KOCHI: Former Catholic priest K P Shibu, the founder national secretary of the Ex-Priests and Nuns Association, died in Kochi on Friday. He was 48. Shibu was fighting for his life at a private hospital in the city after he collapsed while teaching. A member of the Vincentian Congregation, Shibu left it after 13 years as a seminarian and 11 years as a priest. After hanging up the cassock a few years ago, he was working as the principal of Radcliffe School, Karuvelipady. He played a pivotal role in organising priests and nuns who left their religious life leading to the formation of the Ex-Priests and Nuns Association.
He was of the stand that young men and women choosing spiritual life need not observe celibacy, rather should get married to lead a model family life. The book ‘Here is the heart of a Priest’, written by him had sparked off a controversy as it contained his own experiences of alleged homosexuality at seminaries, sexual misconduct of priests, lack of transparency in money matters and the unfair approach of superiors.
Shibu is survived by wife Mary Meena and daughter Anne Maria Shibu. Funeral will be held at St Joseph’s Church, Karayamparampu, near Angamaly at 2.30 pm on Saturday.