KOCHI: Archbishop Kuriakose Bharanikulangara of the Faridabad-Delhi Diocese has publicly apologised for the scandal caused by church leaders and said he understood the feelings of the people that the credibility of the church systems and the clergy has been affected badly.
Kuriakose’s statements came at the annual Santhome Bible Convention of the Syro-Malabar Church in Delhi. He also justified the protest by nuns in Kerala seeking arrest of rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal.
He said the bishop’s arrest and the circumstances which led nuns to take to the streets have shaken the faith of many Catholics in India.
Citing a series of controversies, including the church land deal case, the alleged rape of a woman believer
by four priests, the punishment of an American Cardinal, the resignation of some Chilian Bishops and the recent sexual abuse report of the German Bishops Conference, Kuriakose said they had caused a turmoil in the Catholic and non-catholic populace.
“The incidents have affected the faith of many people. I deeply regret what happened. I publicly apologise for the scandals caused by the church leaders to the common catholic faithful,” he said.
Nuns’ protest not the first
Justifying the protests by nuns in Kerala against Franco, Kuriakose said it was not the first time the Church was forced to take to the streets in protest to further its causes.
“The late Archbishop of Trichur, Fr Joseph Kundukulam, had called for a strike and public demonstration against a play called ‘The Sixth Wound of Christ’. We are in the land of Mahatma Gandhi, a promoter of Satyagraha. Protests should follow the principles of non-violence,” he said.
Kuriakose made it clear faith should not be built on role models of some priests, bishops or sisters.
“The foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ,” he said. He also called for prayer for the Church, believers, the country and for protecting the secular nature of the Constitution.
K M Mani visits Bishop Franco Mulakkal in jail
Kottayam: Kerala Congress (M) chairman and MLA K M Mani on Tuesday visited Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who is under remand custody at Pala sub-jail on rape charges. Speaking to reporters after the visit, Mani said visiting people in prison is a spiritual service and that is why he had met Mulakkal in jail.