KOCHI: Raising serious allegations, the trustees of Ernakulam St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica said they have evidence to prove that the dissident priests of Ernakulam-Angamaly archeparchy have influenced the police to ensure that their nefarious agenda is carried out.
According to Joy George, one of the trustees who is also a lawyer with Kerala High Court, 99.9% of parishioners of the basilica want to go along with the Syro-Malabar Church’s directive on Uniform Holy Mass. “We are being held hostage by a handful of people, who are backed by dissident priests. It should be noted that many of these people are not even members of the parish. They are misleading the general public and the media,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
He said the activities of dissident priests and those with vested interests have pained the parishioners who want to attend the mass in peace. “The strife-like situation at the parish has forced members to attend prayers in other churches. It is not that we support the acts of these priests. The laity is a refined group of people who don’t want to indulge in street fights and dubious acts,” said Joy Menacheri, another trustee of the basilica.
They also alleged that Fr Varghese Manavalan had illegally occupied the clergy office and confiscated the registers associated with church activities.