Benaulim parishioners condemn tirade against priest

Benaulim parishioners condemn tirade against priest
HERALD NEWS DESK
PANJIM, APRIL 10
Condemning the contents of the advertisement that appeared in the Herald titled ‘Padrink Lagun Saibinn Maim Roddta Rogtachim Dukham’, the parishioners of Holy Trinity Church, Benaulim have expressed shock and anger over the highly defamatory statement in the said advertisement against former Parish Priest Fr Leonard Moraes.
In a press release issued here, moderator of Parish Pastoral Council Micheal Rodrigues said that the statement, besides misquoting his announcements in the Church, has made a baseless, derogatory, objectionable and ill-intentioned remark against Fr Leonard with regard to the Cross on the main altar of Holy Trinity Church, Benaulim. “We condemn the malafide and communal intentions against the Catholic Church and the anti-priest attitude of the man with no character, no morals and no integrity of any kind, and who is out to defame the Church, the clergy and become notorious,” the release states.
Micheal further clarifies that the altar has a symbolic representation of the Holy Trinity in the form of a Hand, a Cross and the Holy Spirit. “The Altar was designed by late Fr Olavo Velho Pereira and duly approved by the Diocesan authority through the Commission for Sacred Art and Heritage. The Cross signifies the Incarnation of Christ Jesus,” he says and mentions that Fr Leonard had no role to play in it at all.
Heaping praise on the former Parish Priest Fr Leonard, the release states that he is held in high respect and esteem by the parishioners for the good work that he had dutifully put in the eight long years in this Parish. The parishioners have further urged the authorities of law to take the case seriously and deal with the culprits accordingly, so that such deviant acts of behaviour are controlled.