Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese bars priests, laypeople from participating in ‘anti-Church protest’

The Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church has officially banned laypersons, religious, and priests from participating in what the Church communication described as “anti-Church” protest meetings.

The communication from archdiocese’s public relations officer Joshi Puthuva, said that those organising the protest meetings were opposed to the actions of Apostolic Administrator Bosco Puthur to instill discipline in the Church. However, the rebel group had caused misunderstanding and had held protest meetings in the Thripunithura, Palarivattom and Matha Nagar parishes.

The archbishop said that the protest meetings and the Mass held during them violated the Church’s directives and the administration.

Meanwhile, the rebel group, led by the lay people’s organisation Alamaya Munnettam, called for a boycott of the order transferring the vicars of the Palarivattom, Matha Nagar, Thripunithura and St. Mary’s Basilica church parishes.

They also organised a protest at St. Martin De Porres Church, Palarivattam, reiterating their claims that they would not accept the newly constituted Archdiocesan Curia and would only accept the full people-facing Mass.

They had also alleged earlier that a group of people had attempted to attack vicar of St. Mary’s Cathedral Church Father Varghese Manavalan. Riju Kanjookaran, spokesperson of Almaya Munnettam, claimed that an attempt by the group to barge into the basilica office was foiled by the parish members.