Kerala: Pope suspends Bishop for adopting

Kochi, Oct 24: Pope Benedict XVI has suspended, pending inquiry, Bishop John Thattunkal of the Diocese of Cochin, who was in the eye of storm after adopting a 26-year-old woman as his daughter.

A three-member Bishops' committee had been constituted to look into the adoption issue and Bishop Thattunkal had been refrained from administering any services till the inquiry was over, Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) spokesperson Father Stephen Alathara said yesterday.

Earlier, Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil of Verapoly had submitted a report on the matter to Archbishop Pedro Lopez Qunitana, the Vatican Nunico to India, who forwarded it to the Pope.

Bishop Thattunkal's adoption of the woman had left the Latin Catholic clergy and laity fuming as it was against the church law and tradition.

The woman, who is the daughter of a priest in the Orthodox Church in Pathanamthitta, was allegedly frequenting the Bishop's house here and travelling with him. Th legal procedure for the adoption was completed at the Mattancherry sub-registar office.

The Forane vicars in the diocese had come out with open protest stating that the adoption was against the canon law.

UNI