By Matters India Reporter

Kochi, July 8, 2019: More than 1,000 delegates from 319 parishes of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly have supported priests who oppose their archbishop, Cardinal George Alencherry, who is allegedly involved in a land scam.

Members from official organizations of the Church bodies such as pastoral council and Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM) attended the June 7 meeting in Kochi.

“The faithful have been expressing their protest against irresponsible, unethical and illegal deals done using the archdiocese assets. All inquiry reports on them should be made public immediately,” read their resolution. It also expressed the laity’s protest against what they called was the unjust suspension of the archdiocese’s two auxiliary bishops.

“The laity will oppose the organized efforts to target the priests who strived to bring out the lies, lack of ethics and loss of money in the land scam,” the resolution said.

Sooraj Johns Poulose, KCYM archdiocese president, said at least 80 members of the youth organization took part in the meeting.

“The KCYM is actively behind the priests. We need the truth to come out. Also the Synod must explain the reason for suspending the auxiliary bishops,” Poulose told reporters.

The resolution, which condemned the move to split the archdiocese, also demanded appointment of an administrative archbishop.

“For the transparent and honest administration of the archdiocese, we demand an administrative archbishop to be appointed from the priest community of the archdiocese, who is acceptable to everyone and having independent powers,” it said.

“We need to know the truth, let the report of the apostolic administrator be made public. If needed, we’re ready to take to the streets with our protest raising our demands,” said Poulose.

Pastoral Council Secretary P P Gerard presided over the meeting.

The Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, the seat of the head of the Syro-Malabar Church, has more than 513,000 Catholics served by 451 diocesan and 230 religious priests.