Vatican orders priests to close private trusts

In a letter to the Bishops of Tamil Nadu, the Archbishop who is the representative of Pope Francis in India as well as the Vatican directed the Bishops to immediately take action as these trusts are turning into financial and political power bases for the priests. 

The Archbishop has, in the letter dated October 8, written to the Tamil Nadu Bishops council that the trusts registered as NGOs are turning into major political and financial sources of strength to the catholic clergy and that the practice has to be immediately curtailed. 

The decision of Archbishop Girelli is considered a direct fall out of several controversies, including the recent issue regarding the catholic clergy trying to open a Medical college and hospital in South Tamil Nadu. 

After the Archbishop’s letter, several Bishops in the country have written to the catholic priests to close down the private trusts in which they are active members and where financial transactions are being carried out.