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Kerala Catholic Community കേരളത്തിലെ കത്തോലിക്കാസമൂഹം: April 2012
അടുത്തത് ഒരു ക്രൈസ്തവ പ്രസിഡന്റ്‌ ആവട്ടെ:
അടുത്ത രാഷ്ട്രപതി സ്ഥാനത്തേക്ക് പൊതുസമ്മതനായ ഒരു ക്രൈസ്തവനെ നാമനിര്‍ദേശം ചെയ്യണമെന്ന ജോയിന്റ് ക്രിസ്ത്യന്‍ കൗണ്‍സിലിന്റെ പ്രമേയത്തെ വര്‍ഗീയമായി കാണുന്ന ചിലരെങ്കിലും ഉണ്ട്. ജോയിന്റ് ക്രിസ്ത്യന്‍ കൗണ്‍സിലിന്റെ ഈ നിര്‍ദേശത്തില്‍ വര്‍ഗീയത ഉള്ളതായി എനിക്കു തോന്നുന്നില്ല.
സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യാനന്തരം ഇന്ത്യ ഇതര ജനാധിപത്യ രാഷ്ട്രങ്ങളില്‍നിന്നും തികച്ചും വിഭിന്നമായ ഒരു പാതയാണ് സ്വീകരിച്ചത്. ഭരണഘടനയും രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാരമ്പര്യവും ഇന്ത്യന്‍ സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ  വൈവിദ്ധ്യ സൗന്ദര്യത്തെ നിലനിര്‍ത്താന്‍ പരിശ്രമിച്ചുപോന്നു. ഇന്ത്യന്‍ ഭരണഘടനയുടെ ഒരു പ്രത്യേകത ഇന്ത്യയിലെ ജനങ്ങളെ വര്‍ഗങ്ങളായിതന്നെ കണ്ടുകൊണ്ടാണ് ഭരണഘടന രചിച്ചത് എന്നതാണ്. ഭരണഘടനയുടെ  ആമുഖത്തില്‍ തന്നെ ഈ വൈവിദ്ധ്യം എടുത്തു പറഞ്ഞ് അംഗീകരിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.
''ഭാരതത്തിലെ ജനങ്ങളായ നാം ഭാരതത്തെ ഒരു പരമാധികാര സ്ഥിതിസമത്വ മതേതര ജനാധിപത്യ റിപ്പബ്‌ളിക്കായി സംവിധാനം ചെയ്യുവാനും അതിലെ പൗരന്മാര്‍ക്കെല്ലാം: സാമൂഹ്യവും സാമ്പത്തികവും രാഷ്ട്രീയവും ആയ നീതിയും; ചിന്തയ്ക്കും ആശയപ്രകടനത്തിനും വിശ്വാസത്തിനും മതനിഷ്ഠയ്ക്കും ആരാധനയ്ക്കും ഉള്ള സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യവും; പദവിയിലും അവസരത്തിലും സമത്വവും; സംപ്രാപ്തമാക്കുവാനും; അവര്‍ക്കെല്ലാമിടയില്‍ വ്യക്തികളുടെ അന്തസ്സും രാഷ്ട്രത്തിന്റെ ഐക്യവും അഖണ്ഡതയും ഉറപ്പുവരുത്തിക്കൊണ്ട് സാഹോദര്യം പുലര്‍ത്തുവാനും'' ആണ് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ ഭരണഘടനയ്ക്ക് രൂപം കൊടുത്തത്.
ഭരണഘടന 29-ാം വകുപ്പ് ഇങ്ങനെ പറയുന്നു: ''(1) ഭാരതത്തിന്റെ ഭൂപ്രദേശത്തോ അതിന്റെ ഏതെങ്കിലും ഭാഗത്തോ താമസിച്ചുവരുന്ന പൗരന്മാരില്‍, ഭിന്നമായ ഒരു ഭാഷയോ ലിപിയോ സംസ്‌കാരമോ സ്വന്തമായുള്ള ഏതൊരു വിഭാഗത്തിനും അത് സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്നതിന് അവകാശം ഉണ്ടായിരിക്കുന്നതാണ്.''
ഭാരതത്തിന്റെ വൈവിദ്ധ്യത്തെ അംഗീകരിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് സാഹോദര്യം പുലര്‍ത്തുക എന്ന ലക്ഷ്യത്തോടുകൂടിയാണ് ഭരണഘടനയ്ക്ക് രൂപം കൊടുത്തിരിക്കുന്നത്. പദവിയിലും അവസരത്തിലും സമത്വം പുലര്‍ത്തണമെന്നതാണ് ഭരണഘടനയുടെ ലക്ഷ്യം.
വൈവിദ്ധ്യത്തെ അലങ്കാരമായി കരുതുന്ന ഈ ഭാരതത്തില്‍ പദവികള്‍ തുല്യമായി പങ്കുവയ്ക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള പാരമ്പര്യം സൃഷ്ടിക്കേണ്ടത് രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാര്‍ട്ടികളാണ്. കഴിഞ്ഞ 60 കൊല്ലക്കാലമായി പ്രസിഡണ്ട് പദവിയും വൈസ് പ്രസിഡണ്ട് പദവിയും ഭൂരിപക്ഷ ന്യൂനപക്ഷ മതവിഭാഗങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് മാറിമാറി നല്‍കിപ്പോന്നു. ഈ ക്രമം തുടരണമെന്നും ന്യൂനപക്ഷ വിഭാഗത്തിലെ ക്രൈസ്തവരെ അവഗണിക്കരുത് എന്നും ചൂണ്ടിക്കാണിക്കുന്നത് വര്‍ഗീയതയല്ല. മറിച്ച് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ ഭരണഘടനയില്‍ ഉദ്ദര്‍ശനം ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്ന അവസരസമത്വത്തെ ഉറപ്പിക്കാന്‍ വേണ്ടിയാണ്.
ദളിത് സംഘടനകള്‍ മുന്നോട്ടു വന്ന് ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടതനുസരിച്ചായിരുന്നു ശ്രീ. കെ. ആര്‍ നാരായണനെ വൈസ്പ്രസിഡണ്ടായി നോമിനേറ്റ് ചെയ്തത്. ദളിത് സംഘടനകളുടെ ആവശ്യത്തെ ആരും വര്‍ഗീയമായി കണ്ടില്ല. മറിച്ച് ആ ആവശ്യത്തിനു പിന്നിലുള്ള തുല്യ പദവി എന്ന ഭരണഘടനാശാസന അനുസരിക്കാനാണ് രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാര്‍ട്ടികള്‍ തയ്യാറായത്. ദളിത് സംഘടനകള്‍ അന്ന് ആരുടെയും പേരു പറഞ്ഞില്ല. മറിച്ച് രാഷ്ട്ര ക്രമത്തില്‍ അനുവര്‍ത്തിക്കേണ്ട തുല്യതയെയാണ് ഉയര്‍ത്തിപ്പിടിച്ചത്.
ജോയിന്റ് ക്രിസ്ത്യന്‍ കൗണ്‍സിലും അതു മാത്രമാണ് ചെയ്തത്. ഇന്ത്യയുടെ പ്രസിഡണ്ടാകാന്‍ യോഗ്യതയുള്ള ക്രൈസ്തവനെ കണ്ടുപിടിക്കേണ്ടത് രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാര്‍ട്ടികളുടെ ചുമതലയാണ്. ഇക്കാലമത്രയും ഇന്ത്യന്‍ ഭരണഘടനയുടെ അന്തസത്ത മനസ്സിലാക്കി പ്രവര്‍ത്തിച്ചുപോന്ന രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാര്‍ട്ടികള്‍ ഇനിയും അങ്ങനെതന്നെ ചെയ്യും എന്ന പ്രതീക്ഷയാണ് ജോയിന്റ് ക്രിസ്ത്യന്‍ കൗണ്‍സിലിന്റെ പ്രമേയത്തിന്റെ പിന്നിലുണ്ടായിരുന്നതെന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു.
ഞാന്‍ മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്നിടത്തോളം ജോയിന്റ് ക്രിസ്ത്യന്‍ കൗണ്‍സില്‍ സഭയ്ക്കുള്ളില്‍ എല്ലാവര്‍ക്കും നീതി ലഭിക്കുന്നതിനുവേണ്ടി പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കുന്ന ഒരു സംഘടനയാണ്. ആ സംഘടന പൊതു സമൂഹത്തില്‍ ക്രൈസ്തവര്‍ക്കു നീതി ലഭിക്കണം എന്ന് ആവശ്യപ്പെടുന്നത് ഒരിക്കലും വര്‍ഗീയമല്ല. തങ്ങളുടെ സമൂഹത്തോടും രാഷ്ട്രത്തോടുമൂള്ള കടമനിര്‍വഹണമായിട്ടാണ് ഇതിനെ കാണേണ്ടത്. എന്തുകൊണ്ട് ഇക്കാര്യം സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ ശ്രദ്ധയില്‍പെടുത്തുന്നതില്‍ മെത്രാന്മാര്‍ അലംഭാവം പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ചു എന്ന ഒരു അഭിപ്രായം കണ്ടു. ഇത്തരം കാര്യങ്ങളില്‍ മെത്രാന്മാര്‍ ഇടപെടരുതെന്നുതന്നെയാണ് എന്റെ അഭിപ്രായം. ക്രൈസ്തവ സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ രാഷ്ട്രീയ തുല്യതയ്ക്കുവേണ്ടി പരിശ്രമിക്കേണ്ടത് ക്രൈസ്തവ സംഘടനകളാണ്. മെത്രാന്മാര്‍ ആദ്ധ്യാത്മിക പരിപോഷകരാണ്. ആ രംഗത്താണ്, ആ രംഗത്തു മാത്രമാണ് അവര്‍ അഭിപ്രായം പറയേണ്ടത്.
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Christian community in Kerala is not a homogenous entity. However most Kerala Christian groups follow certain common practices derived from local cultural influences such as wedding customs, and use of Malayalam language in liturgy. Most groups also believe in the St. Thomas tradition.
