By Sarah Mac Donald
Dublin, Aug 9, 2022: Cardinal Oswald Gracias, one of Pope Francis’ closest advisers, has denied reports that he sought to intervene in the case of an Indian bishop accused of secretly fathering a child.
In a video posted online August 7, Cardinal Gracias, who is the head of the Catholic Church in India, rebutted allegations he had arranged for Bishop Kannikadass Antony William of Mysore to take a paternity test at a Catholic hospital in order to control the outcome of the test results.
Cardinal Gracias said an audio clip from a two-year-old conversation with Bishop William, which has attracted attention among Indian Catholics in recent weeks, had been “mischievously edited to give the impression that there was collusion between Bishop William and myself for a cover-up.”
In the clip of the leaked phone call, which was promoted by the rightwing website Church Militant, the cardinal could apparently be heard telling Bishop William that Gracias would arrange for the paternity test to be conducted at a Catholic hospital “so we can control the media, control the doctors, control the publicity given to the whole thing.”
However, in his statement on August 7, Cardinal Gracias said he “categorically, emphatically and totally” denied that he had said or suggested that they could control the outcome of the test.
“At no time in the conversation or otherwise have I suggested any action that would be illegal or bring disrepute to the church,” said the cardinal, who has led the Bombay Archdiocese since 2006 and has served as a member of Pope Francis’ influential Council of Cardinals since the group’s creation in 2013.
In response to an inquiry from National Catholic Reporter, the Bombay Archdiocese has made available an unedited version of the recording of the phone call between Cardinal Gracias and Bishop William. In the fuller version of the conversation, which lasts about 15 minutes, the cardinal presses the bishop several times to take a paternity test.
The cardinal also tells Antony on the recording that should the bishop come out “completely clear” from the test, “we can then publicize and you will come out like a hero and a martyr … who suffered something unfairly.”
In his August 7 statement, the cardinal said the unedited version of the recording shows that he suggested a specific Catholic hospital because “it is an institution of credibility.”
“I did have a conversation with Bishop William in August 2020,” said the cardinal. “During that conversation I urged Bishop William that it would be advisable for him to do a paternity test. I impressed on him that several people I know had been disturbed with the rumors going around. This was not good for the church and the best way to end the controversy was this test. I said so then two years back and I still think so.”
It is unclear if Bishop William has ever taken the paternity test.
To allay the bishop’s fears of publicity, Cardinal Gracias said he had assured Bishop William that the hospital “could have the requisite controls in place to ensure that there will not be any media leakage or manipulation.”
Bishop William has been accused by some of his own priests of fathering a child and of intimidating a survivor of sexual harassment. A Vatican investigation of him is ongoing.
The three-member commission leading the Vatican investigation is headed by Archbishop Leo Cornelio of Bhopal. The commission has been examining evidence against Bishop William since March 2021. It was set up after 37 priests from Mysore diocese wrote to Pope Francis in July 2019 demanding that Bishop William resign and alleging he had fathered a child.
Bishop William has denied the allegations and suggested that a group of priests opposed to his administrative reforms in Mysore are behind the allegations. In May 2020, he announced the 37 priest complainants were being transferred out of their parishes and other priestly assignments.
Some in Mysore diocese have organized a group called the “Save Mysore Diocese Action Committee,” which has written to Vatican officials several times about the case against the bishop.
This July, the group sent a letter to Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the papal nuncio to India; Cardinal Luis Tagle, head of the Vatican’s evangelization office; and Cardinal Gracias. The letter called for Bishop William to be “immediately divested of all powers to operate diocesan accounts.” It also referred to a reported August 2020 order from Cardinal Tagle that Bishop William take a paternity test.
A former high-ranking Indian justice office has also gotten involved in the case. Michael Francis Saldanha, a former justice of the Bombay High Court, in an August 1 letter called for both Cardinal Gracias and Bishop William to step down from their positions. Saldanha said any paternity test should be conducted by Indian health authorities.
“The Supreme Court has very clearly mandated that there is only one authority i.e. the National Forensic Institute at Hyderabad which is designated to conduct paternity tests and there are fool proof guidelines regarding the drawing of the samples from the father and the offspring which has to be done under Court and Police supervision as otherwise, the test becomes meaningless,” Saldanha wrote.
