The top decision-making body of the Eastern rite Syro-Malabar Church has formed a team of three bishops to dialogue with warring priests and the laity of an archdiocese amid threats of them breaking away from the Catholic Church over a protracted liturgical dispute.
The permanent Synod of Bishops of the Church based in southern Indian Kerala state formed a panel consisting of Archbishop Mathew Moolakkatt, Archbishop Joseph Pamplany and Bishop Jose Chittooparambil at an online emergency meeting on Nov 24.
The panel has been authorised to dissuade the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly from exiting the global Catholic Church.
“The panel was scheduled to meet the leaders of protesting priests and lay people on Nov. 25,” an official statement said.