Father Stan Swamy (83), a highly influential Jesuit Priest was arrested in October 2020 and lodged at the Taloja Jail for his role in the Bhima Koregaon – Elgar Parishad incident of 2018 that saw violence and stone pelting.
He was denied bail by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in March 2021, as prima facie evidence suggested that he hatched a conspiracy with members of a banned Maoist organization to create unrest in India and overthrow the government. The evidence considered by the NIA court included 140 emails between the accused Jesuit priest and his ‘comrades’ and also a transaction worth ₹8 lakhs between Stan Swamy and one of the comrades named Mohan.
NIA Special Judge DE Kothalikar rejected Stan’s bail application, asserting that based on the material on record it is apparent that Stan Swamy, “hatched a serious conspiracy to create unrest in the entire country and to overpower the Government, politically and by using muscle power”.
The Jesuit Curia in Rome on 31st March 2021 sent out a letter announcing that the The Secretariat and the Society of Jesus remains firmly united in solidarity with Fr. Stan Swamy and that Jesuits spread all around the world were bewildered and outraged to read the 34-page order of the NIA court.
The statement, released by the Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat, Rome, said “The Society of Jesus strongly denied and condemned such a statement by the learned court.”
“We stand united with Stan and many other human rights defenders at this crucial juncture. We commit ourselves to continue our effort, both nationally and internationally, to bring truth and justice to light and advocate for the rights of vulnerable people in a peaceful, non-violent way.”, it further added.
In light of this, victims of abuse by Jesuit priests are calling out the Society of Jesus for their harmful and “hypocritical” proclamation.
ECA (Ending Clergy Abuse) India representative R. Joseph Kennedy told The Commune that the church’s reputation has been shattered by the hypocrisy of Catholic leaders who claimed to be guardians of morality while remaining silent about clerical sexual abuse.
“This is a textbook case of hypocrisy. They (Jesuits) proclaim the Jesuit values and position themselves as the stewards of moral principles, ideals, and proper conduct in society. Why have they been so quiet for such a long time?”, he asked.
Kennedy was talking about the Loyola College sexual assault case in which a senior faculty member was sexually harassed by Father Xavier Alphonse, former principal of the Loyola College and former Director for Loyola College Alumni Association. He is also the brother of Xavier Britto (producer of Actor Vijay’s film Master).
The case has now swung heavily in the survivor’s favour with the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women issuing a scathing order requiring the institute to compensate the survivor. However, instead of honouring the Commission’s decision, Loyola College has gone back to the High Court for the second time, and they have defiantly refused to pay up and finish the case, even after the Judge advising them to do so.
Joseph Kennedy, himself is a product of a Loyola College, a Jesuit Institution in Chennai, and pointed out many instances where things have gone very wrong.
Several Jesuits involved in sexual abuse crimes and financial frauds continue to hold senior positions in academic institutions belonging to the Chennai/Madurai Jesuit Province.
“Rotten Jesuits indulging in all kinds of vices are rewarded instead of being probed and sacked.” Kennedy concluded.
Socio-political activist Robert Rosario, called the statement issued by Society of Jesus as a blatant interference of a foreign entity on India’s internal affairs. “It is the court and not a government or political party that has denied him (Stan Swamy) bail. No foreign entity has the right to question, criticize or issue statement against Indian courts. This is a direct attack on the sovereignty of the country.”, he said.
“Moreover in the lengthy letter, they use big words like ‘justice’, ‘equality’, ‘fraternity’, etc. My fundamental question is – are these being practiced within the Church? The people who talk about ‘human rights’ are denying the very same to people within their own institution. Where were these people when their own nuns were being sexually abused and raped by Jesuit priests? Did they issue any statement? They should clean the gutter that is in their own backyard instead of coming out with statements like these.” Robert Rosario told The Commune.
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