Even as the State government contemplates moving a petition in the High Court to challenge his acquittal by a sessions court, Bishop Franco, former head of the Latin Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, is set to conduct a class on ‘how to fight off allegations and overcome the traumatic phases of life’ to a closed gathering of catholic priests in Kottayam on Thursday.
According to the organisers, about 50 priests from various dioceses under the Syro-Malabar Church will attend the event, to be held at the Christeen Retreat Centre at Kalathippady near here from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The programme will begin with a class led by the Bishop, followed by a group discussion and a prayer service.
“The class will detail on the various methods that the Bishop deployed to resist the allegations, the traumatic experiences of his life and how he overcame the same, the ways of receiving assistance from outside etc., among others. During the discussion, the Bishop will also share with the priests his thoughts on how to put up a fight in the event of similar attacks against the clergy,” says Justine, programme coordinator.