The origin of Kerala's Christians dates back to 52 AD, when St. Thomas came to the region landing in the port of Cranganore near Cochin. He visited different parts of Kerala and converted local inhabitants including many from the upper sect known as Namboodiri Brahmins. It is also believedthat St. Thomas established Churches in seven places in Kerala ( Kodungallore, Palayur, Paravur, Kokkamangalam, Niranam, Chayal, Korakkeni, Kollam) and a chappal (half church-"Arappalli") at Thiruvankottu.
The present Christian population have descended from these early groups.Some of the early Christians were Paklomattam, Shankarapuri, Kalli, and Kaaliyankavu in the north and Thayyil, Pattamukkil, Manki, and Madathilen near Niranam . They are popularly referred to as Syrian Christians because of the Syrian Liturgy which they continued to use in church services. They have also sometimes been called Nazaranis (followers of Jesus of Nazarene) or St. Thomas Christians. In some official documents Syrian Christians are even now referred to as Nazaranis.
An added fillip to the growth of the Church took place when a group of about 400 people migrated from Syria in 345 AD and joined the then existing Kerala Church. The leader of this group was Thomas of Kana. They stayed on in the region. The descendants of this group even today maintain their separate identity,and are known as Kananites. Syrian Christians remained as an independent group, and they got their bishops from Eastern Orthodox Church in Antioch in Syria.
The Portuguese who arrived by sea in 1498, gradually established their power base and were eager to bring all Christians in the fold of the Church of Rome. With their superior organizational skill and with the help of Portuguese political power Bishop Alexis De Menzes succeeded in establishing the Roman Catholic Church as the dominant Church of Kerala.Between 1500 to 1650 the Portuguese made an effort to convert local inhabitants to the Roman Catholic faith and also bring some of the existing members of the Syrian Christian Church under Roman Catholic influence. The climax of this was what is known as "Synod of Udayamperur". The Portuguese power declined by the 17th century. That weakened the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in Kerala.
In 1653 there was a re-affirmation of allegiance to the Syrian Orthodox tradition in front of an improvised cross at Mattanchery. This event is popularly known as' Coonan Kurisu Satyam' (Oath taken on a bent cross). The immediate provocation was the alleged murder by Portuguese authorities, of a Bishop who was sent from Syria After the decline of the Portuguese the next major influence sprung from British rule. There was a significant influence in the area of education through the efforts of the Christian missionaries which account for the high literacy rate and high degree of education among Keralites.
The subsequent history of the Syrian Christian Church of Kerala includes the evolution of the Syrian groups and the Roman catholic groups. First let us look at the Syrian groups.
Around 1800 one of the Syrian Christian Bishops, Mathew Athanasius, influenced by one Abraham Malppan made a move to the Protestant side and this was the beginning of the Kerala Mar Thoma Church. They developed strong links to the Western missionaries and emphasized evangelical renewal and Bible study. But the majority of the parent Syrian Church remained loyal to their own Bishops.
On September 14, 1912 a visiting patriarch from Mardin elevated one of the local bishops in the Syrian Church to Catholicos, a position that existed before in Tigris. This event took place at the famous Niranom Church and subsequently led to disputes and litigation between the factions called Orthodox Syrians and Jacobite Syrians of the Syrian Church in Kerala.Several Catholicos followed.
Their names are testament to the Churche's eastern connection. The first Catholicos was Basaliose Poulose the I (September 14, 1912 to May 2, 1913) The second was Basliose Geeverghese I. (April 30, 1925 to December 17, 1928).
During the time of the third Catholicos (Basaliose Geeverghese3, ( Feb 15, 1929 to January 3, 1964) the positions of 'Malankara Metran' (Head Bishop) and Catholicos were combined. The fourth Catholicos was Basaliose Ougen I (May 12, 1964 to December 8, 1975) and the fifth Basaliose Thomas Mathews I (October 27, 1975 to April 27, 1991).When Mathews Basaliose I retired sixth Catholicos Thomas Mathews II took office on April 29, 1991.
Catholics together constitute about 61.4%, the Syrian Orthodox and Syrian Jacobites together about 21.4%, the Marthoma Syrians about 5.7%, the Church of South India 5.2% and others about 6.3% of Christian in the state.The Syrian orthodox and Syrian Jacobites are sometimes referred to as Syrian Christians today. All affore mentioned groups together constitute Kerala's Christian population
During the 1930s one of the leading Bishops of the Syrian Christians, disillusioned by the split between the Catholicos group and the Patriarch group left the Church and moved to the Roman Catholic Church, forming a group called "Reethu". (Malankara Roman Rite) Nearly a hundred thousand people went over to this new rite from the Syrian Orthodox Church.
The two groups of the Syrian Church, namely the Jacobite Syrians and the Orthodox Syrians continued court battles and finally in 1960 the Supreme Court of India ruled putting an end to the litigation. Bbut even after this temporary reunion the division emerged again. Today there are again two divisions, the Orthodox Syrian Christians owing allegiance to the Catholicos of the East and the Jacobites Syrian Christians owing allegiance to the Patriarch of Antioch in Syria. Very recently the supreme court of India has once again ruled putting an end to legal struggles between those two groups and recognizing the legitimacy of the Catholicos.
Now let us turn to the Roman Catholics The Roman Catholic Church accepted allegiance to Pope and came to be known as Syrian Roman Catholic. There are Roman Catholics converted by European missionaries known as Latin Roman Catholics. There is also Roman Catholic group mentioned earlier called "Reethu" or the Malankara Syrian Rite.The Roman Catholic Church went through it's own evolutionary struggles after the Portuguese power declined in India. In 1662 the Dutch took over Cochin from the Portuguese. The Portuguese before departing elevated a local priest to bishop and papal representative. He ruled the church from 1662 to 1687.
There was a period of dominance by Carmalite missionaries during the Dutch period. However there was an ongoing struggle for local autonomy in the church. In 1887 the process of liberalization started. Two new diocese, Kottayam and Trichur started with local autonomy. Three Kerala priests were appointed as bishops In 1896 for the first time. New diocese in Palai, Kothamangalam, Tallicheri and Manathavadi were started.In 1956 the status of Changanacheri diocese was upgraded.In 1969 the metropolitan of Eranakulam was elevated to Cardinal. For the Catholic Church of Kerala the most momentous occasion was the visit of Pope John Paul II. The Pope visited Kottayam and performed the beatification of a Kerala priest and nun.
Eventhough the Kerala Catholics follow the religious practices of Roman Catolics world over, they have much in common with other Kerala christians.They follow Syrian rites as opposed to Latin rites. As stated earlier Roman Catholics along with other christian groups use malayalam language for service and follow certain local customs and traditions during weddings funerals etc. A Kerala catholic, while accepting papal authority and mainstream Roman Catholic practices might be inclined to feel more at home with other Kerala christian groups socially and culturally.
The CSI Church in Kerala had its beginnings mostly from Anglican missionaries who had converted the local population. However later on they united with the Basil Mission, Presbyterians and Baptists and formed the group called Church of South India. As in the case of catholics these various groups follow largely the relegious practices of their parent groups world over.However lingustically,socially and culturally they have much in common with other Kerala christian groups.
In addition to the aforementioned major groups the early St. Thomas Christians have now spread out to about 30 groups in Kerala. Among them are such groups as the Chaleddeans and the Pentecostals. At the time of Mar Thoma 6th a visiting bishop named Mar .Gregorios elevated a priest from the Kattumangattu family to bishophood. This group came to be known as Thoziur' church.
The Pentecost followers lead a simple life and prefer to treat sickness through prayers. Their origin was in Tennassie state in 1887. Pastor Cook started the Kerala Pentecostal church in Mulakkuza near Chenganoor in 1925. There are several sub groups like Pentikostu Deiva sabha, Indian Pentikostu sabha, Pentikostu Deiva Samuham, Celyon Pentokostu, Apostolia united pentikostu, independent pentekostu, Adhakrutha pentikostu, Penticostu Gospel group and Philadelphia Penticostu.
Travancore-Cochin Anglican church is a break away faction from CSI going back to 1966.Brotherans, a break away faction from the Baptists have their headquarters in Kumbanadu near Thiruvalla.
Salvation Army originated in London England in 1878. William Booth was the founder.Salvation army came to the state in 1878. They centered their activities in southern Travancore.
Yuyomayam was started by an anglican priest Yusthoose Youseph. He was also known as 'Vidwan Kutty' and was the son of a Brahmin from Thirunalveli.He forcasted that Christ will come for second time in 1980. Another prediction was that darkness will encircle the earth on August 10, 11, and 12, 1875.
DeivaSabha was started by a methodist priest from the U.S.A in 1884. A Kerala branch was established in 1910.
Russel church , otherwise called 'Jehovaha's witnesses was started by C.T.Russel in U.S.A. The Kerala branch was established in Mallappalli in 1925.
Lutheran mission run by followers of reformist Martin Luther established themselves in Perurkkada near Trivandrum in 1911.They operate in some 70 centers in sothern Travancore.
The miracle crusaders are fast gaining ground in the state. In a small town Potta near Trichur, Father Naickam Parambil is attracting thousands of devotees.
While the Church in the West is still Evangelical, in India the focus of the main line Church is social. There is also a strong ecumenical movement. Today Kerala Christians are a prosperous community commanding extraordinary Political clout. The religious practices of this group were shaped in the place of origin and is dominated by Church services which follow traditional patterns. Their basic belief is in the Christian doctrine and life after death. The clergy laity relationships are very strong. Syrian Christians have strong and active religious organizations and a majority of the people attend Sunday Church services. Church services are conducted in Malayalam with some segments often in Syriac. Baptism is practised by all Kerala Christians. The Episcopal Churches emphasise child baptism and use sprinkling of water in the name of the Triune of God. Believer's baptism by immersion in water is practised by Pentecostal groups. The Lord's Supper is celebrated by various groups and the Aramaic word Qurbana which means "offering" is used for the practice. The Greek word "Eucharist" which means thanksgiving is also used and is an expression of one's renewal of faith and participation in the death and suffering of Jesus Christ.
