A Kerala-based Christian outfit has come out with a demand that nuns be allowed to perform the sacrament of confession for women and minors instead of priests.
Kerala Catholic Reformation Movement held a sit-in dharna outside the Bishop House in Kochi on Sunday to press their demand.
According to members of the outfit, the demand was due to the increasing instances of sexual abuses allegedly involving Christian priests.
A number of people, including women and senior citizen, attended the stir in front of the Major Archbishop’s House at Marine Drive in Kochi.
The participants at the dharna held banners with slogans ‘Let nuns perform the sacrament of confession of women’, ‘women are afraid of confession booths of priests’ and so on.
However, the Kerala Catholic Bishop Council dismissed the protest by the group, saying there was no need for a discussion on the issue right now.
“The agitation is just to get media attention and also without understanding the core principles of Holy Bible,” Fr Varghese Vallikatt told media.
“We are not rejecting the issue raised by them with contempt. But, there is no seriousness in their demand. They should approach the church matters seriously and study Bible,” he added.
The protest comes in the wake of the recent incident of a rape case allegedly by a Catholic priest in Kottiyoor St Sebastian church in Kannur district.
