Kerala church sets up tribunal to try priest's anti-ecclesial activities

A diocese of the Catholic Church in Kerala has set up a collegiate tribunal to initiate a penal judicial process against a priest who was accused by church authorities of violating a series of ecclesiastical norms.

The constitution of an ecclesiastical court for the trial of a priest is considered an unusual step for a church to take.

Though Fr Thomas 'Aji' Puthiyaparambil was suspended by the Thamarassery diocese of the prominent Syro Malabar Church in July this year, Bishop Remigiose Inchananiyil revoked the decision in his latest order.

However, the bishop, in the order -- a copy of which was sent to the priest -- made it clear that he has appointed a collegiate tribunal to initiate penal judicial process to probe into the alleged offences against Puthiyaparambil.

The tribunal is also aimed at repairing the "damages and scandal" caused by the priest's acts of "disobedience and anti-ecclesial activities, violating the disciplinary norms of the Church", it said.

The bishop, in his order, alleged that though Puthiyaparambil was appointed as vicar of a local church, he didn't accept the appointment and suddenly left after publishing a note on social media.

It was "grave disobedience," which caused "irreparable damage and public scandal", the order said.

"You publicly took a stand against the decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church and incited sedition and hatred towards the hierarch, provoking the faithful to disobedience through your public speeches and messages on social media, causing scandal and violating ecclesiastical discipline," it alleged.

The church authorities' attempt to get the priest to return to the eparchy and assume the new assignment was in vain as he "obstinately insisted" on his decision, thus violating canonical norms, the order charged.

Though Puthiyaparambil was immediately suspended based on a preliminary investigation report, considering the "gravity" of the offences, and the church authorities asked him to reside at Good Shepherd Priest Home in Marikunnu, Puthiyaparambil didn't comply, it further said.

Fr Mathew Pulimoottil has been appointed as 'promoter of justice' and the officials of the collegiate tribunal would be Fr George Mundanatte, Fr James Kallingal VC, Fr Antony Varakil and Fr John Pallikkavayalil, it said.

The bishop directed the priest to appear before the tribunal when duly summoned and cooperate with the judicial penal procedures.

Meanwhile, Fr Puthiyaparambil said on Friday that he is not immediately taking any legal measure against the church decision and would cooperate with the proceedings of the newly constituted tribunal.

"I will co-operate with the panel's proceedings. I recently quit my active parish ministry, which I have been doing for the past 20 years. But I will continue my prophetic mission, which Jesus Christ entrusted me with. I raised my voice against decadence in the church, as part of it," he told PTI.

Stating that setting up of an ecclesiastical court was not a decision in tune with this modern era, he said it would dent the image of the church before the public.

The priest said the major allegation against him is sedition, and the Church is raising such a charge at a time when the country is witnessing a heated debate about the need to repeal the nation's sedition laws.

Rejecting the charges against him by the church authorities, he said the constitution of an ecclesiastical court is something unheard of in Christian churches, and added that what he did was just to expose the corruption and decadence that are deeply rooted in the Church nowadays.

"If it continues like this, the Church here will face the same fate that it met with in Europe. I have, of course, spoken against moral degradation persisting in the Church, voiced concern about it, and written against it," he said.

He further said he is not expecting any justice from the tribunal, but he has faith in Pope Francis who firmly advocates for correction within the church and its revival.

The priest also made it clear that he didn't speak against any particular individual in the church.

"I have no intention at all to abandon my priesthood. I just quit my active parish ministry... I love my church, and I will continue there...but will continue my fight as well," Puthiyaparambil added.

Meanwhile, the Diocese of Thamarassery issued a statement later in the day strongly condemning the media, saying that many news reports with regard to the incident were wrong and amounted to maligning the Church.

Such reports and allegations, made after wrongly interpreting Canon laws and norms, also amounted to misleading the faithful, it said.

Justifying the setting up of the tribunal, the diocese also said that the decision was taken as Fr Puthiyaparambil acted against the directive of the diocese and declined to take up a new responsibility assigned to him.

The panel, set up in accordance with Canon Laws, is aimed at listening to what the priest has to say and bringing him back to the parish ministry, it claimed.

It is expected that Puthiyaparambil will make use of the opportunity, the diocese added.