KOCHI: The newly appointed apostolic administrator Bishop Jacob Manthodath of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese has been mandated to engage an independent company to conduct an audit of the economic and financial management of the archdiocese in recent years. “The results could be presented, in a confidential manner, only to the Apostolic See”, stated a message to Bishop Manth-odath by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation of the Oriental Churches.
The message also expressed concern over the “grave and worrying ecclesial situation of division between the clergy, the auxiliary bishops and the major archbishop”. “It will be your Excellency’s task to seek healing for these fractures and eventually to propose solutions to those that require the intervention of the Synod of Bishops”. The new apostolic administrator has also been asked to ascertain the responsibility of individuals and proceed with regards to “persons who have wounded church unity with unfounded allegations, lacking the spirit of obedience and ecclesial sense, and which, in consequence, have contributed to public scandal damaging the Syro-Malabar Church”.
On the role of the Major Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry, the message said “the major archbishop should abso-lutely not to be involved in the decisions regarding the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly”. The new apostolic administrator has also been advised to constitute a Synod Committee to assist him if needed. “Such a committee, however would have only a consultative role, but not decisive or binding”.
Controversial land deal that cost Cardinal dearly
The serious allegations against the top church leadership in Syro Malabar Church over the land deal has finally led to Papal intervention. The change in power structure in the Syro Malabar Church is the result of controversial land deal in Ernakulam – Angamaly archdiocese in which Cardinal Mar George Alencherry is allegedly involved. The Catholic Church in Kerala was at the centre of controversy in connection with a series of land deals through which the Church suffered a loss to the tune of '18.17 crore.
The allegation is that Church leadership with the knowledge of Mar George Alencherry had sold five properties, 301.76 cents of land at Thrikkakara and Maradu. which caused huge financial loss to the Church. The properties were sold for Rs 13.51 crore against the decision of the archdiocese to sell them at a price of 'Rs 27.15 crore. Even after a year of selling the land, the church hasn’t even received the amount shown in title deed. The amount as per the title deed is Rs 13.51 crore, while the amount received is only Rs 9.13 crore.
It was alleged that the agents of realty brokers who are members of the Church trapped the Church leadership and looted the money. Meanwhile, a section of laity and clergy turned against the Cardinal. The clergy took protest to the streets seeking intervention from Rome. Polachan Puthuppara, president of Kerala Catholic Associa-tion for Justice appro-ached the chief judicial magistrate court while Joshy Varghese, native of Perumbavoor had approached the HC seeking action against the accused in the land deal.
