The Vatican accepts Mysore Bishop’s resignation.

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 .