Thiruvananthapuram: Open Church Movement has claimed that the St Sebastian’s Church in Balaramapuram has created a history by allowing ex-priests who had left the fold of the church to offer holy masses, the first such incident in the history of Catholic Church.
Open Church Movement Chairman Reji Njelani told reporters here on Monday that group of ex-priests had offered the holy masses from January 11 to 20 as part of the feast at the church. This was possible as per the principle that a priest who is ordained priest by a bishop remained a priest for the lifetime. The ceremonies were conducted under the leadership of former priest Fr James P.J., Fr John and Fr James, said Mr Njelani.
These former priests had to conduct the mass because the Neyyatinkara diocese has banned priests from conducting rituals at the church. The decision for the ban was because the parish members resisted the move of the diocese to take over 18 acres of the land owned by the parish, said Mr Njelani.
The authorities of the diocese had refused to provide the first Holy Communion to the children belonging to the parish. The children had completed their preparation for Holy Communion two years ago. They also refused to conduct the last rites of four people belonging to the parish. The bodies of these people had to be buried without last rites, said Mr Njelani.
Sources said that the dispute over the ownership of the land of the church between the parishioners and dioceses authorities was the reason for the standoff.
The Open Church Movement, which is an association of Catholic priests, ex-priests and nuns, is said to be the brain child of Fr Joseph Pallath dismissed from the society of Jesus in 2000 for “disobedience and behaviour not suited to priests”.
The association was formed in 2016. In 2017, the Open Church Movement, which is an association of Catholic priests, ex-priests and nuns, observed the feet-washing ceremony as part of the Maundy Thursday in 2017.
Monsignor G Christu Das, vicar general of the diocese told Deccan Chronicle that as per canon law the church and its property belonged to church. Hence, the church, the cemetery and the 18 acres of land belonging to the parish was under the administration of the bishop.
The administration of the school belonging to the parish even now was with the corporate management of the church. There are many families who lived within the 18 acres. The stand of the church was that let them live there without eviction. Moreover, even if the land was with the administration of the diocese, the parishioners could very well have the right over it, said Monsignor Das.