Cardinal Tagle, who leads the Vatican office responsible for the Indian Church, did not immediately respond to an NCR request for comment about Bishop William’s case. Bishop William has not responded to a request for comment.
Vincent Doyle, founder of Coping International, a support group for the children of Catholic priests, told NCR that he has been unable to obtain information about the source of the alleged audio of Cardinal Gracias and Bishop William’s conversation. The sources for the audio, he said, remain “unnamed and without a face.”
Doyle said he was concerned about how the publicity of the case may be affecting the child at the center of the controversy.
“The alleged child of the bishop … has been used as a ‘battering ram’ to remove from office both bishops,” said Doyle. “Using a child for an adult-centered end is categorically what Coping is against.”
(Sarah Mac Donald is a freelance journalist based in Dublin.)
Source: https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/indias-cardinal-gracias-denies-reports-he-intervened-accused-bishops-case
Pretty disgraceful. This is not what Jesus would’ve wanted. If Bishop William is not the father of the child he would’ve undergone the paternity test without hesitation 2 years ago. The very fact that he hasn’t speaks loud and clear. The CBCI is apparently incapable of reining in the rogue Priests and Bishops as seen even in the Franco case. They protect their own and the laity (especially women) can be damned.
Both the bishop and Cardinal should apologize and resign. The bishop for his conduct and the Cardinal for his poor leadership. Justice delayed is justice denied.
I’m from Mumbai and we’ve seen how the Cardinal either sits upon issues for years without deciding and when he does eventually decide its always in favor of his Priests and Bishops.
The clergy and laity are living in mortal fear of William’s vengeful actions. The Catholic media must now stand up for natural justice.
The present and previous Nuncios and even Cardinal Luis Tagle of Propaganda Fide also seem to be shielding the accused by the INACTION.
From the conversation it is quite apparent that Cardinal Gracias was doing his best to protect William and also the rape accused BP Franco of Jalandhar. It is shameful.
I too had assisted the Save Mysore Diocese Action Committee in preparing a 12 page dossier of William the Conqueror’s alleged misdeeds. NO ACTION.
The Vatican Enquiry Committee headed by Abp Leo Cornelio of Bhopal visited Mysore twice. Several complainants testified. NO ACTION.
Unfortunately Cardinal Gracias is not speaking the truth. I sent him the transcript of the conversation 1 1/2 years ago. No action taken.
The Vatican officials insisted bishop William to undergo paternity test. He did not do it.
The previous and the present Nuncios kept their mouths shut on this issue and the present Nuncio passed the buck to Cardinal Gracias. The Cardinal’s request to William to undergo paternity test was in vain.
So, William, the Villain is thriving amidst all his criminal activities. NO ONE – (Vatican, CBCI, CCBI) has succeeded in making this Villain to budge.
What does this show? The “utter failure” of the Nuncio and the office-bearers of CBCI and CCBI. They are the ultimate culprits. They must be made to “RESIGN” with immediate effect.
Note: Archbishop Antony Kariyil was “forced/compelled” to resign from his post for “silly matters like liturgy”. But… the criminal Villain William is left free. SHAME ON THE INDIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH!
Instead of “late justification and clarification of his telephonic discussion with William”, Cardinal Gracias has not achieved anything. Why is this “safe-guarding tactics”? Rather, the Cardinal should admit his failure with utmost sincerity and step down from his position.
This is very much valuable and punish able questions please being out the truth every catholic should know about this matter.
Many including myself have listened to the audio tape of the telephonic conversation of Cardinal Oswald Gracias with Bishop (what a misnomer!) K.A. William. William was clearly audible, the cardinal’s tone was low and he seemed searching for the right words to convince William to go in for a Paternity (DNA) test. He repeatedly asked William whether the line was SAFE. If he was so clear in his conscience, what was his fear about the line being eavesdropped or tapped? The cardinal’s denial is late by two years and he has not also said which part of the conversation was “mischievously edited”, what was edited and who edited it.
The bottom line is why is there a two-year delay by William to take the DNA test? And why St John’s and not at National Forensic Institute at Hyderabad, which has been mandated by the Supreme Court of India? Who is allowing William to evade the test for two years? Does he think the results will change (another father will be found)? There are allegations that he has fathered more than one child. Their mothers should come forward. What is the Nuncio to India and Nepal doing? May be he is devising ways to do DNA test for William through Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make it 100% neutral!