The Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala recently appointed a ‘Collegiate Tribunal’ to investigate and pass sanctions on several alleged offences of a priest, such as inciting sedition and disobedience, a move that he claimed was “regressive” in the modern age.

Mar Remigiose Inchananiyil, bishop of the Thamarassery diocese of the church, issued the order to constitute the tribunal against Fr Thomas (Aji) Puthiyaparambil on September 21, two months after he was suspended for refusing to take charge, designated to him, in a church.

The order issued to Fr Puthiyaparambil read, “You publicly took a stand against the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church and incited sedition and hatred towards the hierarch, provoking the faithful to disobedience through your public speeches and messages on social media, causing scandal and violating ecclesiastical discipline.”

The church also said that the priest did not assume the office of the vicar of St Joseph’s Church Nooramthode, despite being issued the appointment order and ‘obstinately insisted’ on not accepting the new assignment. Post his suspension, the priest was ordered to stay at the Good Shepherd Priest Home in Marikunnu, which he again declined.

On his part, the priest said he believes the church’s action against him is on account of him speaking publicly and on social media in the past, about alleged corruption within the church, the need for purification in the educational institutions under it, and the demand for it to be more transparent and responsive towards the lay-people.

“I have not personally targeted anyone within the church, but yes I have spoken publicly about the crisis within it, especially with allegations of corruption and charges of the church behaving like a religious police. So I think this constitution of a tribunal against me could be a consequence of that. Such inquisition courts used to be conducted within the Catholic church in the Middle Ages. But in this modern age, I feel such a move is outdated and regressive,” said Fr Puthiyaparambil.

However, officials of the church denied the allegations and said that such tribunals exist in all dioceses and are part of the natural canon laws.

A statement from Fr Joseph Kalarickal, public relations officer (PRO) of the Thamarassery diocese, said, “Disciplinary proceedings as per church laws, like any other mechanism, were necessary to be taken against Fr Thomas as he acted contrary to the obedience required of him and for not assuming the responsibility he was given. A committee has been formed under the canon laws to listen to Fr Thomas and to help him return to priestly duties.”

It added that certain media reports are misinterpreting the canon laws of the Catholic church.

The Syro-Malabar Church, an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Pope, is the largest Christian group in the state with an estimated 2.3 million adherents. It has 64 bishops and over 9,000 priests worldwide.