Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal

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sexual abuse charge

Kerala nun rape case: Senior Catholic priest Kuriakose Kattuthara who spoke out against accused Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal found dead A senior Catholic priest who spoke out against rape-accused Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Many parishioners fear that their donations are being misused

Civil war inside CBI: Rakesh Asthana not to be arrested till Oct 29, says HC While granting reprieve to CBI’s No. 2, court makes it clear that the bribe case probe shall continue.

Our Lady of Salvation Church

Kerala nun rape case: HC grants conditional bail to rape accused Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal The Kerala High Court on Monday granted conditional bail to Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who landed in prison after being charged with raping a nun multiple times.

In wake of Jalandhar bishop’s case, many parishioners stop contributing to tithe and Sunday Mass collections.has inadvertently prompted many in the city’sto demand accountability in the church’s funds trail and to cut ties with a long-held custom. Many parishioners are now refusing to offer tithe, a practice of giving a chunk of one’s income as welfare fund to the church, out of fear that their donations are being misused.Tithe traditionally involves donating one-tenth of parishioners’ earnings, but thein Mumbai asks for only 1 per cent. Mulakkal, who is accused of raping a, allegedly offered a hush-up bribe of Rs 5 crore to the victim’s family. He was let out on conditional bail on October 15 and apparently accorded a “hero’s welcome” by his supporters on his return to Jalandhar.For Catholics already worried about how their contributions are handled, thewas the last straw. Besides tithe, many have stopped donating to Sunday Mass collections and have decided to withhold from major feasts as well. The church takes special collection for feasts like Mission Sunday (the penultimate Sunday of October when the Mass is celebrated exclusively for a missionary activity), Justice and Peace Sunday (the third Sunday of August) and Peter Pence (donations made directly to the Pope). Mission Sunday and Justice and Peace Sunday collections are sent to the Archbishop of Mumbai.The decision to withhold donations has already hit St Joseph’s Church in Juhu. This Sunday, parish priest Fr Joe P Pereira made an announcement to contribute towards Mission Sunday. “Only two of 1,800 families filled their envelopes,” said a parishioner of the church.Archie Sodder, advocate and parishioner of St Michael’s Church in Mahim, said more and more parishioners now suspect that their money is being misused “as there is no transparency or accountability [in the church’s funds]”. “Nobody knows where the money goes. It can even be used to allegedly buy a victim’s silence.”Patrick D’Souza of St Michael’s Church in Mahim said he no longer even gets a collection envelope from the parish. “It’s because I do not make contributions despite being a devout Catholic. Every Sunday before the Mass ends, the priest tells us how much money they have collected, but no information is given on what they do with it,” he said, adding cheekily, “The laity has become smarter. We only pay a small sum because we make use of the fan in the church.”D’Souza questions how when priests take a vow of poverty and are paid a “pittance”, “they have huge sums to buy the silence of a victim”.Sunny Fernandes from St Theresa’s parish in Bandra said he, too has stopped offering tithe and Sunday donations. “The community fund expects us to disclose our names and addresses. Why can’t we maintain our secrecy if we are doing it in the name of charity? The laity has a right to know where the money is being spent. Peter Pence is supposed to go towards expenses of the Pope. Does the Pope need money from a small Catholic community in Mumbai for his office expenses?” he said.Fernandes questioned the absence of a white paper on Church-owned properties in India.Melwyn Fernandes, a parishioner of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Thane, demanded that the archdiocese show the money trails of all city churches. “They should furnish accounts for the laity’s viewing every year.”Savio Miranda from St Anne’s parish on Pali Hill, Bandra, however, said he still makes contribution towards tithe. “There is no problem in my parish, but others have seen mismanagement. The reception that Bishop Mulakkal received in Jalandhar raises questions,” said Miranda.Judith Monteiro fromin Dadar said she’s found a way around the customary contributions; she prefers donating money directly to the poor. “As a former trustee of Dadar church, I have found no accountability in funds raised by parishioners or from sale of properties. If we raise questions, we are labelled antichurch.” Pointing out that a sodomy case against a priest lodged in Arthur Road jail had been pending in court for over a year, she asked, “How are the legal fees of the priest being paid?”Father Nigel Barrett, spokesperson of Archdiocese of Bombay, denied registering a drop in collections. “Fr Joe P Pereira (of Juhu’s St Joseph’s Church) had made a passionate appeal towards Mission Sunday. Two families contributed. But it takes time for collections to get underway. However, we have not seen a drop in Sunday collection, which is voluntary.”Fr Pereira refused to comment, saying “it could lead to a misunderstanding”.