Pope suspends Kerala bishop for adoption

The controversial Catholic Bishop Dr. John Thattunkal, who has become butt of criticism for adopting a 26 year old woman, has been suspended from Kochi Arch Bishop position by Pope Benedict XVI. Varappuzha Archbishop Dr Daniel Acharuparampil has been assigned the duty of Kochi Diocese.

This is the first time in the history of Catholic community in India that a procedure is taken against a bishop for anti-community workings.The Vatican had received complaints from a host of priests under Kochi Diocese about their own bishop who enraged them by adopting a young woman.

The suspension came after the inquiries conducted by Archbishop Acharuparmbil and the Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana early this month. Thattunkal had two days ago called a special meeting of the priests under his dioceses and apologised for his action. The priests declined to accept his apology and demanded his resignation.

The adopted woman considered the suspension as the “will of God.” She said she would “continue as the spiritual daughter of the grand papa (as the woman calls the bishop) as long he (bishop) likes.” She also told that her “spiritual powers have helped the bishop solve many crises in the diocese.”

John Thattunkal,  kicked off a controversy after he registered the adoption of the woman as his daughter with a government office on Sept. 9. The adoption deed also gave her the right to inherit his personal assets.

These inquiries began after his priests complained to the higher authorities about adoption of the woman, daughter of an Orthodox priest. On Oct. 20, he had met with of Forane vicars and other senior priests inside his houses and expressed readiness to withdraw from the adoption deed.

The bishop had also expressed regret over certain views he expressed earlier, which were considered to be against authentic teachings of the Church. Some time ago, he also reportedly offered Mass together with an Orthodox priest, upsetting his own priests.

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