By Verghese V Joseph –
Vatican: Pope Francis on Tuesday wrote a letter to the bishops, clergy, religious and laity of the Syro-Malabar Church asking them to implement the uniform mode of celebrating the Holy “Qurbana”, for the greater good and unity of their church.
In the letter addressed to Major Archbishop and to the Bishops of the Synod on July 3, the Holy See referred to the special approval and encouragement the agreement unanimously reached by the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church in 1999 – and repeatedly endorsed in subsequent years – for a uniform mode of celebrating the Holy Qurbana, considering this an important step towards increasing stability and ecclesial communion within the whole body of your beloved Church.
The Syro-Malabar is an Oriental Catholic Major Archepiscopal Church based in Kerala, India. The Holy Mass, which is called Holy Qurbana in East Syriac Aramaic and means ‘Eucharist’, is celebrated in its solemn form on Sundays and special occasions.
The Holy Father wrote, “The concerted efforts towards applying this auspicious development in the great Jubilee Year 2000 gave joyful confidence in your sui iuris Church to my saintly predecessor Pope John Paul II.”
Pope Francis mentioned that notwithstanding some difficulties, which require ongoing discernment in the life of your vibrant Church, the approved norms for the Eucharistic celebration have borne considerable fruit including evangelization in those places, especially the missionary Eparchies, where the whole community has joined in peaceful and prayerful observance, interpreting the continuing consensus of the Hierarchy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
He strongly urged the Syro-Malabar Bishops to persevere, and he confirmed their ecclesial “walking together” with God’s people, trusting that “time is greater than space” (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 222-225) and that “unity prevails over conflict “(Cf. ibid, 226-230).
“I willingly take the occasion of the recognition of the new Raza Qurbana Taksa to exhort all the clergy, religious and lay faithful to proceed to a prompt implementation of the uniform mode of celebrating the Holy Qurbana, for the greater good and unity of your Church. May the Holy Spirit foster harmony, fraternity and unity among all members of your Church as you work to implement the Synodal decision,” he added.
The Holy Father invoked the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Patriarch Saint Joseph and the Apostle Saint Thomas assured them of his closeness in prayer.