Thiruvananthapuram: After the tell-all
memoirs of a Catholic nun that shocked the Christian community
in Kerala, an ex-priest has come out with a book alleging that
some priests and nuns in churches in the state suffer from
moral turpitude despite their vow of celibacy.
In his memoirs titled "Oru Vaidikente Hridayamitha"
(Here is the heart of a priest), K P Shibu rues that the moral
foundations of the church have been weakened with sections of
priests and nuns indulging in sex and venality despite
their solemn vow to abstain from carnal pleasures and material
craving.
A spokesperson of the Syro Malabar Catholic Church
rejected the allegations levelled in the book as an all-out
attempt to malign the church.
"It is a pity that he was in priesthood for 11 years and
heard confessions and issued guidance to parishioners. Through
his work he has simply betrayed the trust of the faithful,"
the Church spokesperson said.
Sex, greed and power struggle have become part of the
church institutions where a good number of priests and
themselves are vulnerable to these worldly temptations, Shibu,
who quit the Vincentian Congregation a few months back after
spending 24 years in church as a student and priest.
Recalling his experience of hearing confessions from
fellow-priests, Shibu alleged that many of them had sexual
experiences and sexually exploited nuns as well as widows and
society ladies who approached them for spiritual solace.
Claiming that power struggles in the church and
institutions run by it are common, Shibu claimed that there
are priests who indulge in all sorts of devious methods for
their selfish interests without any moral compunction or
concern for the flock they were expected to lead.
He said he decided to narrate his experiences despite
opposition even from his own relatives out of his concern for
the church and the community members. .
A memoir penned last year by a Keralite ex-nun, Jesme,
described her shocking experiences she underwent during her
nunhood.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, September 01, 2010, 22:40