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Arrests in priest murder case divide Catholic Church
Courtesy: UCAN
Bangalore:
The arrest of two Catholic priests in connection with the murder of a senior priest at a Bangalore seminary last year has triggered a controversy with a section priests alleging a conspiracy to target priests on linguistic lines.
A section of the Kannada speaking priests working under the banner of the Karnataka Kannada Priests Association have sought a CBI probe into the case accusing the police and Home minister K J George of meddling in the matter to target Kannada speaking priests.
The Kannada Priests Association has held a number of protests in Bangalore over the arrest of Father Elias Daniel and Fr William Patrick for the murder of the rector of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary K J Thomas last year.
The association of Kannada priests sought a CBI probe in the murder stating that the arrested priests were victims of a conspiracy involving the Archbishop, the police and the Karnataka home minister. The Archbishop Bangalore Bernard Moras rejected the allegations made by the Kannada group and visited the two accused priests in prison. He also issued a statement that he had not influenced the state government in the arrests.
However, Archbishop Bernard Moras said in a written communique to Catholics that allegations against him has no basis.
He visited the priests in prison. "I want the truth to come out in the interest of the Church, the Seminary and the archdiocese. Let the truth prevail and set us free," he said.
"The main purpose of writing this letter is to appeal to all priests concerned to keep calm and to pray earnestly that all involved in the murder are nabbed and punished,’’ the letter to laity said.
A group of lay people pledging support to the archbishop last week sought excommunication of those creating trouble in the Church.
The police who arrested two priests for the murder of Fr Thomas, a Keralite, nearly a year after the incident, have said that an internal rivalry caused the murder. Following the arrests the police said that two other priests involved in the case were at large.
The arrests have triggered a controversy within the church over alleged bid to suppress the group that has been fighting for supremacy of the Kannada language in church services.
Photo: Archbishop Bernard Moras, Home minister K J George, MLA N A Haris and MLC Govindraj celebrate Easter in Bangalore on Sunday.(pics4news.com)
Source: Indian Express
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