Matters India Reporter
Mumbai: A Catholic laity group in India has demanded the paternity test of a bishop to be conducted in two non-Catholic hospitals in Mumbai.
The Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC) “strongly” objected to a proposal to conduct the DNA test of Bishop K A William at St John’s Hospital in Bengaluru.
In a letter to Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the recently appointed Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, on May 15 the laity group says it has information that the Bishop William’s DNA test is scheduled to be conducted at St John’s Hospital, managed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, at Bengaluru, capital of the southern Indian state of Karnataka.
Mysuru (formerly Mysore), a major city in Karnataka, is some 150 km southwest of Bengaluru.
The Mysore bishop has supporters who were “influential clergymen” alleges the laity group’s letter.
The Vatican has deputed a three-member bishop team to probe the allegations against Bishop William, who is accused of kidnapping, misappropriation of church funds, as well as fathering two children. The team has already visited Mysore.
Bishop William, 56, has denied the allegations which he said were the handiwork of a group of priests who oppose his administrative reforms in the diocese. According to him, the “heinous charges” against him were baseless and an attempt to tarnish his image.
Groups such as AOCC have alleged that William, who became Mysore bishop in 2017, had used his clout to coerce and threaten victims and witnesses.
“Just a few months after him taking charge, 37 of his priests wrote to the Vatican asking for his resignation, on the grounds that he had fathered children and was also keeping mistresses. However, Williams refuted the allegations and told the media that he was being targeted by some priests for his efforts to reform the Church,” says the letter to the nuncio.
It says the Vatican initiated the probe against the bishop and formed the committee in February almost two years after his own priests and others leveled allegations against him.
The letter, signed by Melwyn Fernandes, the laity group’s general secretary, says it “strongly objects” to conducting Bishop William’s DNA test in any Catholic hospitals in India.
“We know from earlier experiences that influential clergymen who are in support of Bishop William, can manipulate the reports of the tests conducted in Catholic Hospitals,” Fernandes says.
The group wants the test done in two non-Catholic hospitals so that the whole process could be monitored by Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay and the head of the Catholic Church in India, and the AOCC team.
Joseph Sodder, a lawyer and an AOCC official, says Bishop William has tremendous money power to influence bishop’s, hospitals, and the police in Karnataka.
Sodder said his sources in the Vatican have informed him that “some members of the hierarchy are conspiring to help William and conduct the paternity test at St John’s Medical College.”
In that case, the results will be tampered with by the clergy to help William and save the face of the Catholic Church, Sodder alleged.
Apparently there is a recording of Oswald’s telephonic conversation with William where Oswald confidently says that the DNA will be conducted at St. John’s and he can control the doctors there and the media.
If this is true, it is crystal clear that Oswald is protecting the Bishop who has turned “Daddy”. It is disgusting of Oswald to be so shameless and depraved. Oswald should be defrocked with Daddy. They dont deserve the prefix the Catholic Church has conferred on them.
Why is this bishop not on paid or unpaid leave while processing the complaints against him? Until resolved, he should be on the sideline.
I do not know either party bishop or opponents. My only doubt is how come such a big allegation ( fathering a child/children) did not pop up in some way or other when bishop’s name was on inquiry for bishopric?
The Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC) and its member Advocate Joseph Sodder is dead right in its demand that Bishop K.A. William’s DNA (Paternity) test MUST be conducted at two neutral venues and not at St John’s Hospital Bangalore, as it is a Church-run Hospital, however, reputed it may be.
Very sadly under the excuse of the Covid pandemic, both Franco Mulakkal and K.A. William cases are being inordinately delayed by courts. In the first instance (Mulakkal) the victim nun is immensely suffering, while Mulakkal is merry-making, thanks to the patronage of the Catholic Church Hierarchy.
Regarding Adultery, “Adultery can be ground for civil issues including dissolution of marriage but it cannot be a criminal offence,” the Supreme Court of India said in September 2018. Along with Section 497 of IPC, Section 198 of CrPC is also declared unconstitutional thereby decriminalizing the offence of Adultery. Justice DY Chandrachud asserted that, the history of Section 497 reveals that the law on adultery was for the benefi of the husband, for him to secure ownership over the sexuality of his wife. It was aimed at preventing the woman from exercising her sexual agency. So I doubt even K.A. William can be charged in a court of law on Adultery. However, the Church may defrock him on this count until and unless it has devised a new definition of Celibacy to suit Mulakkal, K.A. William and their ilks!
Chhotebhai
I understand your concern. Last year and this year I did send support letters to the Nuncio. Last year after three reminders I got an acknowledgement from the Nunciature. This year I got a prompt response from the Nunciature.
What will be the end result? God alone knows. But one “bitter truth” is clear to me. The hierarchy protects the erring bishops (Gali Bali, Franco and William) and priests.
What happened to Gali Bali? He was made to resign but he was not defrocked and punished. What about Franco? He is still a free-bird. He has not been defrocked.
Now this villain William. Conduct his paternity test in any hospital. He will make sure that the result is in his favour.
The steps taken by the hierarchy is just an “eye wash”. This is my strong view.
suspend the bishop immediately and especially from finances.
secondly DNA of the child to be also conducted
The paternity test should be done inSt John’s as well as in another non Christian institution. If there is any malpractice in st John’s , that can be exposed. The face of the Catholic Church cannot be spoiled by lies and immorality of some of its Shepherds or priests or even the pretending faithful
The accused should be ready for test anywhere, if he is sincere.
If a paternity test proves that William is the father of the boy born on 3/11/2007 then he must be removed from the clerical state as per Canon 1395:2.
The divorce decree is dated 31/10/2009, so whoever fathered the child in February 2007 is also guilty of adultery u/s 497 IPC that attracts a sentence of 5 years.
We have incontrovertible documentary proof that the boy alleged to be William’s son was conceived in February 2007, six months after the couple had separated. Hence we have officially asked the Enquiry Committee to conduct the paternity test as ordered by the Vatican in a neutral forensic laboratory.
Both the Nunciature and Cardinal Gracias have conveyed to me that the enquiry is still in progress. In the interim the priests of Mysore diocese wrote to me requesting me to represent them before the Enquiry Committee. I have done so and received positive responses. For this reason I didn’t go public. However, now that others have done so, I am constrained to set the record straight.
Chhotebhai is dead right regarding the possible outcome of a Church-conducted inquiry on erring Bishops!
Readers should know that the Nunciature has constituted a three member Enquiry Committee/ Apostolic Visitation, that recorded the testimony of 120 witnesses in Mysore between 3rd and 12th March, just before the present lockdown. 19 priests signed a joint complaint against William. Others could not do so for paucity of time and geographical distance.
To set the record straight on 15/8/20 Cardinal Tagle of Propaganda Fide ordered William to undergo a paternity test. He refused saying that it would bring shame on the church and be the end of everything. I have the audio recording in my possession.
The demand is reasonable given the clout that the Bishop wields notwithstanding that St Johns is a highly reputed institution.