The sale of real estate properties of the archdiocese has reportedly caused a loss for the archdiocese. It is said that prime land was sold off without due process and evading some tax rules. Cardinal George Alencherry had full powers of archbishop when those deals were made. The scandal erupted into public (back in 2017) when news channels uncovered the documents in the deal, which had the Cardinal's signature.
The onus of restitution fell on the Cardinal and bishops synod, to make up the loss suffered by archdiocese. Mar Kariyil became the liaison between archdiocese and synod.
Per Mar Kariyil's recent letter, there was a plan to recompensate the archdiocese from the loss it incurred. I do not know the contents of that plan, but it was a plan within the Syro Malabar. That was rejected by the synod and the rejection was supported by the Oriental Congregation. The restitution plan was stalled as a result.
I wish I could give more information, but this is all I know.
I am grateful for you sharing the information you know!
So the money is to go to the Archdiocese. I wonder where the money is supposed to come from. Does the Cardinal have $10 million dollars personally? Or is the money supposed to come from the other dioceses in India or the Indian Government? It is interesting that there is a plan. But the plan was rejected, so perhaps there is no one who actually has the money to pay.
Ernakulam already has a large flow of money through her institutions, and it will not be justice to get money from other dioceses with much lower budgets.
The problem is at dead end because the Cardinal has little in personal wealth, and attempting a fund raising will only backfire at this stage. As far as I know, the restitution demand is to correct the wrong done. I don't think the diocese is financially strained because of the loss.
There are speculations that others may have possibly benefitted from the deal, the Cardinal being a scapegoat. The Cardinal was not willing to disclose more details. The reports from the investigation of Vatican is not available to public.
So what is meant by restitution? The who would pay what to whom?
The sale of real estate properties of the archdiocese has reportedly caused a loss for the archdiocese. It is said that prime land was sold off without due process and evading some tax rules. Cardinal George Alencherry had full powers of archbishop when those deals were made. The scandal erupted into public (back in 2017) when news channels uncovered the documents in the deal, which had the Cardinal's signature.
The onus of restitution fell on the Cardinal and bishops synod, to make up the loss suffered by archdiocese. Mar Kariyil became the liaison between archdiocese and synod.
Per Mar Kariyil's recent letter, there was a plan to recompensate the archdiocese from the loss it incurred. I do not know the contents of that plan, but it was a plan within the Syro Malabar. That was rejected by the synod and the rejection was supported by the Oriental Congregation. The restitution plan was stalled as a result.
I wish I could give more information, but this is all I know.
I am grateful for you sharing the information you know!
So the money is to go to the Archdiocese. I wonder where the money is supposed to come from. Does the Cardinal have $10 million dollars personally? Or is the money supposed to come from the other dioceses in India or the Indian Government? It is interesting that there is a plan. But the plan was rejected, so perhaps there is no one who actually has the money to pay.
The money cannot come from Indian government.
Ernakulam already has a large flow of money through her institutions, and it will not be justice to get money from other dioceses with much lower budgets.
The problem is at dead end because the Cardinal has little in personal wealth, and attempting a fund raising will only backfire at this stage. As far as I know, the restitution demand is to correct the wrong done. I don't think the diocese is financially strained because of the loss.
There are speculations that others may have possibly benefitted from the deal, the Cardinal being a scapegoat. The Cardinal was not willing to disclose more details. The reports from the investigation of Vatican is not available to public.