‘Are you with the pope or against him?’: Papal delegate’s ultimatum to Syro-Malabar protestors

[Michie]

Pope Francis’ personal delegate to the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly has issued a stark warning to Catholics protesting liturgical reforms to the Syro-Malabar liturgy, telling priests and laity that they are either “with the pope, or against him.”

Archbishop Cyril Vasil’, SJ, was appointed by Pope Francis July 31 with “the explicit mandate to bring back to obedience those priests and bishops who remain dissident,” the archbishop said Aug. 15, during a liturgy to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption in Kochi, southern India.

Addressing the widespread protests which have engulfed the Syro-Malabar Church, Vasil’ warned that continued refusal by some Syro-Malabar clergy and laity to conform to revised liturgical norms is “leading towards a de factoseparation from the Catholic Church” through a refusal of papal authority and therefore “God’s will.”

Continued below.

‘Are you with the pope or against him?’: Papal delegate’s ultimatum to Syro-Malabar protestors

Archbishop Cyril Vasil’, SJ, has warned liturgical protestors they are refusing papal authority and "God's will"

www.pillarcatholic.com

 

[jamiec]

Galatians 2 seems relevant.......

Popes are entirely capable of making decisions that harm Catholics or the Church. Maybe this is one of them. And if they do, it is not necessarily wrong to oppose them. To call this "God's Will" looks like a clumsy attempt to put decisions that may well need & deserve criticism, beyond criticism. If God is not above being protested against, the Pope certainly is not. Only dictators and tyrants try to silence criticism - a genuinely humble ruler learns from it. It is not very humble to be authoritarian.