The Syro-Malabar Church has said it has initiated penal action against those who allegedly attacked senior priest Father John Thottupuram during a Mass on Saturday (February 1) at the Prasadagiri St. Sebastian’s Church in Kottayam.
The official spokesman for the Syro-Malabar Church Father Antony Vadakkekara said here in a statement on Monday that the violence being continuously unleashed in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese over the unified Mass issue was condemnable and deeply painful.
The Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church Raphael Thattil and vicar of the Major Archbishop for the archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamalay Joseph Pamplany deplored the incidents at the Prasadagiri church.
In a statement, they described the attack on Father Thottumpuram on February 1 as a painful incident. They said the attack on the priest was tantamount to insulting the holy sacrament. The attackers violated all the principles of Christian life by desecrating the sacred, and their actions could never be justified. The bishops added that action had been initiated under Canon Law against those responsible.
But the rebel forum of priests, Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi, opposed to the synod Mass, said in a statement that both the official media commission and the Major Archbishop were making statements contrary to the facts. They said these statements could create misunderstandings and claimed that they were willing to go to any extent to create unrest in the archdiocese.
Father Jose Vailikodath, spokesman for the group, said that Father Thottupuram, pretending to be the priest in charge, along with around 40 people, entered the Prasadgiri church on Saturday. He claimed this was a violation of court orders and a drama orchestrated by the archdiocesan curia. Father Thalian pointed out that those who attempted to kill parish priest Father Palathinkal were being justified by the Major Archbishop and the media commission.
Father Vadakkekara’s statement said that the senior priest, who was offering Mass at the Prasadagiri church, was forcefully evicted from the altar by a group, who also pushed him down. The incident was described as a scandal and a cause of pain for the believers. The Church spokesman questioned what the attackers gained by pushing down the priest offering the Mass and desecrating the sacred. The statement also expressed strong protest against the police’s actions, alleging that they falsely charged the people who were participating peacefully in the Mass. Non-bailable offences were reportedly filed against them based on lies spread by the violent group, Father Vadakkekara said in the statement.
The group opposed to the official unified Mass claimed that there was a court order to maintain the status quo at the Prasadagiri church. However, they said a group forcefully entered the church, and the vicar, Father Jerin Palathinkal, was attacked with pepper spray when he questioned their right to celebrate the synod’s unified Mass. Father Palathinkal was later admitted to a hospital in the city, according to Alamaya Munnettam, the lay group opposed to the synod Mass.
Published – February 03, 2025 09:58 pm IST