BishopAccountability.org
 
  Malawian Catholic Priest in Sex Scam

Zambian Watchdog
March 6, 2010

http://www.zambianwatchdog.com/2010/03/06/malawian-catholic-priest-in-sex-scam/

ZAMBIA -- A Blantyre priest who fathered two children with a Mulanje woman has been suspended from his parish duties by his Roman Catholic bishop on Friday while church officials investigate his sexual relationship.

According to sex and scandal newspaper, Weekend Times, Father Dasiano Kunkeyani has been suspended after being credibly accused of forgoing his celibacy and fathering two children.

The paper quoted Auxiliary Bishop of archdiocese of Blantyre, Montfort Sitima who said: "For now, Father Kunkeyani has been told to stop celebrating mass at Mulopwa Parish in Mulanje."

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Rev. Fr. Sitima as auxiliary Bishop of Blantyre archdiocese where he was already serving as Vicar General. He will be ordained on April 24.

According to Canon law, an auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions or that the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer.

Archbishop Tarcisius Gervazio Ziyaye (pictured), the head of Catholic Church in Malawi, is the bishop of archdiocese of Blantyre which has a population of 1,133,850 Catholics.

Bishop Sitima said "church is the image of God…we carry the work of God and this is very delicate" and that Roman Catholic Church could not "condone indecency among our priests."

"You must understand the Catholic Church is a very huge institution as such priests have a very huge responsibility which requires integrity," Bishop Sitima is quoted as saying.

According to Sitima, the head of Roman Catholic Church in Malawi is worried with negative stories against the church.

"The media is attacking the Church through negative stories some of which are false….the Catholic Church has got its own procedure of handling these issues. People should not go to the press to seek solutions," said Sitima.

Father Kunkeyanu did not immediately return a call to his parish office on Friday night.

Bishop Sitima said the church would conduct an investigation that will determine whether Fr Kunkeyani can be returned to Mulopwa parish.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.