The Eucharist liturgy of the Syrian and Mar Thoma Churches stem from Eastern traditions and is based on the liturgy of St. James. The liturgy of the Roman Catholics is western. The liturgy of the Church of South India combines elements from both these. Pentecostal Churches do not follow a definite liturgy. The mainline Churches also practices Kayyasturi (in Malayalam) an oriental custom meaning kiss of peace, which enhances the celebration of the Lord's Supper. It is done by a form of eastern handshake. The Pentecostal's also practice this, but in their case the brothers kiss brothers and sisters kiss sisters. The manner of celebration of the Lord's Supper varies from denomination to denomination. Syrian Christians use several accessories such as the bells, the veil, the altar, the cross the coverings and the candles.
Many Hindu traditions and customs are followed by Kerala Churches. Among Hindus and Kerala Christians consanguineous marriages are permitted only if the partners are separated at least four generations. Both the Hindu women and the Nazarani women at the time of marriage have an amulet tied around their neck by the bridegroom. It is called "Thali" by Hindu and "Minnu" by Kerala Christians. There are many other Hindu traditions followed by Christians such as dowry system, decorations with rice flower, and forty one day observances after a death in the family.
Syrian Christians celebrate all Christian religious days. The more orthodox people maintain Lent for twenty four days prior to Christmas and fifty days prior to Easter. Those who do so, eat only vegetarian meals and refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages during Lent. Easter week is very important. There are special Church services on Palm Sunday and also every evening including Good Friday on Pesaha (Maundy Thursday) There is a special Church service with Holy Communion. Good Friday is of great significance and Church services start at nine o'clock in the morning and continue on to three o'clock in the afternoon. On Easter Sunday Church service starts at four o'clock in the morning and concludes with Holy Communion. Easter breakfast and family get together is traditional.
Only recently westerners have begun to recognize Christianity's Eastern foundation. Christianity in Kerala is older than Rome according to the St.Thomas tradition. It began as an Oriental religion. Syrian Christian priests wear cassocks, caps and beards as seen also in west Asia. The Syrian Christians have a special identity. Their customs and manners are different from those of other Christian groups. Their names are unique, Thomas is Mammen, Peter is Ommen, Paul is Peeli, Elizabeth is Eliamma and so on. Some Syrian Christians still believe in astrology and horoscopes. Arranged marriages are common. As mentioned previously during the marriage ceremony exchange of rings is less important than the tali which the bridegroom ties around the bride's neck.
Junior priests are allowed to marry and eat meat. But only those who remain unmarried can rise to the rank of bishops. Many Syrian Christian practices are distinctively eastern and early western missionaries found them primitive and ignorant in their point of view.
© Kerala History Series : Dr P K John
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Bishops Play Church Queens as Pawns
By MAUREEN DOWD-Published: April 28, 2012
IT is an astonishing thing that historians will look back and puzzle over, that in the 21st century, American women were such hunted creatures.
Even as Republicans try to wrestle women into chastity belts, the Vatican is trying to muzzle American nuns.
Who thinks it’s cool to bully nuns? While continuing to heal and educate, the community of sisters is aging and dying out because few younger women are willing to make such sacrifices for a church determined to bring women to heel.
Yet the nuns must be yanked into line by the crepuscular, medieval men who run the Catholic Church.
“It’s not terribly unlike the days of yore when they singled out people in the rough days of the Inquisition,” said Kenneth Briggs, the author of “Double Crossed: Uncovering the Catholic Church’s Betrayal of American Nuns.”
How can the church hierarchy be more offended by the nuns’ impassioned advocacy for the poor than by priests’ sordid pedophilia?
How do you take spiritual direction from a church that seems to be losing its soul?
It has become a habit for the church to go after women. A Worcester, Mass., bishop successfully fought to get a commencement speech invitation taken away from Vicki Kennedy, widow of Teddy Kennedy, because of her positions on some social issues. And an Indiana woman named Emily Herx has filed a lawsuit saying she was fired from her job teaching in a Catholic school and denounced as a “grave, immoral sinner” by the parish pastor after she used fertility treatments to try to get pregnant with her husband.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York recently told The Wall Street Journal that only “a tiny minority” of priests were tainted by the sex abuse scandal. But it’s a global shame spiral. The church leadership never recoiled in horror from pedophilia, yet it recoils in horror from outspoken nuns.
In Philadelphia, Msgr. William Lynn, 61, is the first church supervisor to go on trial for child endangerment. He is fighting charges that he may have covered up for 20 priests accused of sexual abuse and left in the ministry, often transferred to unwitting parishes.
Somehow the Philadelphia church leaders decided that the Rev. Thomas Smith was not sexually motivated when he made boys strip and be whipped playing Christ in a Passion play. Somehow they decided an altar boy who said he was raped by two priests and his fifth-grade teacher was not the one in need of protection.
Instead of looking deep into its own heart and soul, the church is going after the women who are the heart and soul of parishes, schools and hospitals.
The stunned sisters are debating how to respond after the Vatican’s scorching reprimand to the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the main association of American Catholic nuns. The bishops were obviously peeved that some nuns had the temerity to speak out in support of President Obama’s health care plan, including his compromise on contraception for religious hospitals.
The Vatican accused the nuns of pushing “radical feminist themes,” and said they were not vocal enough in parroting church policy against the ordination of women as priests and against abortion, contraception and homosexual relationships.
In a blatant “Shut up and sit down, sisters” moment, the Vatican’s doctrinal office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, noted, “Occasional public statements by the L.C.W.R. that disagree with or challenge positions taken by the bishops, who are the church’s authentic teachers of faith and morals, are not compatible with its purpose.”
Pope Benedict, who became known as “God’s Rottweiler” when he was the cardinal conducting the office’s loyalty tests, assigned Archbishop J. Peter Sartain of Seattle to crack down on the climate of “corporate dissent” among the poor nuns.
When the nuns push for social justice, they’re put into stocks. Yet Archbishop Sartain has led a campaign in Washington to reverse the state’s newly enacted law allowing same-sex marriage, and he’s a church hero.
Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of Network, a Catholic lobbying group slapped in the Vatican report, said it scares the church hierarchy to have “educated women form thoughtful opinions and engage in dialogue.”
She told NPR that it was ironic that church leaders were mad at sisters over contraception when the nuns had committed to a celibate life with no families or babies. Given the damage done by the pedophilia scandals, she said, “the church’s obsession, at times, with the sexual relationships is a serious problem.”
Asked by The Journal if the church had a hard time convincing the flock to follow its strict teachings on sexuality, Cardinal Dolan laughed: “Do we ever!”
Church leaders behave like adolescent boys, blinded by sex. That’s the problem with inquisitors and censors: They become fascinated by what they deplore.
The pope needs what the rest of us got from nuns: a good rap across the knuckles.
A version of this op-ed appeared in print on April 29, 2012, on page SR11 of the New York edition with the headline: Bishops Play Church Queens as Pawns.
Posted by V.K. Joy at 8:56 PM No comments:
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
ജോയിന്റ് ക്രിസത്യന്‍ കൌണ്‍സിലിന്റെ അഭ്യര്‍ത്ഥന
മതേതരജനാധിപത്യത്തിന്റെ മുഖശോഭ വര്‍ദ്ധിപ്പിക്കുന്ന നടപടി
ഏതാനും ആഴ്ചകള്‍ക്കകം ഇന്ത്യയുടെ പരമോന്നത ഭരണസ്ഥാപനമായ രാഷ്ട്രപതി സ്ഥാനത്തേക്ക് തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് നടക്കാനിരിക്കുകയാണല്ലൊ. ലോകത്തിലെ ഏറ്റവും ജനസംഖ്യയുള്ള ജനാധിപത്യരാജ്യമായ ഇന്ത്യയുടെ രാഷ്ട്രത്തലവന്റെ തെരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് ലോകം മുഴുവന്‍ ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുന്ന സംഭവമാണ്. കഴിഞ്ഞ ആറു പതിറ്റാണ്ടിലേറെയായി ഒരു ജനാധിപത്യറിപ്പബ്ലിക്കായി ഇന്ത്യക്ക് നിലനില്‍ക്കാന്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞുവെന്നത് അഭിമാനാര്‍ഹമായ നേട്ടമായി ലോകം വിലയിരുത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും രണ്ടാം ലോകമഹായുദ്ധത്തിനുശേഷം ഇന്ത്യയോടൊപ്പം കൊളോണിയല്‍ ആധിപത്യത്തില്‍നിന്ന് വിമോചിതമായ രാഷ്ട്രങ്ങളില്‍ ജനാധിപത്യവ്യവസ്ഥ സ്വീകരിച്ച പല രാജ്യങ്ങളും പിന്നീട് ഏകാധിപത്യഭരണത്തിലേക്ക് വഴുതിവീണുവെന്ന യാഥാര്‍ത്ഥ്യംകൂടി കണക്കലെടുക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ഇന്ത്യയുടെ നേട്ടത്തിന് തിളക്കമേറുന്നു.
ഇന്ത്യയിലെ പരമോന്നത പദവികളാണ് പ്രസിഡണ്ട്, വൈസ്പ്രസിഡണ്ട്, പ്രധാനമന്ത്രി, സ്പീക്കര്‍, ചീഫ് ജസ്റ്റിസ് മുതലായവ. ഈ ഉന്നതസ്ഥാനങ്ങളെല്ലാം മതം, ജാതി, ഭാഷ, പ്രദേശം എന്നിവയെ അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കി ആരുടെയും കുത്തകയാക്കിമാറ്റാതെ എല്ലാ വിഭാഗങ്ങള്‍ക്കും പ്രാതിനിധ്യം ലഭിക്കത്തക്കവിധം നിലനിര്‍ത്താന്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞുവെന്നതാണ് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ ജനാധിപത്യത്തിന്റെ ശ്ലാഘനീയമായ നേട്ടം.
