TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: A civil court here has ordered Fr Saluzinho Vaz to remove himself from the Infant Jesus Chapel, Murida-Cuncolim, and hand over the keys of the chapel to the Chapel Fabrica represented by the Administrator Fr Manuel Fernandes within three months.
Additional Civil Judge Senior Division, Vijaya Ambre, has restrained Fr Vaz from interfering with the possession of the Chapel and from continuing to reside in the residence annexed to it.
Commenting on the court order, Fr Vaz has said he is consulting his legal counsel and will take a call on challenging the civil court’s order before a higher court.
In the order, Judge Ambre said sufficient time should be given to Fr Vaz to vacate and hand over the possession of the premises to the plaintiffs in order to get new accommodation for himself. “Law of equity demands that opportunity should be given to Fr Vaz to have sufficient time to arrange for another accommodation for him or to redress his grievance before the Archbishop of Goa. As per canon 384, the diocesan Bishop has to provide with adequate means of livelihood and social welfare to the priest. Therefore, it is Diocesan Bishop or the Archbishop of Goa who has to provide proper accommodation with posting to Fr Vaz and that Fr Vaz has to approach him for his remedy”, Judge Ambre observed, adding “it is very much clear that after the discharge from the post of priest or chaplain, the said priest or chaplain ceases to be in possession of the chapel and the chaplain’s residence and they have to vacate the same.
