Vatican dismisses Indian priest jailed for rape

KOCHI (INDIA)
UCA News

March 2, 2020

Completion of laicization takes away all the rights and responsibilities of priesthood from the jailed priest

A diocese in southern India has announced completion of the process of laicization of a priest who is serving a 20-year jail term for raping and impregnating a minor girl three years ago.
The laicization of Father Robin Vadakkumcherry has been completed with his acceptance of the Vatican’s dismissal decree and by informing the Vatican of his acceptance, Mananthavady Diocese in Kerala state said in a press release on March 1.
Police arrested Vadakkumcherry, now 51, in 2017 on charges of raping a 17-year-old girl and fathering her child. Sex with a girl under 18, a minor under Indian law, is considered a crime.
Vadakkumcherry was then parish priest of St. Sebastian’s Parish in Kottiyoor under Mananthavady Diocese and manager of the school in which the girl studied.

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