The apostolic administrator of an Indian archdiocese at the heart of the Syro-Malabar Church’s liturgy dispute announced Wednesday a controversial overhaul of the local curia.
In an Oct. 9 note, Bishop Bosco Puthur said the step was prompted by the occupation of the curial offices of the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly by protesters in late September.
The protest at the Major Archbishop’s House in Ernakulam, which houses the curia, took place amid rising tensions over the fate of eight transitional deacons awaiting their priestly ordinations in the archeparchy.
The men were due to be ordained priests in December 2023, but their ordinations were delayed amid ongoing strife over efforts to introduce a new “uniform” liturgy in the archeparchy.
Puthur, appointed apostolic administrator Dec. 7, said that following the occupation, “priests serving in the archdiocesan office informed me in writing of the difficulty in continuing to carry out their responsibilities.”
As a result, the 78-year-old bishop said, “it was necessary to make new appointments in their positions.”
The personnel changes, which took effect Oct. 9, include the removal of the archeparchy’s protosyncellus, syncellus, chancellor, vice chancellor, and assistant finance officer.
Puthur appointed Fr. Jacob Palackappilly as the new protosyncellus, Fr. Joshy Puthuva as the archeparchy’s chancellor and public relations officer, and Fr. Simon Pallupetta as assistant finance officer.
In an Oct. 10 letter, Puthur said that “after mature deliberation and prayerful reflection,” he had decided to name Pallupetta as full finance officer, replacing previous finance officer Fr. Paul Madassery.
Puthur reportedly left the Major Archbishop’s House before it was occupied by protestors, returning on the morning of Oct. 9, accompanied by police.
UCA News reported that the police removed two priests and two lay people who had remained in the premises in protest at the delay in priestly ordinations.
“In the current situation, the police presence will remain for the smooth running of the archdiocesan office,” Puthur wrote in his note.
He added that no gatherings were permitted at the Major Archbishop’s House without his approval.
While Puthur oversees the day-to-day archeparchy’s governance, the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly is the see of Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil, who has led the Syro-Malabar Church since January.
Thattil, currently attending the synod on synodality’s second session at the Vatican, does not live at the Major Archbishop’s House, but at nearby Mount St. Thomas, Kakkanad.
Opponents of the new liturgy expressed outrage at the appointment of Puthuva as the archeparchy’s chancellor, arguing that the priest was embroiled in the so-called “land scam” scandal that rocked the archeparchy in 2017.
The scandal centered on real estate transactions that lost the archeparchy a reputed $10 million and led to legal proceedings. It prompted what became known as the “Ernakulam priests’ revolt,” in which clergy demanded the removal of the then Major Archbishop, Cardinal George Alencherry.
Fr. Jose Vailikodath, a spokesman for the Archdiocesan Protection Committee, which represents priests opposed to the new liturgy, denounced the curial changes. The group indicated it would not cooperate with Puthur and the new curial leadership, and has called for a protest rally to be held on Sunday, Oct. 13.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis named Oct. 6 the first new Syro-Malabar cardinal since 2012.
Msgr. George Jacob Koovakad, a 51-year-old papal trip organizer, will become the Syro-Malabar Church’s only cardinal-elector April 19, when Cardinal Alencherry turns 80, losing the right to vote in a conclave.
Syro-Malabar Catholics expressed surprise that Major Archbishop Thattil did not receive the red hat. Alencherry was made a cardinal less than a year after he was elected head of the Syro-Malabar Church.
But Thattil said Oct. 6 he was “very happy to congratulate and extend prayerful wishes to the newly nominated Cardinal, Msgr George Koovakad.”
