Syro Malabar Church issues ultimatum to dissenting priests: Follow unified holy mass or face expulsion

KOCHI: The Syro Malabar Church on Monday issued an ultimatum to the dissenting priests of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese to follow the Mass facing the altar during the Eucharist prayer from July 1 or face expulsion from the catholic church, in a move to end its deadlock over the uniform Holy Mass issue in the archdiocese. "We are officially notifying that those who don't abide by this final diktat regarding the offering of the Unified Holy Mass and continue to offer any type of Mass other than the one directed by the synod even after July 3, will be considered as having been ousted from the Catholic Church," said Mar Thattil and Mar Puthur. "The laity needs to not attend any such Mass conducted by the priests dissenting Unified Holy Mass," said the circular. Highlighting the decisions, the Major Archbishop and the Apostolic Administrator said, "There is no change in the decision to implement the Unified Holy Mass, that was arrived at by the Synod of the Syro Malabar Church and as decreed by the Pope through various letters and even a video message, in all the dioceses of the Church.