By Matters India Reporter
Chennai: Bishop Neethinathan Anthonisamy of Chingleput along with hundreds of priests, nuns and lay people met the Kanchipuram district collector regarding St. Joseph Hospices at Palaswaram (A home for dying and destitute) on Feb 28.
“The media and other anti-social forces are spreading false news regarding this institution. To condemn that kind of negative attitude by some of the movements who can’t bear the good name of the institution and God’s ministry which we are doing without any expectation and appreciation, priests, Religious, the faithful and Christians from other denominations gathered in district collectorate to show our solidarity to Father Thomas and not to do any kind of injustice to our Christian community,” Father Esthakiyus Packianathan of Chingleput diocese said.
The Kanchipuram district administration has assured the delegation to look into the matter.
It can be recalled that the Kanchipuram district administration has decided to close down St. Joseph’s Hospice – a home for old destitute – and shift the inmates to other homes.
The hospice whose license was not renewed for some time by the district administration is under investigation.
The hospice located in a village in Chengalpattu in Kanchipuram district is under a cloud following various allegations ranging from ill-treatment of inmates to trade in organs harvested from the dead.
The hospice also operates a cemetery without a license.
The St. Joesph’s Hospice website states that it has branches in Tambaram near here, Vellore and in Dindigul in Tamil Nadu.
Officials said investigators are looking into the villagers’ charges of ill-treatment of the inmates and others.
The management of St. Joseph’s Hospice has denied all the charges.