“Instead of using Pope Francis as a crutch to defend our acts!, it manifests the moral weakness and procedural lapses of the Synod!”

Rev Dr George Pattery S.J.

What is the notion of authority the bishops are having and what is the notion of authority Pope Francis is teaching us? Do you suspect the ghost of Caesar lurking in our crisis? Is this a tug of war between priests and bishops?

Sadly, the entire episode is being marketed under the banner of ‘liturgical conformity and obedience to the Pope’ in view of ‘uniformity’ in liturgy, thus hiding the real issue of the exercise of power. The three Markan predictions of passion/death of Jesus (Mk: 8/ 9/ 10) highlight for us the real conflicts among the disciples. Jesus says: ‘Among the pagans, they Lord it over. This shall not be among you.” The way you exercise power makes you a pagan or a disciple! … that exposed the inner life and conflicts among disciples. I propose (how daring!) the following two pieces for the spiritual reading of the Synod: i) Budhante Chiri, Poem by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar; ii) The Journey to the East, by Herman Hesse. (a short story on servant leadership).
Spiritual masters including St. Ignatius say: the progress in spiritual life is inversely proportionate to our dying to self-will, self-interest and self-love. This is the road to a healing process. To achieve this, we need to grow in interior freedom and a discerning attitude by a life of self-abnegation, divesting ourselves of ‘self-love, self-will and self-interest’. Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created. A synod, I am afraid, that couldn’t perceive qualitative difference in the interventions of Ab. Thumkuzhy and Justice Joseph Kurian, to my mind, need to grow much in the freedom and life in the Spirit.
The reception or the lack of it of a church teaching is a kind of an indicator of its significance, or its weakness as ‘a formulated teaching’. The validation of the document by the faithful is a significant gesture. Their hesitation, on the other hand could be seen as an invitation to revisit the formulation, the teaching and decisions, and if needed to revise the proposal. The washing of the feet of women on the first Maundy Thursday by Pope Francis could be a case in point. Pope Francis did a challenging act, especially to drive home the role of women in the church. However, knowing the cultural and social fall out of the issue, he did not make it a rule for the whole church, but presented it as an invitation to those who wish to follow it. That is the beauty of his ‘pastoral theological approach’. I wish that we learn from his approach, instead of using Pope Francis as a crutch to defend our acts! , it manifests the moral weakness and procedural lapses of the Synod! When a sui juris church depends so often on ‘papal crutch’ to defend its decisions. We need to grow up in ‘discerning governance’, rather than in politicking!
Perhaps we need to restore ‘status quo ante’ on liturgy for a period, during which we listen to one another, recognise the interior blocks (personal and communal), and move towards true reconciliation. In the light of this reconciling spirt, we review the issue and arrive at a possible solution. We should include the religious and lay people (men and women) in the process, thus turning the crisis into an opportunity of newness of life in the Spirit.
It seems to me that the Synod is bringing the Holy See into this controversy too often. Is it prompted to do so, indirectly by the Oriental Congregation? Such behaviour is in fact exposing the weakness of the Synod, in its decision making and in its procedural steps to communicate with the people of God. The key issue as told in the many Circulars is to effect ‘Uniformity in celebration of the Eucharist’. Even in some of the southern Kerala dioceses, where ‘synod mass’ Is followed, there are differences in the use of curtain in the sanctuary, the time and ways of turning toward the altar and people, and even in the Text of the liturgy, etc. There seems to be differences in the mode of dress especially among the Archbishops: some black, others red, and others a mixture of both. In any case, the paraphernalia of mitre, the crown caps and the rest of the ‘dress’ of Bps and Abs appear to me very comical (komali chamayunnu), and fit for fancy dress competition – all in the name of Chaldayam! Has it got anything to do with Kerala or Indian culture? The point is that there is diversity, rather than uniformity in all these! Then why this obsession with uniformity in the Eucharistic celebration, regarding ‘facing the altar’! A practice followed for 60 long years, in the spirit of Vat II, is being changed without sufficient consultation with the community of believers! Even in the Latin church, though there is a prescribed ‘mode’ of celebration, in fact there is much variety and flexibility, given to the individual Bishops, and in fact there is much diversity regarding many liturgical rules. Don’t want to go into the details.
The other aspect of this controversy, to my mind, is the differences in perception and understanding the theology of the Eucharist. The Second Vatican Council introduced new theological perspectives in the self-understanding of the church, and its understanding of the mission. Gaudium et Spes (GS) 1 says: ‘the joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, are also that of the church’. The Eucharist enables the church to bring the anxieties and aspirations of the people into its celebrations as a community of believers.

“The way you exercise power makes you a pagan or a disciple!

…that exposed the inner life and conflicts among disciples.”

In the post Vat II period, the church in India also went through lively thinking, and discussions with regard to inculturation, dialogue and mission theology. In that struggle, EKM took active part, and even spearheaded ‘Indian Liturgy Movement’, if I recall well. Though it had to be abandoned at the national level for various reasons, the role and thinking of EKM was significant. We should view the present crisis in the light of these initiatives of EKM on Vat II teachings, at the national level too. Perhaps some of the Bishops in the present Synod may not be aware of this unique contribution of EKM in this regard to the entire church in India. EKM has also rich experience of living together in close proximity and collaboration with Latin church, and witness a united Christian living.
If EKM insist on the existing mode of celebrating the Eucharist, is it a crime? Is it not possible for the Synod to approve this existing way as a valid way? If Kottayam diocese is given ‘space’ to have a different mode, why not grant that to EKM and other dioceses who wish to follow? Will it bring the heavens down? Can we not learn from the pastoral style of Pope Francis: opening up new perspectives in church practices, and yet leave it open to take shape, and give space for others to catch up! Take the issues of women’s role in the church, and the approach to ‘same sex’ issues. Remember that Pope Francis called the Vatican Curia “the leprosy of Papacy”! Is the Synod of Syro-Malabar church assuming the same mode of ‘disabling’ with regard to healthy reforms? Let not the Synod escape into ‘Pope said/obey syndrome’ to cover up the inability to sit with people, listen to them and evolve a discerned approach! Leave the Pope alone; he knows to stand on his own. Every time the Synod falls back on ‘papal crutch’, it is defeating itself, and presenting a sorry face to the world around. ‘I am ONLY a Pope’, said Pope Francis, and sought blessing from the people. Syro-Malabar Synod is ONLY a synod of Bishops, and that too without the religious and the lay women and men. In a crisis moment (self-made), It can bow down and seek blessing from the people of God! Didn’t we learn this from our mothers, who almost always ‘failed’ in order that we her children, might win, and grow up? The Jewish Rabbi who preached on a Good Friday, in a Catholic parish said: the stairway to heaven always goes down!