Franco Mulakkal remains a bishop despite the rape charges against him.
Thiruvananthapuram:
The inclusion of a bishop accused of rape in the official calendar issued by the Syro Malabar diocese in the Thrissur district of Kerala has so infuriated a part of the parishioners that some of them have resorted to burning the material in some places of the state. seeking their immediate withdrawal.
The new official calendar for 2021, released recently by the Diocese of Syro Malabar Thrissur, features the photograph of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, along with other bishops, indicating his birthday. The priest is on trial for rape, abuse of authority and improper confinement after a nun accused him of repeatedly sexually abusing her between 2014 and 2016.
Angered by his photographs, members of the Kerala Catholic Reform Movement resorted to burning calendars on Sunday.
“It is sad to see that the bishops of the Syro Malabar Church are showing time and again that they do not take into account the feelings of the believers. We want the calendar to be withdrawn,” said Shaiju Anthony, coordinator of Save Our Sisters, a forum that supported the nun who had accused Mulakkal of rape. The Kerala Catholic Reform Movement is part of this forum.
A senior priest of the church, however, said the accused is still a member of the diocese.
“This is a private calendar for the Diocese of Thrissur. Franco Mulakkal is a member of his diocese and is still bishop, although he is not in charge of any diocese. So his details were added along with the details of other bishops.” the priest, who did not want to be identified, told NDTV.
Another member of the diocese said that many others harbor concerns about the photograph but have avoided speaking out against it just out of fear.
“While the calendar has been distributed to some churches in the diocese, some others have not yet distributed the calendars, seeing the protests and responses,” said a member of the diocese.
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