In Mahabharat there is a character Draupadi, who lived happily with five husbands, the Pandava brothers. In June 2018 there appeared in the Kerala media the sad story of a present-day 'Draupadi' forced to sleep with four Malankara Orthodox priests, who passed her around like a football.
It started in 1999 with Abraham Varghese, who as a seminarian forced himself upon her when she was just 16 years old. This continued even after both got married (to different people, of course!- Malankara priests are allowed to marry). He allegedly blackmailed her to continue the relationship by threatening to reveal it to her husband.
She then confessed about this affair to another priest, Job Mathew. Instead of keeping the confessional information confidential, he used it to blackmail her and demand sexual favors.
The hapless woman then sought help from another priest, John Mathew, who was her former classmate. Instead of helping, he sexually took advantage of her plight!
All this abuse caused so much trauma that she sought counseling from a fourth priest, Jaison George. Tragedy of tragedies! Instead of helping, he too sexually abused her!!
According to the victim, all priests knew about the others' affair with her.
It was after this scandal of the confessional secret being revealed for sexual exploitation that I decided to read up on the history of sacraments.
What are Sacraments?
The Latin term Sacramentum means solemn oath. It had referred to the sacred oath of fidelity sworn by Roman soldiers. The term was popularised in the Western Church by the austere bishop of Carthage, Tertullian (c. 160-220).
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 'Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. Christ instituted all seven sacraments as ways in which He could be present to His people even after His ascension into heaven'.
In earlier times, the number of sacraments varied from 9 to 11. The fourth Lateral Council held in 1215 fixed the number at 7. This was finally confirmed at the Council of Trent (1545-1563). They are organized into 3 categories: the sacraments of initiation into the church (the body of Christ), consisting of baptism, the Eucharist and confirmation; the sacraments of healing consisting of reconciliation (confession) and anointing of the sick and the sacraments of service: holy orders and matrimony.
New Testament verses are commonly cited to support the Roman Catholic belief concerning the sacraments. e.g., the verse "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20: 23) is used for the sacrament of confession.
Protestant reformers of the 16th century rejected the claim by the Catholic Church of 7 sacraments, insisting that only 2 of the sacraments were instituted by Christ and could be vouched for by scripture: baptism and the Lord's Supper.
It started in 1999 with Abraham Varghese, who as a seminarian forced himself upon her when she was just 16 years old. This continued even after both got married (to different people, of course!- Malankara priests are allowed to marry). He allegedly blackmailed her to continue the relationship by threatening to reveal it to her husband.
She then confessed about this affair to another priest, Job Mathew. Instead of keeping the confessional information confidential, he used it to blackmail her and demand sexual favors.
The hapless woman then sought help from another priest, John Mathew, who was her former classmate. Instead of helping, he sexually took advantage of her plight!
All this abuse caused so much trauma that she sought counseling from a fourth priest, Jaison George. Tragedy of tragedies! Instead of helping, he too sexually abused her!!
According to the victim, all priests knew about the others' affair with her.
It was after this scandal of the confessional secret being revealed for sexual exploitation that I decided to read up on the history of sacraments.
What are Sacraments?
The Latin term Sacramentum means solemn oath. It had referred to the sacred oath of fidelity sworn by Roman soldiers. The term was popularised in the Western Church by the austere bishop of Carthage, Tertullian (c. 160-220).
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 'Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. Christ instituted all seven sacraments as ways in which He could be present to His people even after His ascension into heaven'.
In earlier times, the number of sacraments varied from 9 to 11. The fourth Lateral Council held in 1215 fixed the number at 7. This was finally confirmed at the Council of Trent (1545-1563). They are organized into 3 categories: the sacraments of initiation into the church (the body of Christ), consisting of baptism, the Eucharist and confirmation; the sacraments of healing consisting of reconciliation (confession) and anointing of the sick and the sacraments of service: holy orders and matrimony.
New Testament verses are commonly cited to support the Roman Catholic belief concerning the sacraments. e.g., the verse "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20: 23) is used for the sacrament of confession.
Protestant reformers of the 16th century rejected the claim by the Catholic Church of 7 sacraments, insisting that only 2 of the sacraments were instituted by Christ and could be vouched for by scripture: baptism and the Lord's Supper.
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