സൂക്ഷ്മതയോടെ വീക്ഷിച്ചാല്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞ അറുപത് കൊല്ലത്തെ പാരമ്പര്യമനുസരിച്ച് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ റിപ്പബ്ലിക്കിന്റെ പരമോന്നത പദവിയായ പ്രസിഡണ്ട് സ്ഥാനത്തേക്ക് ഒരു ഊഴം ഉത്തരേന്ത്യക്കാരനാണെങ്കില്‍ അടുത്ത ഊഴം ദക്ഷിണേന്ത്യക്കാരനായിരുന്നു നല്‍കപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നത്. ഭൂരിപക്ഷന്യൂനപക്ഷവ്യത്യാസമില്ലാതെ ഹിന്ദു, മുസ്ലീം, ദളിത്, സിഖ് വിഭാഗങ്ങളില്‍പെട്ട സമുന്നതവ്യക്തികള്‍ ജാതിമതതാല്‍പര്യങ്ങള്‍ക്കതീതമായി രാഷ്ട്രപതിസ്ഥാനം അലങ്കരിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. എന്നാല്‍ ഒരു ക്രൈസ്തവന് നാളിതുവരെയും ആ മഹനീയസ്ഥാനത്ത് എത്തിച്ചേരാനുള്ള സൗഭാഗ്യം ലഭിച്ചിട്ടില്ല. നാനാത്വത്തില്‍ ഏകത്വമെന്നതാണല്ലൊ ഭാരതസംസ്‌കാരത്തിന്റെയും ജനാധിപത്യരാഷ്ട്രീയ വ്യവസ്ഥിതിയുടെയും സമുന്നതപാരമ്പര്യം. ഒരു ക്രൈസ്തവനെ അടുത്ത രാഷ്ട്രപതിയായി ഐകകണ്‌ഠ്യേന തെരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുന്നത് ഇന്ത്യയുടെ മതേതരജനാധിപത്യത്തിന്റെയും സാംസ്‌കാരികത്തനിമയുടെയും മുഖശോഭ പതിന്മടങ്ങ് വര്‍ദ്ധമാനമാക്കുന്ന നടപടിയാകുമെന്ന് ജോയിന്റ് ക്രിസ്ത്യന്‍ കൗണ്‍സില്‍ വിശ്വാസിക്കുന്നു. ഇതിനുള്ള അവസരമൊരുക്കണമെന്ന് എല്ലാ രാഷ്ട്രീയപാര്‍ട്ടികളോടും പ്രസ്ഥാനങ്ങളോടും അഭ്യര്‍ത്ഥിക്കുന്നു.
Statement issued by the Executive Committee of Joint Christian Council convened at Kochi on 22/04/2012
A few weeks from now election is scheduled to take place to the post of topmost constitutional authority of India, the President. The election of the Head of State of the most populous democracy in the world is a political event that attracts the attention of the whole world. It is not a small achievement that India could preserve, like the pupil of the eye, the democratic system of government and remain a secular democratic republic for the last 6 decades even in the face of grave challenges. This achievement becomes all the more important, considering the fact that many of the nations that got freedom from colonial clutches after World War II and opted democracy fell on the way and those multi-party democracies were replaced by dictatorships of either an individual or  a single political party.
The top constitutional posts of India are the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Chief Justice of India. No one can dispute the fact that it shows the strength of Indian democracy that we could elect eminent personalities belonging to all sections of Indian society to these high posts without making them monopoly based on religion, cast, creed, language, region etc.etc.
In the past sixty years in the election of the President an informal tradition has come to existence by which if one term was given to a North Indian, the next was given to a South Indian. Similarly we have been careful to elect Presidents from majority and minority communities.  Thus we had eminent personalities from Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Dalit communities as Presidents proving the justness and equity of the Indian political system. But it is unfortunate that we did not so far have a president from the second largest minority, the Christian community. ‘Unity in diversity’ has been the cultural tradition of India and it’s democratic political system for a long time. So Joint Christian Council believes that electing a Christian to be the next President of India will surely be a shining proof of India’s cultural ethos and secular democratic tradition. We request all national and state political parties to have a wide consultation among them and find a consensus candidate hailing from Christian community for the next President.
Posted by V.K. Joy at 9:50 PM 1 comment:
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
(സെക്രട്ടറി, കാത്തലിക് ലേമെന്‍സ് അസ്സോസിയേഷന്‍)
ഇന്‍ഡ്യ ഒരു മതേതര രാഷ്ട്രമാണ്. മതനിരപേക്ഷതയാണ് ഇന്‍ഡ്യയുടെ മുഖമുദ്ര. നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകളായി നാനാജാതിമതസ്ഥര്‍ ഇവിടെ ഐക്യത്തിലും സമാധാനത്തിലും ജീവിച്ചുവരുന്നു. മനുഷ്യനെ സന്മാര്‍ഗ്ഗത്തിലേക്കു നയിക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള ദൗത്യമാണ് മതങ്ങള്‍ക്കുളളത്. എന്നാല്‍, മതനേതൃത്വങ്ങള്‍ മതങ്ങളുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനപ്രമാണങ്ങളില്‍നിന്നകന്ന് മനുഷ്യരെ മതാടിസ്ഥാനത്തില്‍ വര്‍ഗ്ഗീയവല്‍ക്കരിച്ചു മനുഷ്യസൗഹാര്‍ദ്ദത്തെ തകര്‍ത്തുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുകയാണ്. മനുഷ്യനെ മനുഷ്യനായി കാണാതെ ജാതീയമായിമാത്രം കണ്ട് മതങ്ങളില്‍ തളച്ചിടുന്ന സമീപനമാണ് പൊതുവെ കാണുന്നത്. ഹൈന്ദവമതത്തിലും ക്രിസ്തുമതത്തിലും ഇസ്ലാം മതത്തിലും മറ്റു മതങ്ങളിലും അതാതു മതത്തിന്റെ അന്തഃസന്തയ്ക്കു നിരക്കാത്തവിധത്തില്‍, മതനേതൃത്വങ്ങള്‍ തങ്ങളുടെ ആധിപത്യത്തിനുവേണ്ടി, സമൂഹങ്ങളെ വിവിധ മതഗ്രൂപ്പുകള്‍ സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു ഭിന്നിപ്പിച്ച് മതസ്പര്‍ദ്ധയ്ക്ക് ആക്കം കൂട്ടുകയാണ്. മതപ്രചാരണം എന്ന പേരില്‍ മതസ്പര്‍ദ്ധപ്രചരണമാണ് സര്‍വ്വത്ര നടമാടുന്നത്. ''മറ്റു സമുദായങ്ങള്‍ സംഘടിക്കുകയും ശക്തിപ്രാപിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന ഈ കാലത്ത് നമ്മുടെ താല്‍പര്യങ്ങള്‍ സംരക്ഷിക്കാന്‍ ശക്തമായ ഒരു അത്മായസംഘടന നമുക്കും ആവശ്യമാണ്'' എന്ന ബിഷപ് മാര്‍ പോള്‍ ചിറ്റിലപ്പിള്ളിയുടെ പ്രസ്താവന നമ്മുടെ സഭാധികാരികളുടെ ഉള്ളിലിരിപ്പ് വെളിവാക്കുന്നു. രാഷ്ട്രീയനേതൃത്വവും മതനേതൃത്വവും ചേര്‍ന്നുള്ള അവിഹിതബന്ധങ്ങാണ്, നമ്മുടെ രാജ്യത്ത് വര്‍ഗ്ഗീയകലാപങ്ങള്‍ക്കും മനുഷ്യക്കുരുതികള്‍ക്കും ഇടയാക്കിയിട്ടുള്ളത്. ഇതിന് അറുതിവരുത്തണമെങ്കില്‍, മതസ്പര്‍ദ്ധ വളര്‍ത്തുന്ന മതപ്രചാരണങ്ങളെ ശക്തമായ നിയമംവഴി നിരോധിക്കണം.
രാജ്യത്തെ ഏതൊരു പൗരനും ഏതു മതസമൂഹത്തില്‍നിന്നും വിവാഹം ചെയ്യുവാന്‍ നിയമം നിലവിലുണ്ട്. ക്രിസ്തുമതത്തിലും മിശ്രവിവാഹം അനുവദിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. എന്നാല്‍, ഇസ്ലാംമതത്തിലും ക്രിസ്തുമതത്തിലെതന്നെ ക്‌നാനായ കത്തോലിക്കര്‍ക്കിടയിലും ഇത്തരത്തിലൊരു നിയമവാഴ്ച നിലവിലില്ല.
ക്രിസ്തുമതത്തില്‍, പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ക്‌നാനായ കത്തോലിക്കര്‍ അടക്കമുള്ള കത്തോലിക്കാ സഭകളില്‍, പൗരസ്ത്യകാനോന്‍ നിയമം 813 മുതല്‍ 816 വരെയുള്ള വകുപ്പുകള്‍ പ്രകാരം, മിശ്രവിവാഹം വളരെ സുതാര്യമായ വ്യവസ്ഥകളോടെ മാര്‍പ്പാപ്പാ അനുവദിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട് എന്നത് ശ്ലാഘനീയമാണ്. മിശ്രവിവാഹം അനുവദിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുള്ള പ്രാദേശിക സഭാനിയമങ്ങളും നിലവിലുണ്ട്. ''കത്തോലിക്കരും അകത്തോലിക്കരും തമ്മിലുള്ള മിശ്രവിവാഹം കത്തോലിക്കാപള്ളിയില്‍ വെച്ചാണ് നടത്തേണ്ടത്.'' എന്നു നിര്‍ദ്ദേസിക്കുന്ന താമരശ്ശേരി രൂപതാ നിയമാവലിയുടെ 424.5-ാം വകുപ്പ് ഒരുദാഹരണംമാത്രം. എന്നാല്‍, വിവാഹക്കാര്യത്തില്‍ ക്‌നാനായ കത്തോലിക്കര്‍ മാര്‍പ്പാപ്പയെ അംഗീകരിക്കുന്നില്ല. അതുപോലെ, മിശ്രവിവാഹം ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ട് സഭാധികാരികളെ സമീപിക്കുന്നവരെ നിയമം ലംഘിച്ച് മതപരിവര്‍ത്തനത്തിന് നിര്‍ബന്ധിക്കുകയും, അതിന് വഴങ്ങാത്തവര്‍ക്ക് അര്‍ഹമായ വിവാഹം നിഷേധിച്ച് പീഡിപ്പിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്ന ധാരളം സംഭവങ്ങളും വിവിധ കത്തോലിക്കസഭകളില്‍ നടക്കുന്നുണ്ട്.
