Protest will continue till "priests come back": Almaya Munnettam Devotees Organisation President

Ernakulam (Kerala) [India], January 12 (ANI): After the police forcefully removed protesting priests from near the bishop's house, Almaya Munnettam Devotees Organisation President Shyju Antony said their protest will continue till the "priests come back."
Priests and devotees held a protest on Saturday in front of the Archbishop's house of the Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese of Syro-Malabar Church. They alleged that Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur (Bishop) and his collaborators appointed priests with a criminal background as curia members. Tensions mounted when police forcefully removed protesting priests near the bishop's house.
Shyju Antony said, "The strike hasn't ended because our priests are being sent to jail. Till the priests come back we will be there. But we have good news, the major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Synod has taken over the charge of Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese and another Archbishop who is also a member of the permanent senate Mar Joseph Pamplany has come over. He is a man of discussion. There can be some possibility of some good decisions."
Presbyteral Council Secretary of Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese, Fr Kuriakose Mundadan said that there will be a solution to the present crisis through Mar Joseph Pamplany.
Mundadan said, "21 Priests of the Archdiocese were dragged forcefully from the house of the Archdiocese and sent to the compound of St. Mary's Basilica. Now it has been informed that the Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur (Bishop) has been removed or has resigned from his position and the major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church Raphael Thattil has taken charge of Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese and that is the right way."
"The major Archbishop is the Archbishop of the Archdiocese. He has appointed his own Vicar (father) instead Apostolic Administrator Mar Joseph Pamplany. Now there is a change in the system and we think there will be a solution to the present crisis through Mar Joseph Pamplany," he added.
Earlier he said, "For the last two days, 21 of our priests from the Ernakulam Angamaly Archdiocese were holding a prayer strike in the Archbishop's house, because Apostolic Administrator Mar Bosco Puthur and his collaborators appointed priests with a criminal background as curia members. For the last two months, they have closed the gates of our mother house."
"It is against our civil rights that administrator Mar Bosco Puthur closed the gates and got the protection of the police. That's why on 9 January, 21 priests, peacefully entered through the side gate and started a prayer strike for two days," he said.
He further said, Mar Bosco Puthur gave a suspension order for 4 of the priests and show cause notice to the remaining 17 priests. He said that after that there was a police action.
"Afterwards, under ACP Jayakumar, the police forcefully relocated the priests to St Mary's Basilica. Many priests have been hurt and one broke his hand, lot of injuries are there. Hearing this news, priests and devotees of the Archdiocese gathered here in front of the Archbishop's house and St Mary's Basilica. We are here to protect our priests. Some political leaders and even the collector called me saying that he would interfere. There is no valid cause to arrest them. If the police have arrested them they have to bring them back to the Archbishop's house and so priests, people have gathered here. The collector has said that he would intervene positively," he added. (ANI)