A gathering of 50 Bishops from all over the country has decided not to discuss the serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Bishop Franco Mulakkal and a Pune priest, and leave the matters to law enforcement agencies.
“This is not the correct platform to discuss these issues. We have gathered here to spread the message of peace,” Fr Malcolm Sequeira, vicar general of Pune, said while speaking to HT.
The Bishops, from diverse locations in the country arrived in Pune on Monday and concelebrated a High Mass at the St Patrick’s Cathedral in the evening.
Fr Sequeira said they were in Pune “to experience, understand and interact with SCCs (small Christian communities).”
According to him, a training will be conducted for the Bishops on the SCCs by Fr Vijay Thomas, national coordinator for SCCs. “The Bishops, then, in pairs, will visit families in the city and have a Bible sharing with parishoners, experiencing SCCs first hand,” he said.
The gathering of Bishops in Pune comes against the backdrop of serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Bishop Franco Mulakkal and a Pune priest serving as principal of a school.
{{/usCountry}}The gathering of Bishops in Pune comes against the backdrop of serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Bishop Franco Mulakkal and a Pune priest serving as principal of a school.
{{/usCountry}}In the Pune case, a police complaint has been registered against the principal of a Catholic school in the city where a student has alleged an attempt of molestation by the principal.
Police have invoked the Protection of children from sexual offences act, 2012 (POCSO) in the case, therefore, neither the name of the principal, nor the school, both of which are known to HT, can be revealed.
The gathering of Bishops is also taking place after Bishop Franco Mulakkal handed over charge of his Jalandhar diocese to his deputy, vicar general Mathew Kokkandam, as he was required to respond to summons by the Kerala police probing allegations of rape by a nun.
Bishop Mulakkal has also written a letter to Pope Francis offering to step down from his post.
Fr Cletus D’souza, a priest from the order of the Society of Don Bosco said, “All human organisations have systems in place and in the Catholic church each Bishop is in charge of its own diocese. Justice must take its course, so we will wait and see on the allegations of abuse. Competent church authorities will deal with the situation. But, yes, with 50 Bishops in Pune, this is a ‘teaching moment’ the Bishops have were they can reach out to the laity.”
Fr D’souza teaches Cathectics and Homiletics (preaching, teaching sermons), at the Jnana Deep Vidyalaya, the theological seminary in Pune that each year, hundreds of future priests graduate from.
Joe Kasbe, president, Catholic Association of Pune, said: “The police cases are a different matter and spiritual guidance for the laity is a different matter. Let the law take its course and then we (Catholic association) will see about what we need to do.”
Pune Bishop Fr Thomas Dabre will not be a part of the Pune gathering as he is speaking at conference on world peace in South Korea. “I will be back in Pune on September 20,” Bishop Dabre informed HT on phone.