150 priests in Kerala rebel against cardinal accused of land scam

Anyone may wonder that ‘Why Vatican continues with Cardinals and Bishops who have serious allegations against them such as land scams and rape ?’ – Editor, Hindujagruti

Kochi : A revolt without precedent has jolted the Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala, with at least 150 priests of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese publicly announcing on Friday that they wouldn’t cooperate with Cardinal George Mar Alencherry, who was reinstated by the Vatican on Thursday as administrative head of the diocese.

Alencherry had been removed from his position as administrative head of the archdiocese a year ago, when an internal commission appointed by the cardinal himself found irregularities in a few land deals done under him that caused huge financial losses to the church.

A draft resolution adopted by the priests states: “Does (the) Vatican and the synod bishops think that priests and the laity will be able to work under an archbishop who is an accused in cases under consideration of courts for financial misappropriation in land deal cases? The new moves of the oriental congregation would only result in the laity losing belief in the synod and the church.”

The likely trigger for the revolt is the suspension of two auxiliary bishops — Sebastian Adayanthrath and Jose Puthenveetil — following Alencherry’s reinstatement. The two bishops had been cooperating with the priests during their campaign against alleged irregularities in the controversial land deals.

The resolution, accessed by TOI, demands to know the reason for the removal of the auxiliary bishops. “Why did the oriental congregation remove the bishops. What crime did they do? It was over 400 priests of the archdiocese that began this struggle to know the truth behind the land deals. Was the unforgivable crime done by the bishops that they cooperated with the priests after knowing the truth? If that was the case, why did the authority that suspended the bishops not suspend the priests as well?” it asks.

Sources said the draft resolution signed by all the priests would be submitted to the church authorities, including the nuncio (Pope’s representative).

The order regarding the removal of the auxiliary bishops was made public by the church in the evening. The order terms the state of affairs in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese a “grave situation of ecclesial division”.

Palghat Bishop Jacob Manathodath had been appointed Apostolic Administrator Sede Plena of the church by the Vatican in Alencherry’s place when the land scandal broke. The Vatican also asked him to probe the deals and file a report. The inquiry was completed in April.

Source : TOI