Rocked by a scandal related to the alleged blackmailing and sexual abuse of a woman by five priests, who have been placed under suspension from officiating priestly duties, Kerala’s influential Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church on Tuesday said that there would be an impartial enquiry.
The church leadership, which had failed to respond to the allegation despite the fact that the scandal had erupted several days back, was forced to issue a statement on Tuesday saying that it had received a complaint in this regard from the woman’s husband who alleged the priests had used his wife’s secret confession to blackmail and sexually assault her.
Five priests accused of blackmailing and sexually abusing the woman, four of them working with parishes under the dioceses of the Kottayam-based church and one belonging to its Delhi diocese, were on Monday temporarily suspended from performing priestly duties as parish heads pending inquiry for which a committee has been formed.
“There will be an enquiry at the church and diocesan levels. If the accused priests are found guilty, appropriate action will be taken against them. There will be no attempt to shield the guilty or victimise the innocent. Those who have raised the charge will get the chance to prove their case,” the church said in the statement.
The scandal erupted last week after an audio clip containing a purported conversation between the woman’s husband and a church official in which the manhailing from Pathanamthitta district alleged sexual abuse of his wife by the priests came out through social media.
In the audio-clip containing the purported conversation between the man and the church official, he was heard saying, “She had been abused by a priest before the marriage. She had confessed the matter later to a priest but the priest who heard the confession exploited her by threatening to reveal the secret to me. That priest handed her over to another priest by blackmailing her.”
In his complaint to the church, the man had reportedly mentioned eight priests but sought action only against five as he could not establish the role of the other three. In the audio clip, the man was also heard saying that influential people within the church were putting pressure on him to withdraw the complaint. However, no complaint has been lodged with the police.
A senior member of the Orthodox clergy said the complaint of the woman’s husband seemed to have some “gaps”. “The man is not keen on taking his complaint to the police. However, that does not mean there is no case and that we are prejudiced. An enquiry is being held and the truth will come out,” the church official said.
The church said it understood the sentiments of the believers and the general public over the controversy but pointed out that spreading rumours over it was not going to serve any purpose. Steps would be taken to persuade priests to provide divine service based in values to the believers, it added.