Church in Kochi offers change
Fr Poochakatt said he or other church officials had not counted the money in the box.
KOCHI: A church in Kochi adopted a novel way to ease the shortage of currency by opening its mite box (for offerings) to the needy public on Sunday. The St. Martin Church at Thevakkal took this initiative to minimise the anxiety of people, said Fr Jimmy Poochakatt, the vicar of the church told this newspaper. Fr Poochakatt, also the spokesman of Syro-Malabar Church, said he had announced the decision during the Sunday Mass and the parishioners approved of it. “We have not set any condition for taking currency. People were advised to return the money after the crunch is over,” he said.
Fr Poochakatt said he or other church officials had not counted the money in the box. “It would have been anywhere between Rs 5,000- Rs 10,000.” Disclosing the response of the people to the offer, he said most of the money had disappeared by the evening. “I think now only two Rs 500 and some small denomination currency remain in the box,” he said. When asked if he expects people to return the money, Fr Poochakatt expressed full confidence in people returning the amount. “We are a small parish of 210 families and I am sure that people who have taken the money for meeting their immediate needs will replace it in the coming days.”