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Following complaints from priests, the Latin Catholic Church has initiated a multi-level probe into the adoption by John Thattunkal, 58, the Bishop of Cochin.
Sources say the bishop adopted the woman with the consent of her non-Catholic Christian family, hailing from Pathanamthitta in central kerala.
Thattunkal met the woman during a pilgrimage abroad and was impressed by her “spirituality and divine experience.” “I have only fatherly love towards the woman who has spiritual powers. This relation is giving me spiritual refreshment,” Thattunkal was quoted by Mathrubhoomi, a Malayalam newspaper, as saying.
When The Indian Express tried to reach him on Tuesday, the bishop was not available for comments. “He has been in meditation the whole day,” said Fr Thambi Antony, diocese public relations officer. Antony declined to comment on the controversy as the issue is being looked into by the Church authorities.
The bishop, who holds a doctorate in Canon law and civil law, cleared the adoption formalities at the sub-registrar office in Mattancheri. Sub-registrar Sudhakaran told this newspaper that the adoption deed was registered in the second week of September. “Two priests from the diocese had signed as witnesses and in the deed, the woman was stated to be adopted as a daughter of the bishop,” he said.
After the adoption, the woman stayed in a guest house within the Bishop House compound in Fort Kochi. After this became an issue among a section of priests in the Cochin diocese, she left the guest house.
A senior priest from Cochin diocese said the issue is likely to snowball into a major scandal. “The moot question is why the bishop adopted a young woman for so-called spiritual nourishment. The future course of the issue would depend on his explanation,” the priest said.
Kerala Catholic Bishop’s Council Secretary Fr Alathara Stephen said that the Archdiocese of Verapoly and Apostolic Nuncio to India Arch Bishop Pedro Lopez Quintaine (Vatican’s representative in the country) have already initiated separate inquiries after complaints from the Cochin diocese. Action, if any, would be taken by Vatican, based on the Nuncio’s report.
“A bishop can adopt a person while a priest has to get the consent of his bishop for the same action. In the past, no bishop in Kerala has resorted to this kind of adoption,” Stephen said. Asked whether the bishop’s action amounted to a scandal, Stephen said the gravity of the offence would depend upon the position held by the offender.
Monsignor Sebastain Luis, the Vicar-General of Verapoly archdiocese, under which the diocese of Cochin falls, said the issue is being secretly looked into by the Bishops’ Council and other Church bodies. “At the same time, we cannot hide action against the bishop, if taken at a later stage,” he said.
Bishop Thattungal has maintained that he adopted the woman according to the Church laws. “In the past too, bishops and priests have adopted children... She did not stay in the Bishop’s House, she stayed in the nearby guest house along with her father. We had travelled by the same car for spiritual programmes. I have explained my stand to Verapoly Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil and Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pedro Lopez,” he told Mathrubhoomi. “A lobby, including certain priests, has been working against me in the diocese,” he said.
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Instead of adopting a 26 year old lady as a daugter, the bishop should have thought of getting married with some other suitable person. After all, celibacy is not a doctrine in the Catholic Church and all the past Bishops, Popes, Priests were married and happy.
28 year old is not a child. Only a child can be adopted. So there is more to this than meets the eye. The bishop should be forthcoming before rumour, etc engulfs him and the church.
When the adoption is as a daughter , i will not be a issue, but, as per catholic faith, a saint or sanyasi should not have any possessions, dear or near ones, then it will be a issue, she can stay in the compound, and when it is gods work, why adoption, it is better, she can live as a sanyasi, A PJ Vinu , kakinada, Andhra
"im suffering from three- five priests.they are very headache to me.so in future you will be like that, so you please leave the seminary" Dr. John Thattumkal said to a brother.the brother is myself.BY THE GARCE OF GOD, he BECAME THE HEADACHE TO CATHOLIC CHRUCH AS A WHOLE AND A QUESTION MARK TOO TO THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN GOD.
Sometime it becomes difficult for a saint/sadhu to follow the establised codes/norms and s/he gets deviated from the path.In such cases s/he may seek retirement and live like a common man so that any religious order /organisation is not affected.