നിര്‍ബന്ധിതമതപരിവര്‍ത്തനം ആവശ്യപ്പെടുന്നതും, നിയമം അനുശാസിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന മിശ്രവിവാഹം നിഷേധിക്കുന്നതും കുറ്റകരവും ശിക്ഷാര്‍ഹവുമാണ്. വിശ്വാസിസമൂഹം തങ്ങളുടെ അവകാശങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ച് ബോധവാന്മാരാകേണ്ടതുണ്ട്. ഇത്തരം ബോധവല്‍ക്കരണത്തിന് സഭാനേതൃത്വം തയ്യാറാകാത്ത സാഹചര്യത്തില്‍, സ്വതന്ത്രസഭാസംഘടനകള്‍ അതിനു നേതൃത്വം നല്‍കേണ്ടിയിരിക്കുന്നു. 'കാത്തലിക് ലെമെന്‍സ് അസ്സോസിയേഷന്‍' ഇത്തരമൊരു ദൗത്യം അടുത്തകാലത്ത് ഏറ്റെടുക്കുകയും സഭാധികൃതരുടെ അംഗീകാരത്തോടുകൂടി കത്തോലിക്കാ പള്ളിക്കുള്ളില്‍ ഒരു മിശ്രവിവാഹം നടത്തുന്നതിന് കളമൊരുക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. അങ്ങനെ, താമരശ്ശേരി രൂപതയിലെ ഒരു കത്തോലിക്കാവിശ്വാസിയും കീഴോത്ത് പഞ്ചായത്തിലെ ഒരു ഹൈന്ദവ മതവിശ്വാസിയും തമ്മില്‍, മതപരിവര്‍ത്തനം നടത്താതെയും അവരവരുടെ മതവിശ്വാസത്തിനും ആചാരാനുഷ്ഠാനങ്ങള്‍ക്കും ഭംഗം വരാതെയും, താമരശ്ശേരി രൂപതാ ബിഷപ്പ് മാര്‍ റെമീജിയസ് പോള്‍ ഇഞ്ചനാനിയുടെ അംഗീകാരത്തോടെ താമരശ്ശേരി മേരിമാതാ കത്തീഡ്രല്‍ പള്ളിയില്‍വച്ച്, റവ.ഫാ. ജോസഫ് കീലത്തിന്റെ കാര്‍മ്മികത്വത്തില്‍, 2012 ഫെബ്രുവരി 16- ന് വിവാഹിതരായി, പള്ളി രജിസ്റ്ററില്‍ ഒപ്പുവയ്ക്കുന്നതിനുള്ള സാഹചര്യം ഒരുക്കി (ഫെബ്രുവരി17 -ലെ ഇന്‍ഡ്യവിഷനില്‍ ഈ വിവാഹത്തിന്റെ വിവരങ്ങള്‍ സംപ്രേഷണം ചെയ്തിരുന്നു. ഫെബ്രുവരി 18-ലെ ദേശാഭിമാനി ദിനപത്രത്തില്‍ ഇതു സംബന്ധിച്ച വാര്‍ത്തയുമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു). കേരളകത്തോലിക്കാസഭയില്‍ ഇത്തരമൊരു വിവാഹം ആദ്യമാണെന്നാണ് അറിയുന്നത്. അങ്ങനെ, മിശ്രവിവാഹകാര്യത്തില്‍ കത്തോലിക്കാ സഭയില്‍ ഒരു പുതിയ കീഴ്‌വഴക്കം സൃഷ്ടിച്ചിരിക്കുകയാണ്, സഭ ഉയര്‍ത്തിനിര്‍ത്തിയിരുന്ന ഒരു വലിയ മതമതില്‍ തകര്‍ത്തിരിക്കുകയാണ് ഈ വിവാഹത്തിലൂടെ.
യഹൂദപൗരോഹിത്യാധിപത്യത്തില്‍നിന്നും അവരുടെ ചൂഷണങ്ങളില്‍നിന്നും ജനസമൂഹത്തെ സ്വതന്ത്രരാക്കിക്കൊണ്ടുള്ള യേശുവിന്റെ വിപ്ലവാത്മകമായ സന്ദേശം ഇപ്രകാരമായിരുന്നു ''നിങ്ങള്‍ ഏതു ജനസമൂഹങ്ങളില്‍പ്പെട്ടവനായാലും എന്റെ കല്‍പനകള്‍ പാലിക്കുകയും എന്നെ അനുസരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നവന്‍ എനിക്ക് സ്വീകാര്യനാണ് '' ക്രൈസ്തവരെല്ലാം ആര്‍ജിക്കേണ്ടത് യേശുവിന്റെ ഈ മനോഭാവമാണ് സഭാനേതൃത്വം അതിനു തയ്യാറാകാതെ വരുന്നപക്ഷം, വിശ്വാസിസമൂഹംതന്നെ അവര്‍ക്കുമുമ്പേ സഞ്ചരിച്ച്, അവര്‍ക്കു വഴികാട്ടികളാകേണ്ടതുമുണ്ട്.
Posted by V.K. Joy at 8:36 AM No comments:
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K.P. SHIBU- FORMER PRIEST
After nun, former priest writes a tell-all book on sexual exploitation
Shaju Philip : Thiruvananthapuram, Wed Sep 01 2010, 01:30 hrs
Barely a year after a former Catholic nun wrote in her autobiography about the suppressed sexual life and draconian rules within the convents, a former Catholic priest has come
out with his own experiences of homosexuality at seminaries, sexual misconduct of priests, lack of transparency in money matters and the unfair approach of superiors.
In his 160-page book, Here is the heart of a Priest, K P Shibu Kalamparambil has written about life he had had to lead as member of the Catholic congregation Vincentian for past 24 years — 11 years as priest, 13 as seminarian.
The 39-year-old former priest left the Catholic order in March 2010, and flew to Doha where he joined as a teacher with an Indian school. A native of Angamaly near Kochi, Shibu has found his leave period to release and distribute the book. “I have faced stiff opposition from the Vincentian congregation and my family alike when I broached the idea of publishing my story.”
His book is an open letter about alleged sexual anarchy of priests, injustice meted out to members and mismanagement of resources at a Catholic order. “Three times I had met with road accident. As my Congregation failed to support me, I had to meet the hospital bills on all occasions.”
“While working as a teacher with the Congregation-run educational institution in Kasargode, I had to face agitations from student outfits. The Congregation did not come to my rescue. When a priest is insulted continuously..., what is the logic in the Church saying that he should suffer everything for Jesus?”
On his early days at Papal Seminary in Pune, Shibu alleges he was sexually abused by senior seminarians. “Homosexual relations were rampant in seminaries. The victims had to suffer silently. If they complain..., both the accused and the victim would be shown the door. Hence, succumbing to the urges of the seniors was the only option....”
“During pastoral work, the seminarians used to travel on cycles. While moving around on a cycle, seminarians made a point to give lift to children. They (children) would be asked to tightly embrace the riding seminarian. Such acts were done with deliberate sexual intention,” he alleges in the book. “There had been incidents of senior seminarians pretending as priests and hearing confessions. ”
He alleges several priests sexually exploited widows or nuns sexually. He also alleges, “Certain priests have no qualms to divert donations from believers for their personal purposes. Church funds should be handled by government agencies....”
Shibu himself is the publisher of his work, which has only 100 copies in the first edition. “I am planning a second edition of 10,000 copies.”
Provincial-General of Vincentian Congregation Fr Paul Puthuva said he would comment after reading the book.
Fr Paul Thelakkattu, spokesperson for the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, said: “Unfortunately the Church is one in which people like him are also living and working.... He has simply betrayed the trust of the faithful.”
In 2009, Sister Jesmy had embarrassed the Kerala Catholic Church by writing about her sexual encounters with priests in her work Amen.
Posted by V.K. Joy at 5:27 AM No comments:
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Sunday, April 22, 2012
Archdiocese suspends Kerala sex-case priest
Police charge cleric with abuse of woman he promised to marry
India. November 19, 2010
An Indian priest has been suspended for allegedly abusing a woman and fathering a child
An archdiocese in Kerala has suspended a priest for allegedly abusing a woman and fathering a child.
“It is a case of sexual abuse and investigations are on. But we could not interrogate the priest since he is absconding,” Inspector General of Police B. Sandhya told ucanews.com on Nov. 19.
Verapoly, a Latin archdiocese, on Nov. 18 suspended Father Martin Kuttikatt after police registered the case against him.
An archdiocese press statement confirmed a inquiry was under way and the priest was under suspension.
The woman, a housewife, complained to the police on Nov. 2 that the priest had promised to marry her and fathered a child by her.
The police official said the 39-year-old woman comes from Njarackel, a coastal village where the priest had earlier worked as an assistant vicar.
The archdiocese and the police acted after the Kerala Latin Catholic Association, a lay organization, took up the matter.
Felix J. Pullooden, president of the association, said the woman’s husband committed suicide in 2007 when he came to know about his wife’s illicit relations with the priest.
“We had demanded Father Kuttikatt’s suspension. But the archdiocese acted only after the police registered the case,” Pullooden told ucanews.com
According to him, the priest had until recently financially supported the woman and the child, who is now more than three years old.
Pullooden said the local media had recently published CDs of a priest in “compromising position” with a female office staff member.
“So far no action is taken against him,” he said and regretted that sexual misadventures of priests and nuns are maligning the Church” in Kerala.
Church leaders were reluctant to respond to the queries and pleaded ignorance.
Former nun’s rape allegation, a case of extortion
‘Brothers’ surrender to face rape charges
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Friday, April 20, 2012
Sister Abhaya murder case
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sister Abhaya Case is an investigation into the 1992 death of a Knanaya Roman Catholic nun who was found dead in a water well in St Pius X convent inKottayam, India. She was 19 years old at the time of her death and a member of St. Joseph's Congregation for women under the Knanaya Catholic diocese of Kottayam,Kerala in India.
Initially, the local police crime branch concluded that the death was a suicide. A petition by the nuns of the congregation led to a new investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Although the CBI concluded that Abhaya was murdered, they requested closure of the case for lack of evidence; however, the request was rejected by the courts. Sixteen years later, on 19 November 2008, two priests and a nun were arrested by the CBI. On 17 July 2009, charges of murder, destruction of evidence, and defamation were filed against the three.
