Who is real owner of Church properties: CLA

KOZHIKODE: The controversial sale of Church properties by Church officials has triggered a row over the ownership of the properties. Selling properties is not new for the Syro-Malabar Church which has never sought the sanction of believers, the real owners of the Church, against which legal battles are on at various courts in the state, say Catholic Laymen's Association (CLA), a forum of believers, here.

The organisation has taken  legal proceedings against the Church officials since 1998 to assert the rights of laymen over the  properties, challenging the right of Archbishop and Bishop of Thamarassery diocese. The CLA claimed that the  laymen constitute 99.99 percent of the Church and  the priests and bishops only the rest. They are only  paid servants of laymen with provident fund and other benefits,"  the  CLA said.

CLA central committee member C.L. George told DC that the court had granted them the right to represent the laymen  against the contentions of Church officials in several legal battles. "The clergy has been arbitrarily misusing the Church properties to lead a luxurious life," he said.

It may  be recalled that the  Church land at Pushpagiri near Thamarassery was leased out for quarrying without any consultation with the laity. It is widely believed that the land was sold out to somebody which is also a secret. The sale of Deepika daily to controversial businessman  Pharis Aboobacker also was a secret deal. How much of other properties the Church had sold out to   buy back Deepika is another question,  the CLA said.  

The CLA in a petition in the court demanded to assert the claims of the laymen as the Church is a 'trust'. The priests and bishops are just keepers of the property who have only the right to look after it, not to sell it out as per their whims and fancies, it was pointed out.

"In the wake of this land deal row,  we will approach the  court demanding an investigation into the fraudulent transaction which is a breach of trust,"  Mr George said.   The land deal is invalid as it was executed without the concurrence of the believers.  The tax evasion during registration, the real quantum of cash transaction between the parties, selling the land with forged documents to ascertain their right also should be probed by an investigation agency, the CLA demanded. "The government should initiate civil and criminal action against the accused," he demanded.