By Verghese V Joseph –
Vatican / Palghat: In a communique issued from the Holy See’s office on Thursday, Pope Francis has terminated the appointment of the apostolic administrator sede plena of the archieparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars, India, carried out by H.E. Msgr. Jacob Manathodath, eparchial bishop of Palghat, thanking him for his work.
What this means is that Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, who was caught up in a land deal controversy recently, has come back at the helm of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese on Thursday after Vatican terminated the appointment of apostolic administrator.
Soon after the announcement, the Syro-Malabar Church came out with the press release. In the release, Bishop Joseph Pamplany, Chairman, Media Commission said, “Bishop Mar Sebastian Adayanthrath and Bishop Mar Jose Puthenveetil are suspended from their Offices of Auxiliary Bishops of the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly. The Holy Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church is hereby instructed to decide a new Pastoral Ministry for the Auxiliary Bishops.”
Accordingly, the Major Archbishop has to deliver the monthly budget and the more relevant administrative documents concerning the temporal goods of the Archeparchy to the Permanent Synod, always complying the civil laws.
In order to elucidate the Papal decisions, Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in Rome, has given the following directives:
- The above mentioned Papal decisions were taken after having seriously studied the report as well as the directives submitted by the apostolic administrator Bishop Mar Jacob Manathodath.
- During the period leading up to the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church, the Permanent Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church will assist the Major Archbishop in the administration of the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly, derogating the normal canonical procedures but respecting the civil laws in force. During this period, necessary decisions could be taken and implemented using the legal mechanisms for restitution or recovery of the financial losses suffered.
- The Major Archbishop, in consultation with the Permanent Synod, has the full freedom to confirm or replace the office bearers of the Archeparchial Curia. It seems more opportune to wait until after the Synod to definitively constitute the Archeparchial Curia.
- The August session of the Synod of bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church will decide the long term solution that best facilitates the stable administration of the Major Archiepiscopal See, including its financial management. The recommendations contained in the report of the special commission appointed by the Apostolic administrator will be of significant assistance to the bishops of the Synod in this regard. The most important task at hand is rebuilding the communion of the local Church, in fidelity to the ecclesial doctrine and discipline.
“The definitive decisions made by the Supreme Pontiff Pope Francis, regarding the issues evolved in the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly, must be received wholeheartedly by all in the Church. The Major Archbishop has called upon the faithful of the Church to pray fervently and to extend unreserved cooperation for building up unity within the Church,” Bishop Joseph Pamplany urged the faithful.