2.4 Writ Petition to Kerala High Court
3 Cause of death
3.1 CBI's dummy test
3.3 Court criticizing CBI
3.4 High Court’s new intervention
4 Developments since 2007
4.1 Narco analysis tests
4.3 Allegations regarding community leaders trying to sabotage the case
4.7 CBI filed chargesheet
March 1992 around 4:00 AM: Abhaya gets up from sleep to study for exam. Goes to the kitchen to get water from the fridge.
A search at dawn finds her body in the well in the compound.
March 1992: FIR is registered as missing person case and later as unnatural death by Kottayam West Police Station
March 1992 10 AM: Abhaya's body is taken out of the well by the fire force and inquest drawn up
March 1992: Post-mortem conducted on the body by Dr Radhakrishnan of Kottayam Medical College
March 1992: Action Council convened by Jomon Puthenpurackal
April 1992: Crime Branch takes up investigation
January 1993: Crime Branch files closure report as death by suicide
March 1993: CBI (Varghese P. Thomas) takes up investigation on orders of Central Government (CBI Headquarters) on the request of the State Government
April 1993: Material objects in the case received from the RDO court and destroyed by the Crime Branch..
30 December 1993: Varghese P. Thomas, DSP, CBI submits resignation alleging illegal interference in the investigation by V Thiagarajan, SP, CBI, Cochin.
7 April 1995: Dummy experiment conducted. Forensic medical experts (Dr S K Pathak, Dr Mahesh Verma, Dr. S R Singh) conclude that homicide cannot be ruled out.
29 January 1996: CBI SP Ohri submits final report. Suicide or murder cannot be conclusively proved. CJM court rejects report. CBI to continue investigation.
9 July 1999: DySP Surinder Paul submits report. Homicide, but unable to find culprits. Report again rejected by CJM court.
November 2007: Fr. Kottoor, Fr. Puthrukayil, Sr Sephi, Sanju P Mathew etc. undergo narco analysis tests in Bangalore.
7 November 2008: High Court orders investigation by Kerala unit of CBI.
19 November 2008: Two priests and a nun arrested in the case by a CBI team led by Nandakumar Nair, DySP, CBI, Cochin.[1]
25 November 2008: V V Augustine, former ASI who registered the FIR and conducted inquest on the dead body, found dead (committed suicide). Suicide note alleges torture by CBI.
2 December 2008: Accused remanded to police custody by CJM.
29 December 2008: Bail application rejected by the CJM Ernakulam. Bail applications before Justice Ms. Hema of High Court. She says arguments of CBI counsel contrary to the facts recorded in the case diary. CBI requests for transfer of case. Rejected by High Court. Controversial editorial by Kerala Kaumudi.
2 January 2009: Justice Ms. Hema of Kerala High Court grants conditional bail to the three accused. Suspects manipulations in Narco CDs. Orders production of originals. CBI moves Single Bench of Justice Basanth saying case paralysed by the orders of Justice Hema. Basanth orders only he can monitor the case. Basanth's orders refuted by Hema the next day. Says all High Court judges are equal. Only a superior bench can change her orders. Controversy among the media, bar and public about the open disagreements among the two judges. Justice Basanth recuses himself from monitoring the case.
14 January 2009: Supervision of the case transferred to a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court. Originals of the Narco CDs placed before the CJM court. Orders verification by CDAC.
20 February 2009: Jomon Puthenpurackal's autobiography titled Abhaya case diary released.[2]
9 March 2009: CDAC returns Narco CDs citing technical inability to verify the CDs. CDIT to verify CDs.
12 March 2009: Bail conditions of all the accused relaxed by high court. High court closes all the proceedings regarding Abhaya case before it. CJM court Ernakulam to continue proceedings. CBI requests CJM court to sanction narco analysis test to be conducted on Abhaya's room-mate Sr. Sherly and two kitchen servants. Court gives sanction. Sanction challenged in High Court.
23 March 2009: Kerala Kaumudi submits unconditional apology. High Court closes contempt case.
20 June 2009: CDIT finding that Narco CDs doctored. Court orders CBI to find out original CDs/tapes.
4 July 2009: CBI questions Dr. Malini and others.
July 2009: CBI makes a volte face and submits that the CDs were not doctored. CDIT challenges the CBI findings.
15 July 2009: Justice Hema while relaxing the bail conditions of Fr. Puthrukayil observes that collusion between CBI and Dr. Malini proved by latest events.
17 July 2009: The CBI filed chargesheet in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ernakulam against Fathers Thomas Kottoor and Thomas Poothrikkayil and Sister Sephy.[3]
24 July 2009: Abhaya"s father files contempt of court petition against CBI for failure to produce original narco CDs.
30 July 2009: Justice Hema again criticises CBI. Orders production of charge sheet.
3 August 2009: A division bench of high court consisting Balakrishnan Nair and Ravikumar to hear all petitions in Abhaya case. bail conditions of Sr. Stephy relaxed.
5 August 2009: Supreme Court refuses CBI plea to stay the contempt of court proceedings in high court.
7 August 2009: Stung by repeated criticism in high court, CBI replaces counsel Namboodiri with Sreekumar.
12 August 2009: Supreme court stays CJM and High court orders which allowed CBI to conduct narco tests on a nun and two maids who were inmates of Pius IX hostel at the time of Abhay's death.
December 2009: Supreme Court rejects Jomon's plea to stay the investigation ordered by high court regarding his financial and other deals.
3 May 2010: The Supreme Court set aside the directive issued by the Kerala High Court[4] accepting the vigilance investigation report on Jomon.
An Action Council was convened by Jomon Puthenpurackal in 1992 demanding prosecution of those responsible for the murder of Abhaya.[5][6]
67 nuns belonging to Abhaya's congregation petitioned the Chief Minister of the Kerala State Government to investigate the case as a homicide.[7] On 7 April 1992, the Director General of Police of Kerala directed the Crime Branch of the Kerala Police to take over the investigation from the local police. The Kerala Government, on the basis of the petition, recommended a CBI enquiry. On 29 March 1993, CBI began a new investigation.[7]
On 27 March 1992, Kottayam West Police Station ASI V V Augustine visited the crime scene and called the fire force to search for Abhaya's body in the well in the compound. The fire force took removed the body from the well. An inquest was prepared by ASI Augustine. Photographs of the body were also taken. Clothing of Abhaya was taken into custody. Later these items of physical evidence were destroyed. The post-mortem report indicated death by drowning but also reported on the possibility of homicide based on head injuries.
On 7 April 1992, the Director General of Police of Kerala directed the Crime Branch section of the Kerala police to take up the investigation. The Crime Branch submitted its report before the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) on 30 January 1993. The Crime Branch concluded that Abhaya had committed suicide.[citation needed] According to the post mortem report, she had died from drowning.[citation needed] Though there were allegations that the Crime Branch had procured the evidence in the case from the court and destroyed it, this was subsequently disproved by the CBI.[citation needed]
On 29 March 1993, the First Information Report (FIR) in the case was registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).[7] The CBI started investigating the death of Sister Abhaya under the direct supervision of its officer Varghese P. Thomas.
On 29 November 1996, the CBI issued the first final report.[8] The author of the report, A.K. Ohri, stated that he could not determine whether Abhaya's death was suicide or homicide.[8] The report was not accepted by the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court.[8] On 9 July 1999, the CBI issued a second final report authored by Surinder Paul.[9] Paul concluded that Abahya's death was a homicide, but he could not establish the identity of the perpetrators.[9] Paul's report was also not accepted by the court.[9] On 25 August 2005, the CBI issued yet another report, authored by R.R. Sahay.[10] Sahay concluded that there was no indication that anyone was involved in Abahya's death.[10] The report was again not accepted.[10] On 4 September 2008, the court turned the investigation over to the Kerala branch of the CBI.[10]
Some of the initial manipulations in the case by the local police and crime branch, alleged by CBI are:
-The inquest report did not indicate the homicidal injuries on the body of Abhaya.
-The material evidence in the case was destroyed and the clothes were not subject to forensic examination
-The photographs showing injuries on the body were removed.
-The crime scene was tampered with or material physical evidence was not collected from the crime scene.
During the initial inquiry, the post-mortem, chemical examination and laboratory report also had been erased and then rewritten due to other influence.[11][12][13][14]
On 30 December 1993, Varghese P. Thomas resigned from the service of CBI and from the investigation of Abhaya's death. He had seven more years in service to retire. He had arrived at the conclusion that Abhaya's death was a case of murder and he had recorded it as such in the Case Diary. Subsequently on 19 January 1994, he called a special press conference in Cochin and announced that he had resigned from CBI as his conscience did not permit him to comply with a strong directive given by his superior officer, V. Thyagarajan, the then Superintendent of CBI Cochin Unit, who had asked Varghese P. Thomas to record the death of Abhaya as suicide in the Case Diary. With this press conference, the case of Sr. Abhaya caught media attention all over India and the matter was strongly debated in the parliament as well as in the Kerala state assembly on several occasions.[15]
[edit]Writ Petition to Kerala High Court
The Action Council filed another Writ petition in the Kerala High Court asking the court to remove V. Thyagarajan from Cochin Unit of the CBI as well as from the investigation. Further on 3 June 1994 all the MP's from Kerala State jointly submitted a passionate petition to K. Vijaya Rama Rao, the Director of the CBI requesting him to disallow Thyagarajan to continue in the Abhaya's murder case. As a result M.L. Sharma, the Joint Director of the CBI, was given charge of the investigation into Abhaya's death.
Dr C Radhakrishnan, the forensic surgeon and former Principal of Kottayam Medical College, who conducted the post-mortem on the body of the deceased Abhaya, had given the report as death by drowning. He later made a statement before the Magistrate on 1 January 2009. The crime branch did not allow him to visit the crime scene to form a definite opinion as to the cause of death. The explanation of the crime branch is that the case had been handed over to the state forensic chief Dr. Umadathan. Dr. Radhakrishnan noted six homicidal injuries on the body of the deceased.
