<p>Angry at the closure of St Paul the Hermit Church at V Nagenahalli in East Bengaluru over the installation of a Catholic priest’s bust on its premises, at least 14 parishioners have threatened to fast unto death till the place of worship is reopened.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In April, Bangalore Archbishop Bernard Moras ordered the closure of the church after the parishioners went ahead and installed the statue of Fr Chasara – a Kannada priest and one of the accused in the murder of St Peter’s Seminary Rector Fr Thomas – by violating the Canon Law governing the Catholic Church.<br /><br />Achbishop’s order<br />However, vice president of Catholic Christian Religious Rights Forum, Anthony Raj, contended that the late Fr Chasara worked not only for the development and construction of the church but also improved the lifestyle of the local community with commitment.<br /><br />“The Archbishop’s order is due to personal enmity. The statue has been installed outside the church. We will not remove the statue and will fast until the Archbishop lifts the ban,” Raj told Deccan Herald.<br /><br />Deprived of Sunday Mass<br />“There are 6,000 parishioners who are deprived of Sunday Mass. We have been holding prayers every day from 5 pm to 9 pm outside the closed church. Many parishioners have come forward to join the hunger strike,” he said.<br /><br />Those who took ill on Tuesday are undergoing treatment at the nearby Ambedkar hospital. <br /><br />“Two protesters were hospitalised on Monday and four on Tuesday. At the moment, eleven people, including five women, are staging a hunger strike and we will fast unto death till the church is opened for worship,” Anthony said. <br /></p>
<p>Angry at the closure of St Paul the Hermit Church at V Nagenahalli in East Bengaluru over the installation of a Catholic priest’s bust on its premises, at least 14 parishioners have threatened to fast unto death till the place of worship is reopened.<br /><br /></p>.<p>In April, Bangalore Archbishop Bernard Moras ordered the closure of the church after the parishioners went ahead and installed the statue of Fr Chasara – a Kannada priest and one of the accused in the murder of St Peter’s Seminary Rector Fr Thomas – by violating the Canon Law governing the Catholic Church.<br /><br />Achbishop’s order<br />However, vice president of Catholic Christian Religious Rights Forum, Anthony Raj, contended that the late Fr Chasara worked not only for the development and construction of the church but also improved the lifestyle of the local community with commitment.<br /><br />“The Archbishop’s order is due to personal enmity. The statue has been installed outside the church. We will not remove the statue and will fast until the Archbishop lifts the ban,” Raj told Deccan Herald.<br /><br />Deprived of Sunday Mass<br />“There are 6,000 parishioners who are deprived of Sunday Mass. We have been holding prayers every day from 5 pm to 9 pm outside the closed church. Many parishioners have come forward to join the hunger strike,” he said.<br /><br />Those who took ill on Tuesday are undergoing treatment at the nearby Ambedkar hospital. <br /><br />“Two protesters were hospitalised on Monday and four on Tuesday. At the moment, eleven people, including five women, are staging a hunger strike and we will fast unto death till the church is opened for worship,” Anthony said. <br /></p>
