Cardinal must step down, says lay people’s group

Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, should not continue showing disrespect to the faithful and step down from his position after being granted bail by a trial court in cases related to controversial land deals, said Alamaya Munnettam, an organisation of lay people’s group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese.

The group alleged that the Cardinal was facing trial in 14 land deal cases and had been granted bail after trying to defy the court over the last two years. It is improper on the part of a person in the Cardinal’s position to be facing court trial, and it is an insult to the entire Syro-Malabar Church, it said.

The group demanded that if the Cardinal refused to step down, action should be initiated by the Vatican and the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church against him.