Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, has said that steps will be taken under the guidance of authorities in Rome and in consultation with the synod of the Church to appoint a bishop with special administrative powers for the growth and pastoral care of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese.
The Cardinal gives the assurance in a circular sent out to parishes in the archdiocese. The circular is expected to be read out during the course of the Sunday mass, Church sources said.
The Cardinal expressed optimism that the synod of bishops, meeting in August, would take decisions for better pastoral care of the archdiocese. He said he had taken administrative control of the archdiocese as instructed by the Holy See and in consultation with the permanent synod of the Church.
The Cardinal said he fully cooperated with the Injody Commission which had probed the controversial land deals by the archdiocese. The findings of the commission, submitted to Rome, will be discussed in the synod in August.
Police action opposed
Meanwhile, Janakiya Samara Samithi, Konthuruthy, a people’s combine, organised a day-long sit-in at the Vanchi Square, near the Kerala High Court junction, on Saturday, demanding action against Dy.SP K.A. Vidhyadharan, who, they said, was responsible for keeping computer engineer Aditya Valavi under “illegal custody” for 72 hours in connection with the “forged documents” case.
The protest was supported by the Archdiocesan Transparency Movement, a combine of lay people demanding transparency in the administration of the Ernakulam- Angamaly Archdiocese.
The protesters took out a march to the office of the Inspector General of Police, Ernakulam Range, demanding that the police refrain from implicating lay people and priests of the archdiocese in “false” cases.
The police have claimed that Aditya Valavi from Konthuruthy, near Thevara, was responsible for forging documents to show that Cardinal Alencherry transferred substantial sums of money to a business group.
The police had also questioned two senior priests of the archdiocese in connection with the forged documents case. Vishnu Roy, alleged to have helped Aditya, was arrested by the police on Friday.
Social activist C.R. Neelakandan inaugurated the dharna and political observer A. Jayashankar launched the march to the office of the Inspector General of the Police. Senior priests Mathew Edassery and Thomas Painadath addressed the protesters.
