From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 22: Archbishop of Bangalore Dr Bernard Moras has issued a Canonical Decree ordering "indefinte" closure of St Paul the Hermit Church at VishwanathaNagenahalli in R T Nagar in the City with immediate effect from Thursday, April 21, over flouting of the official Decree of Canonical Warning issued on April 19 against installing the statue of Fr ChowrappaSelvaraj, popularly known as Fr Chasara.
The Archbishop, in his Canonical Decree, has ordered the Parish Priest Fr Vincent Santhosh, to remove the Blessed Sacrament from the Church, lock it and present a document stating that the order has been "fully carried out."
"No sacrament may be celebrated in the Church till this sanction is lifted," the Canonical Decree said.
Fr Chasara, a well-known Kannada preacher and writer as well as the key leader of the Akhila Karnataka Catholic Kristhara Kannada Sangha, died on March 15 and his funeral was held at St Joseph’s Church at Briand Square in Chamarajpetin the city on March 17.
The Canonical Decree issued by Archbishop Moras declares that, "The Church will remain closed until the bust of Fr Selvaraj has been removed from the Church compound and the parishioners promise in write to abide by my orders and the laws of the Church."
Fr Chasara
It may be recalled that Fr Chasara was one of the six priests accused and charge-sheeted in the murder of the then Rector of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary at Malleswaram on the night of the Easter feast on April 1, 2013. The magistrate had also issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) for the arrest of Fr Chasara and the other accused persons, including Fr A Thomas and 86-year-old Fr I Anthappa, and the NBW is yet to be executed. However, the 86-year-old Fr I Anthappa was subsequently granted bail by the court on furnishing surety of Rs 2 lakh and subject to other conditions.
The Archbishop, in his latest Canonical Decree of April 21 addressed to the Parish Priest and Parishioners of St Paul the Hermit Church, a copy of which is available with Daijiworld, stated that the "Canonical Warming dated April 19 to the Parish Priest, which was communicated the parishioners clearly indicated that neither a statue or a bust of Fr Selvaraj also known as Fr Chasara should be installed or erected in the church compound or the church. This warning was in compliance with Canon 1187 of the Code of Canon Law. The penalty for the violation of the warning was also mentioned in the warning letter."
"The letter of the Parish Priest, Fr Vincent Santhosh, dated April 20, and the letter and photographs dated April 21 furnished in the file given by the parishioners through Fr Vincent Santhosh contain clear evidence of the violation of the Canon 1187 and non-compliance of the Canonical Warning," the Decree said.
It further stated that, "Therefore as mentioned in the Canonical Warning and prescribed by the Code of Canon Law in Canon 1373, C 212 $1, C 273, C 392 $$1 & 2, I hereby close down the Church of St Paul the Hermit indefinitely with immediate effect (today, April 21). No sacraments may be celebrated in the Church till this sanction is lifted. I order that Fr Vincent Santhosh, Parish Priest, remove the Blessed Sacrament from the Church and lock the Church and present to me a document that my order has been fully carried out."
"The Church will remain closed until the bust of Fr Selvaraj has been removed from the church compound and the parishioners promise in writing to abide by my orders and the laws of the Church," the Canonical Decree said.
A function to mark the installation of Fr Chasara’s statue in the St Paul the Hermit Church compound was scheduled to be held on Sunday, April 21, at 11 am as per the handbills printed and circulated by the Villagers of VishwanathaNagenahalli. Messages regarding the function were also posted in the social media.
The installation of the statue was to be done, according to the handbills, by noted Kannada writer Dr Siddalingaiah and the function was to be presided over by Karnataka RakshanaVedike chief T A Narayana Gowda.
The statue unveiling function was to be preceded by a solemn Holy Mass at the St Paul the Hermit Church by four priests – Fr A Anthappa,who is also accused and charge-sheeted in the murder of the then Rector three years ago, Fr T S Amrutharaj (both of whom residing at the Clergy Home of Archbishop’s House), Fr J Rayappa of Mysore Diocese and Fr Vincent Santhosh, Parish Priest of St Paul the Hermit Church.
Two other accused and charge-sheeted persons in the murder of Fr K J Thomas – Rita Rini, Editor of Maatukate, and Raphael Raj, General Secretary of Akhila Karnataka Catholic Kristhara Kannada Sangha, as well as Dr Banjagere Jayaprakash, Kannada Book Authority chairman, V C Channegowda, Secretary, Kannada SahityaParishat, Pravindutt Stephen, film music director, R N Chandrashekar, writer, Chinnaraju, social worker, and Parvateesh Bilidale, Editor of Sanket, were billed as the chief guests.