KOCHI: A section of priests in the Ernakulam-Angmaly Archdiocese has submitted a representation to the Syro-Malabar Church synod demanding the dismantling of the presbyterian council of the archdiocese due to the lack of transparency in its selection and functioning. The representation submitted by the priests owing allegiance to Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alenchery said that the council had violated the rules and norms.
The representation, a virtual indictment of the council, stated that Kuriakose Mundadan, secretary of the council, had been engaged in activities inimical to the interests of the council. He was also making statements and lodging complaints in the name of the council without having the full support of the members of the council, it said.
On the controversial land deal in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese, the representation mentioned the suggestion made by Auxiliary Bishop Sebastian Adyantharath that all priests should contribute one month's allowance for settling the debt of the archdiocese. "The suggestion is intended to keep the land deal live forever and thereby humiliate Cardinal Alenchery," it said. The representation also called for settling the debt by selling the land at Kottapady belonging to Saju Vargehese, the broker for the land deal.
The Archdiocese Movement for Transparency (AMT), meanwhile, has called for a probe into the sale of the six cents of land at Kakkanad Cardinal Nagar in 2016 for Rs 22.5 lakh. Although the PAN card of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese was used for the transaction, there was no record of it in the archdiocese, said Mathew Karondukadavil, convener of the AMT. The land at Cardinal Nagar was acquired in 1966 for the settlement of poor people in plots of 5-6 cents by taking Rs 5,000 from each of the recipients.
