By our Special Correspondent
Mysuru, Jan 28 (IVC) The Vatican has accepted the resignation of Mar Kannikadass Antony William , Bishop of Mysore catholic diocese , according to a communication received here from the Vatican recently.
According to an official release, Pope Francis has accepted the Bishop William’s resignation due to “the distressing situation “ in the Mysore diocese. Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the bishop Williams over allegations of murder, rape and misappropriation of Church funds. The Vatican had constituted a three-member panel headed by Archbishop Emeritus Leo Cornelio of Bhopal to look into charges against the bishop.
Mar Williams headed the Mysore diocese in the Southern Karnataka from February 2017 to January 2023 until he was asked to “take a period of absence from the ministry’ following the allegations of felonies.
The Fifty-eight year old prelate steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and it on a group of disgruntled priests in the diocese who were allegedly financially disciplined. The bishop is also facing allegations of keeping mistresses and having children.
The resignation comes amidst a campaign for the reinstatement of his active ministry attributed to a section of priests in the diocese. Those behind the campaign released a one-hour video titled “Conspiracy to kill Bishop K Antony William of Mysore Diocese by Father Gnanaprakash and team”, narrating how some priests actively conspired against the former bishop.
The video purportedly includes conversations with Archbishop Emeritus Leo Cornelio of Bhopal, who headed a three member Vatican panel that looked into the charges against Bishop William wherein he says “There was’nt a single substantiating evidence” against Bishop William. Archbishop Cornelio is heard accusing Fr Gnanaprakash and other priests of gross financial indiscipline. Fr Prakash is among the 37 priests who complained to the Vatican against Mar William.
It seems the video is doctored “to defame the priests who raised their voice against the Bishop William “ Fr Prakash said. “ the conversation attributed to me in the video is fake”. “I have sought permission from the apostolic administrator to initiate legal action against those campaigners” adding the priest said that other priests may follow suit.
Archbishop Cornelio was not available for comments .
