Indian Currents (IC), a 21-year-old national English weekly by Catholic Church has withdrawn its cover story 'Cardinal Sin' that revealed the controversial land deals of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese and the intervention of the cardinal in the land deal.
The publication investigated the land dealings by their internal team against Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, the major archbishop of Syro-Malabar church.
IC is a news magazine from New Delhi, published under the patronage of the Capuchins of Krist Jyoti Province of North India. It gives in-depth analysis of events related to sociopolitical and religious fields.
Dr Suresh Mathew, chief editor, IC, was asked by his provincial house to withdraw the cover story, his editorial and the corresponding article written by Fr Jose Vallikkattu, a missionary priest belonging to the Missionary Society of St Thomas (MST).
"As a priest, I should be obedient. When I received a call and an email from the Provincial House asking me to wait until the internal probe is over, there is nothing I can do but withdraw at the last moment. So I have been forced to withdraw all the articles on Cardinal Alencherry's land deals that have landed the Archdiocese of Ernakulam – Angamaly in a mess," Mathew told DC.
Four articles in the magazine, 'In the name of land, Cardinal Alencherry blocked from clergy meet', 'Land deal puts the Church in Mess', 'Not a Matter of faith' and 'Church in chaos', allege the cardinal and raise questions on the lack of transparency in the deal.
The cover story of the magazine states that "with the latest land row, however, the church has run itself the risk of losing the trust of its congregations. In fact, a church that was built on the solid foundation of unity is today divided in opinion".
