January 22, 2025

The sexual exploitation, blackmail and rape charge leveled against several Christian priests in Kerala has once again stirred up a controversy. Rekha Sharma, the chairperson of the National Commission of Women, who investigated the charge has called for the abolition of the practice of confession in India. Soosa Pakiam, the Arch Bishop of the Trivendrum Catholic Archdiocese believes this is interference in the religious affairs of minorities and is hence unconstitutional.

Rekha Sharma believes that the incident would not have occurred if the girl had not followed the Christian practice of confession and had not confessed the way she was being sexually exploited by a priest since she was a teenager. Her confession led to her being blackmailed and further sexually exploited, this time by the priest to whom she made the confession, along with some other priests. Hence, Sharma says that the practice of confession should be abolished.

Soosa Pakiam, on the other hand believes that Sharma’s statement calling for abolition of confessions is a direct assault on the religious freedom of Christians. He is going to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister alleging that there is a “hidden agenda” in Sharma’s statement. The statement put out by the Church body categorically states that "we suspect communal and political motives behind this unconstitutional interference into the internal spiritual affairs of the Church." The Church also added that “confession, according to the Christian faith, is a Sacrament. It is a way to spiritual progress and salvation. It is a practice inherited from the early Christian communities. The sanctity of the seal of confession was held so high in the history of the Church that there are instances of priests having sacrificed their lives to protect it.”

The Church is absolutely right in saying that Sharma’s statement is a direct assault on religious freedom of Christians and violates the constitution. But when the action of several priests in the current issue is compared with what the Church says about priests having sacrificed their lives to protect confessions, it sounds farcical. How could a priest first sexually exploit a teenager? How could later several priests, based on her confession which was to be held as a Sacrament, blackmail her and further sexually exploit her?

One believes that the solution lies in the Church setting its house in order on its own. The present crime must be treated as a digression borne out of human failing and the perpetrators must be punished as per the law of the nation. There have been zillions of confessions in India on a daily basis. One such crime cannot be held as an example to rubbish the practice. Several self-styled Hindu godmen have been accused of rape and a few have been convicted. In Kathua, the keeper of a temple has been accused of kidnapping and getting a minor girl raped for days. Does that mean we close down all ashrams and temples? People in important positions must weigh the pros and cons of an issue with sensitivity before rushing in to grab prime time headlines.

Pic courtesy:adoroergosun.blogspot.com