Kerala: Pastoral Councils flay women’s commission remark on confession

In a press release issued here on Friday, the dioceses expressed concerns over the Commission Chairperson Rekha Sharma's recommendation to the Central government to abolish confession.
Image for representational purpose only
Image for representational purpose only

THRISSUR: The Pastoral councils of Thrissur, Irinjalakkuda, Palakkad and Ramanathapuram dioceses, met on Thursday and sought an apology from National Commission for Women on its remark on confession, which is considered as a holy practice by the Catholic community for centuries.

In a press release issued here on Friday, the dioceses expressed concerns over the Commission Chairperson Rekha Sharma's recommendation to the Central government to abolish confession. The Commission had recommended to abolish the practice of confession as it leads to blackmailing women, in the backdrop of the rape allegation by a married woman against four priests of Malankara Orthodox Church.

"The commission had highlighted some isolated incidents and intervened in the faith through submitting such a recommendation to the central government," stated the pastoral council. The representatives of each diocese also questioned to reveal whether such a recommendation was made by the common decision of the commission or the unilateral decision of the Commission Chairperson."The expression of the Commission Chairperson which is responsible to act impartial, is an insult to the the Catholic community especially women," observed the council. Mar Andrews Thazhath, Thrissur Archbishop inaugurated the meeting which was presided over by Mar Paul Alappat, Bishop of Ramanathapuram.

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