Addressing media persons at a press meet in Mangalore on Wednesday, Mr. D'Souza said that Christian priests should not be holding authority over institution and church properties and confine themselves to performing religious rituals.
“There was no clergy at the time of Jesus Christ. The so called Bishops, Cardinals, Graces, Eminences, Lords and Fathers have split Christians into several groups. In a Catholic parish, the Parish Priest is the sole Trustee of the Parish holding a one man show and so is the case with Bishop who manages the Diocese. The organised Churches have hijacked properties and assets created by Christians and cornered the ownership of these assets. Bishops claim absolute right over all properties and argue that no layman can have that authority. But the Kerala High Court and Bombay High Court verdicts have proven their Canon Law argument wrong”, he said.
Mr. D'Souza also alleged that Christian priests run after foreign funds, avoid paying taxes to the government, maintain duplicate account books and misuse the wealth and properties they keep under them.
P B D'Sa, Founder Member of the Forum, said that 50% of the priests themselves agree that the clergy class having a “dictatorial” mode of operation is against the teachings of Jesus Christ. “The priests have been acting like dictators. People are being evicted in places like Maroli and Bajjodi under the supervision of these priests. Where is the charity that they speak about? People as well as many priests themselves are aware of their activities but they blackmail people and maintain their hold by threatening them of not performing baptism, funeral, and other ceremonies in their family”, he said.
A conference will be held on January 26 at Don Bosco Hall in the city to create awareness among the masses about the misuse of power and authority by the Christian clergy, Mr. D'Sa said. Fr Joseph Mattam SJ from Baroda will be the main speaker on the occasion, he informed.
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