An incident that occurred this week in the North Fawkner parish has left many parishioners shocked. Fr Tomy Kalathoor Mathew was stabbed in the neck, just as he was about to commence the 11am Italian-language Mass at St Matthew’s parish.

A 72-year old Fawkner man was arrested last night, and it is believed that he had previously voiced displeasure with the priest’s Indian heritage. Prior to stabbing Fr Mathew, the man accused him of being Hindu or Muslim, and therefore unqualified to say Mass.

‘This is appalling behaviour and people should never be treated like this,’ said Shane Healy, Media and Communications director at the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. ‘This fellow is doing wonderful work for his parishioners and this is really a blight on the great work that many, many Catholic priests are doing.’