Kerala: Priests oppose Vatican move to reinstate Cardinal as head of archdiocese

Kerala: Priests oppose Vatican move to reinstate Cardinal as head of archdiocese

Mangalore Today News Network

Kerala, Jun 29, 2019 : The priests of the Ernakulam archdiocese on Friday passed a resolution questioning the decisions of the Vatican, which has reinstated Cardinal George Alencherry as the head of the archdiocese and suspended two auxiliary bishops in an unceremonious manner as to Yahoo.

 

A year ago, the Vatican had removed Alencherry as the archbishop of Ernakulam following his alleged involvement in dubious land dealings which caused Rs 90 crore loss for the archdiocese in 2016. He was reinstated on Thursday. Priests revolting against the decision of the Vatican is unheard of in the history of the Kerala-based Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.

The resolution said the priests would not cooperate with Alencherry and his office. Did Vatican think that priests and faithful of the Ernakulam archdiocese can function under the archbishop (Alencherry), who is an alleged accused in a criminal case related to financial malpractices. We cannot cooperate with those who dishonestly lead the archdiocese.

Archdiocese public relations officer Fr Paul Karedan said, The developments at the Church are extraordinary. We don t know how the protest of the priests would take shape in the coming days. The Cardinal has asked the auxiliary bishops to move out of the archbishop s house. Most of the priests in the diocese are against the suspension of the auxiliary bishops, he said.

Sources said 160 priests out of the 450 in the archdiocese attended the meeting on Friday and claimed that majority of the priests are against the Cardinal.

The resolution said the priests have taken strong exception to the decision of Rome to reinstate Alencherry as the head of the archdiocese. It is ludicrous that Alencherry has entered the archbishop s house and taken charges in the night. Did Vatican ask the Cardinal to implement its directive under the cover of darkness? it said.

The priests questioned the suspension of the auxiliary bishops Sebastian Adayanthrath and Jose Puthenveettil. It was the priests who had protested against the Cardinal. Why no action was taken against the priests? Vatican has suspended the auxiliary bishops who had cooperated with the priests. We consider the action of the Vatican as mere revenge against the auxiliary bishops.

It said the Oriental Congregation (under Rome) and the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church have the responsibility to inform the faithful about the findings of the commissions which had probed into the land dealings involving the Cardinal. Only then the priests and the faithful can accept Alencherry as the head of the archdiocese, the resolution said.