He is poor bishop who is facing problems because of the lack of enough spiritual powers. let him have a lady who is having a very high spiritual power so that the diocese will be benefitted. all the best my dear Bishop
No excuse to Biship Thattunkal. On whatever grounds he adopted a person, regardless of the nature, age, community or religion, it is unacceptable. He and all Bishops, priests, nuns etc should not have any special aspirations to any special persons. He should be leader to all, a father to all, a brother to all. All alike. Otherwise, such tendencies would end up priests and even bishops adopting or even having persons or families of their own. Catholic in itself means UNIVERSAL - So Bishops, priests please keep away from such practices. Be universal, and if you can't leave the Holy priesthood and marry and be responsible family men. No legs on two boats please.God BlessPaul Francis
Adoption is okay, but for a priest there is no need to adopt a woman. If his intention is to do any good for her, there are lot of other institutions run by the Church, he should let them take care of her. A priest should be free of all family encumbrances. It is for that reason they remain bachelors. I i also help people and if i too adopt all the people i adopt, waht would be response!!!???
The basic question involved in the Bishop adopting a person is as regards its purpose. A bishop is supposed to be a fatherly figure to all catholics coming under his jurisdiction, as well as to all persons he come across. Why he should adopt a girl or guy. It is against the basic concept of religious celibacy. One reason for celibacy is to give his attention to all equally, and thus to be aloof from wordly matters. Whether the Bishop has done the adoption legally is a secondary question. I feel the Church authorities should take necessary steps to convince the laity that Catholic church authorities will live up to the expectations of Jesus and his followers, and in accordance with the living tradition of the Church.
1. If the Bishop were merely lusty, he could have had his pick from the large number of cute nuns and the laity.2. If there were any dishonest intention, he would not have had a registered adoption.3. Attributing evil intentions to any innocent action is a mental abnormality.4. Keralites are notoriously frustrated in sex. Anything is sexual in their crossed eyes.5. Some relations cannot be rationally explained.6. A priest is not an ordinary human; he has God in him.7. The young lady had been with an Orthodox priest before. Why did nobody scandalise it at all?8. A Bishop is a personification of the Holy Church. It is as such, not a personal adoption.
is adoption of a 26 year old legal??i thought we cud only adopt children who are below 14 years.
Dont trust these bishops they are worst crooks alive .Look at the west,what the clergy and priests are doing wth the young boys and girls.I feeel this is not right and the bishop may have filthy ulterior motives.The government should intervene and prosecute the so called bishop.He ha staken her to fulfil his lust,someone help this women and free her.THE BISHOP WANTS TO BECOME A FATHER!!!!!
The Bishop ,John Thattunkal,should have married her and save himself and the church from shame.
A Bishop is obliged to be the 'spiritual father' of all the members of the church. He is not supposed to demonstrate 'partiality' to any of the members in the church, thus adopting a person as his dear one, whatever be the resons and justifications, is spiritually and morally scandalous. Bishops are ordained to show the right path to the lambs of the church. By the shameless and lust-filled, or the otherway 'imprudent', action Bishop John has not only harassed the religious sentiments of all the Christians, but also questioned the dignity of the community before all other religions. If the Bishop was so helpless that he couldn't hold back his physical desires, as a better option he could have take off his cassock and instead marry the lady and lead the life of a common man.
Nund have to be banned in India as Devadasis banned. If Devadasi, the service of the God literally, being banned in India, why not Christan nuns, thay are alos doing same job. Why only hindus Deavadaasi are illelgal and same job being done by Cristan nus considered Holy, In the service of the God and even they have been bestowed with Saint hood. Even, notoriously, there are most HIV/AIDS reported from these holy nexus of ather and nuns in the world.
His Grace is bringing Disgrace to the Catholic community at large.... He may have 1000 valid reasons to justify his claim.... we also have 1001 reasons to condemn and justify that he is on the wrong path
Bishop adopted a 26 year old woman?? And what do we have to say to the 63% of practising Catholics, and 68% of all Catholics supporting the legal recognition of homosexual unions, according to a survey published by the Knights of Columbus?? what kind of Catholics are we??? maybe the bishop's doing is of just pure intention... I mean, let us not point fingers, but look at what we, Catholics, should all do to be good servants of the great kingdom....
