese and that they will never allow it.The priests said the permanent synod was going to the Vatican to solve the issues in the archdiocese, but they have not discussed the details of the solution with the priests or the laity of the archdiocese.“In the case of restitution of the losses due to the land deals and in the case of the uniform mass, the root problem lies in the fact that the bishops have been trying to impose their views without discussions with the lay faithful. Now, the bishops’ synod is creating a new issue---the division of the archdiocese,” Fr Sebastian Thaliyan, the convenor of the Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi said in a statement.