THRISSUR: The Pastoral Councils of Thrissur, Irinjalakkuda, Palakkad and Ramanathapuram dioceses have sought an apology from National Commission for Women for her remark on confession, which is considered a holy practice by the Catholic community for centuries. A meeting of the three Councils was held on Thursday.
In a press release issued on Friday, the dioceses expressed concern over the commission chairperson Rekha Sharma's recommendation to the central government to abolish confession. The commission argued that confessions lead to blackmailing of women by male priests. Her remarks came in the backdrop of the rape charge against four priests of Malankara Orthodox Church by a woman.
"The commission highlighted some isolated incidents and intervened in the faith by making such a recommendation to the central government," said the pastoral council. The representatives of each diocese also sought to know if this recommendation was made by the commission in her individual capacity or if it is the joint opinion of the commission as a body.
"The opinion of the Commission chairperson, who is responsible to act impartially, is an insult to the Catholic community, especially the women," observed the council. Mar Andrews Thazhath, Thrissur Archbishop inaugurated the meeting which was presided over by Ramanathapuram Bishop Mar Paul Alappat.