Pope at Audience: Hypocrisy jeopardises the unity of the Church. The Syro Malabar Church in view.

Photo credit to public domain. Laity group reacts against the decision of Syro Malabar Synod. Allow us to continue the Mass facing the People.

Pope at Audience: Hypocrisy jeopardises the unity of the Church. The Syro Malabar Church in perspective. Mapping its trends ahead.

While the Syro Malabar Synod in India is in progress, the audience in Rome (August 25/2021), Pope Francis warned about a type of "formalism" that can lead to hypocrisy and threaten the Church's unity. The message of Pope Francis was reaching straight to the hearts of the faithful of Syro Malabar Catholics in India as they were struggling to grasp the totalitarian mindset of bishops to impose uniformity at the cost of unity. The Syro Malabar Synod is in the spotlight due to its adamant insensitive attitude of wielding power over the laity, who sought to continue 60 years of tradition of celebrating the Holy Mass facing the people. There was absolutely no consultation with laypeople regarding this grave concern. Instead, Synod is hell-bent on imposing the uniform mode of celebration of the Holy Mass despite commotion and unrest from the clergy and laity. “ This is a betrayal that something we keep very close to our hearts ( celebrating Holy Mass facing people) is being thwarted away and imposed upon us like a dictator. I am thoroughly discouraged and furious about these imposing moves. What is shocking to me is that, this is done in the name of Pope Francis. is it irony and deceit from the Major Archbishop and his comrades… I am ashamed of our leadership in India. It is contradictory to the message of Pope Francis…This is exactly the opposite these obsessive orientalist bishops in the Synod execute. This is formalism, destroying the unity of our Church, bombarding the terrible ideology against the spirit of the Second Vatican Council. We desperately need Pope Francis' attention upon us” These are the heart-wrenching words of a committed catechism teacher of Trichur Archdiocese of central Kerala. I have seen the protest of lay movement at the headquarters of the Syro Malabar Church.

More than 500 people attended the protest in front the headquarters of Syro Malabar Church despite the Covid 19 restrictions.

Syro Malabar Synod lost its synodality

As the Synod gathering is being wrapped up, news media is leaking out the Synod's decision regarding imposing uniformity against the wish of 25 bishops in the Synod. The Laity 4 justice news media has learned that the decision was unilateral and autocratic. The dissenting voices were not heard but dismissed without any attention. The totalitarian mindset of Major Archbishop's and his lobby groups began to play the power-wielding games over the minority. “ It is the dawn of the dark age in the Church, and the dictatorship of the autocratic attitude of Major Archbishop will rip apart the Syro Malabar Church. We are shocked by the omission of the Oriental Congregation and lack of prompt intervention of Pope Francis despite incessant requests from responsible people and bishops” A senior priest of Syro Malabar Church reacted. Another priest comments, “ The imperialistic world histories tell the stories of waging war and wielding power, but the Syro Malabar Synod is witnessing the dark ages of the corruptive power under the leadership of the current Major Archbishop and his brute majority caucus of bishops. The tyrannical mindset can defeat the minority and brutally bury the truth, but the truth will win in due time!

Picture Credit / Public domain Pope Francis

Pope Francis must listen to the voice of 25 bishops who stood for the Mass facing people. The decision is not unanimous but unilateral and arbitrary.

The laity group responded to the news as it is being leaked out by the other faction, that "We still have faith in Pope Francis because he is not adequately communicated about the realities of the Indian Syro Malabar Church.Pope Francis is overtly disconnected about the atrocities of these bishops in India. We still hold our hope and faith with Pope Francis because he persistently asked Syro Malabar Bishops Synod Not to impose the uniformity at the cost of unity. Here now the unity is in peril and we will persuade our bishops and priests to visit Pope Francis immediately.” Lay movement leaders respond to Laity 4 justice news.