Sr. Abhaya had the following ante-mortem injuries as per the post-mortem certificate issued by Dr. Radhakrishnan:
1. Lacerated wound 1.8x0.5x0.2 cm., oblique, on the right side of the back of head, the upper end being 3 cm above end 3 cm behind the top of ear.
2. Lacerated wound 1.5x0.5x0.3 cm, oblique, on the head 2.5 cm behind injury No.1.
3. Graze abrasion 4 x 3 cm., oblique on the right side of the back of trunk, 9 cm below the lower end of shoulder blade with an upward and inward direction.
4. Abrasion 1.5x1 cm., 2 cm below injury No.3.
5. Multiple graze abrasions over an area 12 x 6 cm on the outer aspect of right buttock, the upper boarder being 4 cm below iliac crest. The direction of the grazes were upwards and inwards.
6. On dissection the scale tissues over an area 2 x2 cm on middle of the top of head were found contused. The scalp tissues over an area 7 x 5 cm around injuries Nos.1 and 2 were also found contused.
The skull was intact. Brain showed localised sub-arachnoid haemorrhage underneath these contused regions. No sign of increased intra-cranial tension."
On the 7 April 1995, using a full-sized dummy of Sister Abhaya, the CBI made some experimental tests in the well where her corpse was found. Based on the post mortem report, On 17 April 1995 Dr. S.K. Pathak, the chief of the Forensic Department of Sawai Man Singh Medical college, Jaipur and Dr. Mahesh Varma, former chairperson of Anatomy Section submitted their formal expert report to the CBI investigation team to the effect that homicide could not be ruled out. Subsequently the CBI declared that the killers would soon be arrested.
After the dummy test, no arrests were made. The Action Council staged a protest in front of the CBI office at Cochin on 27 November 1995. Later, on 18 March 1996, another big rally was organised under the leadership of former chief minister of the state, E.K. Nayanar, in front of the state secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. Again, on 1 July 1996, the Action Council filed a petition in the High Court challenging the inaction of the CBI. On 20 August 1996, the High Court directed the CBI to complete its investigation in three months. In the meantime, the CBI advertised an award of Rs 300,000 to anyone who could give dependable evidence in the case.
On 12 October 1996, all the MPs from Kerala visited the Prime Minister and pleaded with him to expedite the CBI investigation. However, on 6 December 1996 the CBI filed a petition in the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court Ernakulam seeking to wind up its investigation in the matter for lack of evidence. The court rejected the request and directed the CBI to continue the investigation.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) directed the CBI in its order dated 20 March 1997 to re-investigate the case. The court in its order strongly criticized the CBI for its loyalty and complicity to certain vested interests to defeat the ends of justice and the court observed that the CBI had not made party some very significant persons who otherwise emerged in the facts of the case quite evidently. The court also asserted its belief that the case could have easily been established had there been an honest and proper investigation. Further the court after seeing the video cassette of an Asianet interview, mentioned K.T. Michael by name for "influencing" the course of the investigation. This remark was later expunged by the High Court, after considering the reasons for the statements made during the interview. The CJM court observed that certain "invisible hands" were still trying to scuttle the Sister Abhaya murder case observing that these forces were trying to influence the investigating agencies and the government officials.[16]
[edit]High Court’s new intervention
The Action Council, again on 30 May 1997 filed a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court of Kerala against the non-compliance of the CJM's directive for re-investigation. The High Court in its order directed the CBI to report back to the court the progress it had made in the investigation in ten days from the date of the order.
Having had enough of the failure and lack of interest on the part of the CBI, the High Court directed suo moto the Director of the CBI to appoint a special team from New Delhi to investigate the matter. Thus P.D. Meena, the Superintendent of the CBI from New Delhi and his team undertook a month-long investigation and reported to the High Court. The CBI was convinced that the death of Abhaya was in fact murder. However, the CBI report said that due to lack of evidence it was not possible to go further into the matter. The High Court again on 28 September 1998 directed the CBI to file its final report of the re-investigation on or before 12 October 1998.
The magistrate court later affirmed that there was clear evidence to show that some officers who took part in the investigation conducted by the local police and Crime Branch wanted to refer this case as a case of suicide. The remarks were later expunged by the High Court.[17]
A report by B. Sreejan, senior reporter with the Thiruvananthapuram bureau of The New Indian Express (12 April 2007), stated that the original chemical examination report of the vaginal swab and vaginal smear of Abhaya has been found to have been tampered with. The manuscript of the workbook report from the Chemical Examination Laboratory shows over-writing in four places. Using a whitener and a different ink, the word ‘‘not’’ has been added to the word ‘‘detected,’. The lab explained that it was quite normal to make corrections in the manuscript. Even Varghese P Thomas, the first investigating officer, said the post mortem and lab reports had ruled out rape, leaving no scope for suspicions on the veracity of the report.[18]
As part of its investigation in August 2007, the CBI conducted Narco Analysis tests on Fr. Thomas Kottoor, Fr. Jose Poothrikkayil, Sr. Sephy and some others whom they believed had knowledge about the case.[19][20] Narco Analysis test report and CD were sent to the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court and to the High Court.
There were allegations that the CDs relating to the narco analysis tests were manipulated. Justice Ramkumar of the Kerala High Court sent questionnaires to Dr. Malini, Assistant Director of the Bangalore centre where the narco analysis was conducted. The lab denied any manipulation. But Justice Hema, who heard the bail petition of the accused, based on Case Diaries, mentioned that the narco analysis CDs might have been manipulated and wanted the originals to be produced in court. Dr. Malathi has since been dismissed from service on the charge of forging her birth certificates. CDAC Trivandrum, ordered by the Ernakulam CJM court to verify the Narco CDS submits that they are not equipped for the tests. CDs given to CDIT for tests. CDIT submits the finding that the CDs have been doctored more than 30 times. Court orders CBi to find out the original CDs. within 10 days. CBI questions the forensic lab officials including Dr. Malini. CBi makes a volte face and submits that the CDs were not edited. CDIT challenges the submission by CBI. Abhaya's father files contempt of court petition against CBI for not producing original CDs.
On January 11, 2008, the Kerala High Court directed the CBI to produce the result of the Narco-analysis test conducted on the suspects in the case in a sealed cover before the court within two weeks. The court further directed that no third person had any right of disclosure of the content of the results till the appropriate stage, other than the High Court. In this regard, the CBI submitted it before the court on January 21, 2008. The results were submitted in a sealed cover as directed by the court.
[edit]Allegations regarding community leaders trying to sabotage the case
Since the incident happens to involve religion and sensitive elements it always created controversy. There were wide speculations that an influential Christian political leader from Central Kerala tried to sabotage the case by influencing the then Congress government in the centre. Other allegations include the Catholic Church Council trying to influence the outcome of the investigations. Others also allege that due to the constant pressure that the action council and their convener and his secret financial backers that a lot of real good leads were never followed up on or investigated.
CBI arrested two Knanaya Catholic priests, Thomas Kottur (spelled Kottoor in another publication) and Jose Puthurukkayil, and a Knanaya nun, Sister Sephy, on 19 November 2008.[1]
On November 22, 2008 Archbishop Kuriakose Kunnacherry, former head of the Archdiocese of Kottayam, was summoned for questioning.[21] The CBI questioned Kottayam Archbishop Mathew Moolekkatt at its office in Kochi on November 24, 2008.[22]
On November 25, 2008 V.V. Augustine, the Assistant Sub Inspector who prepared the First Information Report during the initial case investigation, was found dead. Police said he committed suicide by cutting the artery on his wrist and taking poison. A suicide note cited mental torture by the CBI. The CBI had alleged that Augustine had destroyed evidence and closed the case as a suicide, but the case diary revealed it was Augustine who pointed to the possibility of homicide. He had recorded that Abhaya could have seen something objectionable in the dining room and could have been silenced.[23] In his personal diary, Augustine wrote about how he was pressured by CBI to say that senior police officers tried to influence him.
On 02 and 29 December 29, 2008, the CBI made a statement before P. D. Soman, Chief Judicial Magistrate Ernakulam. According to the CBI, their brain-mapping[clarification needed] and narco analysis investigations revealed that Abhaya woke up on 27 March 1992, early in the morning, descended the staircase and went to the hostel kitchen to get a drink of water from the refrigerator. Sephy hit Abhaya with an axe ('kodali') thrice on the back of the head. She then collapsed. Thinking that Abhaya was dead, Kottoor and Poothrikkayil, assisted by Sephy, lifted Abhaya's body, took it out of the kitchen and dumped it in a well behind the building.[24][25]
On 1 January 2009, Justice Hema of the Kerala High Court granted conditional bail to the three accused. She stated that the arguments of the CBI counsel were not based on the facts as recorded in the case diary.
The CBI informed the Kerala High Court in late November 2008 and early December 2008 that Sister Abhaya had accidentally intruded upon Sr. Sephy and the other two accused priests in a "compromising position". Sr Sephy panicked and, on the spur of the moment, Sephy hit Abhaya with an axe meant for chopping firewood. The three accused together dumped Abhaya's body into the well.
CBI also informed the High Court about the remarkable degree of care the accused took to hide the crime. This allegedly included the bizarre claim of a hymen-restoration (hymenoplasty or hymenorrhaphy) procedure on Sr. Sephy which was discovered through gynecological tests conducted on her in late 2008. This was strongly refuted by the accused. The counsel for the accused dared CBI to prove that such an operation has ever been conducted in India. Further, the building where the crime was allegedly committed was extensively remodeled.