Abolish celibacy for the clergy. Let them marry and live normally. All men and women have sexual urges and to do contrary would not be healthy. A healthy mind and a healthy body should be promoted.
hello, c the age difference, bishop is 58 years old and she is very young for him.. let him marry his age lady or women not an young girl...
This is ridiculous. Adoptions by clergy should be absolutely prohibited by canon law.
The news is like the quality time which you get with your girl friend ..if you are a boy...when evryone went for praying our bishop went for ...
All over the world adoption is defined along the lines of "legally placing a CHILD (i.e. a Minor)with person(s) who is/are not CHILD's natural parents". Adoption does not apply to ADULTS as they are capable of making decisions about their own well-being (though adults can indeed be disowned by their own natural parents). However it would seem that in India even a 26 year old is considered to be a minor. Or may be this is also one of those special personal law privillage/ applicable to the religious minorities in INDIA.
What is this nonsense world," Non catholic"? what is her religion? what spiritual lady doing in materialistic abroad ? She is an adult,if she wants,she can convert to Christianaity,to be specific and theologically correct Catholic cannon.Because to be Christian is not enough for Catholic church.Catholic Curch considers Protestants,Syrian Christians, Greek Orhtodox, Russian Orhtodox and non denomination Christians won't get pass to heaven due to non recognisation to Papacy.when she is an adult,what is drama of taking permission of non catholic father? How much money change? what is this "spiritual and divine experience"? why need a car? cann't have 'spiritual and divine experience' in the church or in present of people?Can other common peole can have opportunity to have such "spiritual and Divine experience? Most important question He should adopther by the Law of country,he can take permission of the church.How the hell thos Law of Church pop in? do we allow dual law system?
Of course we have differentlaws- one for Christians and one for Muslims, and a common law for the rest of us.Thats why we have so many problems. In most other countries there is one law for everyone regardless of religion, colour or ethnicity.
What is this nonsense world," Non catholic"? what is her religion? what spiritual lady doing in materialistic abroad ? She is an adult,if she wants,she can convert to Christianaity,to be specific and theologically correct Catholic cannon.Because to be Christian is not enough for Catholic church.Catholic Curch considers Protestants,Syrian Christians, Greek Orhtodox, Russian Orhtodox and non denomination Christians won't get pass to heaven due to non recognisation to Papacy.when she is an adult,what is drama of taking permission of naon catholic father? How much money change? what is this "spiritual and divine experience"? why need a car? cann't have 'spiritual and divine experience' in the church or inpresent of people?Can other common peole can have opportunity to have such "spiritual and Divine experience? Most important question He should adopther by the Law of country,he can take permission of the church.How the hell thos Law of Church pop in? do we allow dual law system?
Bishops adoptionDonot forget first he is a man who has harmones. Was she a virgin???
I fully agree with the Bishop's wish, when two doctors decide to live together by way of marriage\love\adoption, they would want their child to become the best doctor, similarly the Bishop thought if he can adopt and later on produce a child with the adopted lady, he can present a saint to the whole world, Lucky man....
Do you think the law of the country permit an adoptee (daughter) bears a child with the adopter? You can prosecute him if you can/wish, once she has a child. Having said that it is apt to remeber that law can only punish people after doing things, not prevent willful people from doing things.
Friend in Jesus,It happens not only in Kerala,but through out India.Bishps think that they are God,whar they say is correct,what they do is perfect.In Dharmapuri Poor Bishop do know how and why he become a Bishop?By luch he became,as a result almost all the priest do as they like grouped in a caste wise.Even in Europe people believe that Bishops are holy,if they sign a paper their Project is sanctioned feel pity.Bishop John feel sad to his behaviour.Let us pray for him.In india Bishops must have transfer from one diocese to another,They should not behave as a king until they die.They must retire in the age of 56 abd give chance to others.God bless louis