It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck.....

In connection with the controversial land deal involving the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese, in which the Church allegedly suffered a huge financial loss, a group of hostile priests accused the Syro-Malabar Church head Cardinal George Alencherry, who is also the Archbishop of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, for selling the prime land of the archdiocese for below the standard market price. A handful of priests were trying to defame the Syro-Malabar Church which has over 55 lakhs followers and 35 dioceses.

If the preachers and priests, were to literally live by the Bible they preach and interpret, especially The Gospel according to St. Luke 17.2 - "It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble," they wouldn't have taken their protest to the streets.

The church is made up with a clear demarcation, largely making it into two groups - the so called clergy and laity - the former being the ruling class and the latter like the proletariat. The so called 'anointed' ones having professed the vow of obedience and loyalty to Catholic Church, Pope and the bishop and total submission to the Church should have settled the matter internally.

Seeing the act of the priests, the faith laity had in the church and in its clergy is scattered. Their recent actions are even below the standard of behavior of the laity. So now the question arises whether there is any fundamental ecclesiastical difference between clergy and laity other than the former wearing a white robe and the Church conferring an elite status for the clergy and low status for laity for just administration purposes.

Having undergone decade long formation during their training for priesthood, are they better off than the laity in terms of their loyalty towards God and His Church. Priesthood which was a way of life is turned into a mere profession and the priests in this era take everything 'professionally.'

I think the laity who has not taken the vows of celibacy, poverty and obedience practise and follow them better than the clergy who has taken it in the Church before God, having others as witness to it in a highly solemnized religious function.

It is obvious that those priests have caused a scandal to the Church and other pious priests in general and laity in particular. Following the Bible they are supposed to live by and preach, especially The Gospel according to St. Luke 17.2, they should leave their religious habit and better become a part of laity than remaining as spoiled clergy living a luxury life at the expense of the so called laity.

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