On 1 January 2009, Kerala High Court Justice K. Hema granted conditional bail to Catholic priests Thomas Kootoor and Jose Puthrukakyil and Sister Seffy.[26][27] The CBI had pleaded with the Chief Justice that the bail application should be moved out of Hema's court as she was "prejudiced towards the case".[26]
Hema found that the arguments of the CBI counsel were based on the stories appearing in the media rather than on the case diary.[28] Counsel responded that the arguments had been accepted by the earlier courts.[29] Based on the case diary, Hema found that the CBI investigation was "only a chase for the shadow rather the object in this case. This chase is only a futile exercise. Investigation means to carefully examine the facts of a situation, an event, a crime, etc., to find out the truth about it or how it happened. It is not to fix the target first, without any evidence and then make a hunt for evidence."[30]
Hema also criticised the media and the public, which pronounced the verdict knowing very little about the facts of the case, including the 24 volumes of case diary, the medical reports and the statements from the doctors.[31] Hema also mentioned the accusations propagated by the media, public and the CBI against officers of the local police and crime branch without any incriminating evidence.[32]
Hema refuted the argument that ASI Augustine tried to suppress facts.[33] The case diary indicates that it was Augustine, who was in charge of the case for only two days, recorded the possibility of murder.[33] Hema also observed that nowhere in the case diary is there any mention that the church had tried to influence the investigation.[34] Hema also made observations on the reliability of the narco analysis CDs and ordered production of the original CDs.[35]
On 18 December 2008, Kerala Kaumudi wrote an editorial criticizing Hema's conduct during the bail hearing. A Division Bench of the High Court initiated criminal contempt of court proceedings against the newspaper on the basis of the editorial.[36] Subsequently, Kerala Kaumudi apologized, which the High Court accepted.[37][38]
On 17 July 2009, the CBI filed a chargesheet in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Ernakulam, charging Fathers Kottoor and Poothrikkayil and Sister Sephy with murder, destruction of evidence, and defamation.[3]
Posted by V.K. Joy at 10:30 AM 1 comment:
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Catholic Church sex abuse scandals around the world
Catholic Church sex abuse scandals around the world
A series of scandals involving child sex abuse by priests has rocked
the Catholic Church around the world.
A series of scandals involving child sex abuse by priests has rocked the Catholic Church around the world.
The Catholic Church has faced a raft of allegations of child sex abuse by priests and an inadequate response by bishops. Here is a round-up of some of those events:
The bishop of Bruges, Roger Vangheluwe, resigned in April 2010 after admitting that he had sexually abused a boy for years when he was a priest and after being made a bishop.
The scandal drew in the former head of the Catholic Church in Belgium, Cardinal Godfried Danneels, who had advised the victim in April not to go public with his story until Vangheluwe had retired in 2011.
After the Vangheluwe case came to light, a commission set up to investigate the extent of abuse in the Belgian Church received a flood of calls.
Police controversially raided the commission and Church offices, suspecting some evidence was being covered up - but this move was ruled illegal by a Belgian court.
In September 2010 the head of the commission released harrowing details of some 300 cases of alleged sexual abuse by Belgian clergy.
The abuse was found in nearly every diocese, and 13 alleged victims had committed suicide, he said.
However, he found no indication that the Church had systematically sought to cover up cases.
The Church pledged to set up a victims' support centre in a first attempt to rebuild public trust, and to co-operate more with the police.
Two major reports into allegations of paedophilia among Irish clergy last year revealed the shocking extent of abuse, cover-ups and hierarchical failings involving thousands of victims, and stretching back decades.
In one, four Dublin archbishops were found to have effectively turned a blind eye to cases of abuse from 1975 to 2004.
The Dublin archdiocese, it said, operated in a culture of concealment, placing the integrity of its institutions above the welfare of the children in its care.
In the wake of the report, all Irish bishops were summoned to the Vatican to give an account of themselves in person before the Pope.
Four bishops, named in the report, handed in their resignations. The Pope accepted two but told the other two he wanted them to continue.
Six months earlier, another report - the result of a nine-year investigation - documented some six decades of physical, sexual and emotional abuse at residential institutions run by 18 religious orders.
With the Church still reeling from the reports' findings, a fresh scandal erupted in March 2010 when it emerged the head of the Irish Catholic Church, Cardinal Sean Brady, was present at meetings in 1975 where children signed vows of silence over complaints against a paedophile priest, Fr Brendan Smyth.
Cardinal Brady resisted calls to resign but issued an apology for mishandling the matter.
A few days later, on 20 March, Pope Benedict XVI apologised to victims of child sex abuse by Catholic priests in Ireland.
He then accepted the resignation of Bishop John Magee, an aide to three popes before being assigned to Ireland, who was found to have mishandled allegations of clerical sex abuse in his County Cork diocese.
Pope Benedict has now appointed a panel of nine prelates to investigate child abuse in Ireland's Catholic institutions.
Over the past two decades, the Roman Catholic Church in the US - with the archdiocese of Boston in particular - has been embroiled in a series of child sex scandals.
There was public outrage after abuses in the 1990s by two Boston priests, Paul Shanley and John Geoghan, came to light, with suspicions that Church leaders had sought to cover up their crimes by moving them from post to post.
In 2002 the then-Pope John Paul II called an emergency meeting with US cardinals, but allegations continued to emerge.
Despite an apology and pledge to take a tougher line, Archbishop Bernard Law resigned over the scandal at the end of the year.
In September 2003, the Boston archdiocese - the fourth-largest in the US - agreed to pay $85m to settle more than 500 civil suits accusing priests of sexual abuse and church officials of concealment.
A report commissioned by the Church the following year said more than 4,000 US Roman Catholic priests had faced sexual abuse allegations in the last 50 years, in cases involving more than 10,000 children - mostly boys.
A series of huge payouts has been made by US diocese to alleged victims of abuse - the largest being some $660m from the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 2007.
During a tour of the US in 2008, the Pope met privately with victims of abuse by priests and spoke of "the pain and the harm inflicted by the sexual abuse of minors".
In March 2010 documents emerged suggesting that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, before he became Pope, failed to respond to letters from US clergy about cases of alleged child sex abuse by a priest in Wisconsin.
Archbishops had complained about Fr Lawrence Murphy in 1996 to a Vatican office led by the future Pope, but apparently received no response.
Fr Murphy, who died in 1998, is suspected of having abused some 200 boys at St John's School for the Deaf in St Francis, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 1974.
One of his alleged victims told the BBC the Pope had known for years about the accusations yet failed to take action.
Since the start of 2010, at least 300 people have made allegations of sexual or physical abuse by priests across the Pope's home country.
Claims are being investigated in 18 of Germany's 27 Roman Catholic dioceses.
Accusations include the abuse of more than 170 children by priests at Jesuit schools, three Catholic schools in Bavaria, and within the Regensburg Domspatzen school boys' choir that was directed for 30 years by Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, the Pope's brother.
In June, prosecutors said they were investigating the head of Germany's Roman Catholic bishops. Archbishop Robert Zollitsch of Freiburg is suspected of allowing the re-appointment of a priest accused of child abuse in 1987. The archdiocese rejected the charge.
In March, Father Peter Hullermann, who was convicted of molesting boys during his time in the archdiocese of Munich and Freising, was suspended from his duties after breaching a ban on working with children.
Days earlier, the Pope's former diocese said Benedict had unwittingly approved housing for Fr Hullermann when serving as archbishop of Munich; the Vatican denounced what it called "aggressive" efforts to link the Pope to the scandal.
The Regensburg diocese confirmed on 22 March new allegations of child sexual abuse against four priests and two nuns, saying most of the incidents occurred in the 1970s.
Two days later the German government announced it was forming a committee of experts to investigate all the abuse claims.
In June 2010 a high-profile former priest was charged with sexual abuse.
Pierino Gelmini, 85, is alleged to have abused 12 young people at a drug rehabilitation centre he founded.
Meanwhile, a number of deaf men have come forward to say they were abused as children at the Antonio Provolo Institute for the Deaf in the northern city of Verona between the 1950s and the 1980s.
The allegations were first reported in the Italian press in January 2009.
Later last year the Associated Press news agency obtained a written statement from 67 of the school's former pupils naming 24 priests, brothers and lay religious men who they accused of sexual abuse, paedophilia and corporal punishment.
The diocese of Verona said it intended to interview the victims following a request from the Vatican to do so.
In March 2010, Dutch bishops ordered an independent inquiry into more than 200 allegations of sexual abuse of children by priests, in addition to three cases dating from 1950 to 1970.
Allegations first centred on Don Rua monastery school in the eastern Netherlands, with people saying they were abused by Catholic priests in the 1960s and 70s.
This prompted dozens more alleged victims from other institutions to come forward.
A series of claims of sexual abuse by priests has emerged in the Vorarlberg region.
Some 16 people have reported 27 alleged incidents there, spanning half a century.
Ten children are also alleged to have been abused at a monastery in Mehrerau in the 1970s and early 80s.
Meanwhile five priests at a monastery in Kremsmuenster in Upper Austria have been suspended after complaints of sexual and physical abuse of boys there.
Separately, the head of a Salzburg monastery, Bruno Becker, resigned after confessing to having abused a boy 40 years ago, when he was a monk.
A commission set up by the Swiss Bishops Conference in 2002 has been investigating allegations of abuse involving the Catholic Church there.
A member of the commission, Abbot Martin Werlen, said in a newspaper interview this month that about 60 people have said they were abused by Catholic priests. The alleged incidents are reported to have occurred over the past 15 years.
A priest in the canton of Thurgau was arrested on 19 March on suspicion of sexual abuse of minors, police said.
Three priests have been accused of sexually abusing 10 orphan children in Malta during the 1980s and 1990s.
Pope Benedict visited the island in April and held an emotional meeting with victims, pledging to bring those responsible to justice and to protect young people in the future.
Police have launched an investigation into three members of staff at a care home run by a Catholic order.
There have also been formal accusations against a Carmelite monk in eastern Spain and Franciscan brothers in the south.  Courtesy: BBC News
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Bishops Play Church Queens as Pawns
ജോയിന്റ് ക്രിസത്യന്‍ കൌണ്‍സിലിന്റെ അഭ്യര്‍ത്ഥന
K.P. SHIBU- FORMER PRIEST
Catholic Church sex abuse scandals around the worl...
Priest and lover - Arrested by police
ഫാ. അന്തോണി ആലുക്ക -II
“ഓശാന” മാസികയും സഭാ നവീകരണവും:
PRIESTS ARE ALLOWED TO MARRY
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About Me: General Secretary, Kerala Catholic Federation (Regd. No. R-617/08),
The Hindu Endovement Act, Devaswom Board Rules, Waqf Board and the Sikh Gurudwara Act have been formulated. The Church needs a similar Act.
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