Kerala priest who ‘offered’ nun deal asked to step down

Jalandhar, July 30

A day after an audio clip of a telephonic conversation surfaced in which Father James Erthayil purportedly tries to strike a deal with a nun for withdrawal of a rape case against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, the Catholic Church on Monday asked the Kerala priest to step down.

The congregation — the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) — with which Father James served called the incident “unfortunate” and sought to clarify that the “offer” to set up a convent over 10 acres of land for the complainant and other supporting nuns was made by the priest in his individual capacity and had nothing to do with the church. The CMI said an inquiry had been initiated against Father James. During the course of inquiry, Father James would be at the CMI monastery in Idukki.

Father James Erthayil is associated with the Kanjirappally Diocese of the CMI. Sister Anupama, the nun whom he contacted with the offer, is from the Missionaries of Jesus in Kottayam. In the audio clip, Father James is heard saying that the Jalandhar Diocese would build the convent in Kottayam where the complainant and her five supporting nuns could stay, if they agreed to take back the rape complaint. — TNS