Mangaluru: Expressing concern over a recent incident of a priest in Bantwal taluk allegedly assaulting a senior couple, the Diocese of Mangalore has stated in a press release that the priest would be removed from the religious ministry of the church immediately.
The CCTV footage of Fr. Nelson Olivera, Parish priest of the Christ The King Church at Periyalthadka village of Manila near Vitla, Bantwal taluk, has gone viral on social media. The video clip shows the priest, who had reportedly visited the household for blessings on Thursday, arguing with the senior couple, Gregory and Philomena, and also assaulting them. The senior couple and the priest are learned to have developed a difference of opinion on the occasion and, as the couple reportedly told the priest not to visit them again, the matter aggravated into an argument and a physical assault of the couple by the priest.
While no case has been registered on the matter yet, the Diocese of Mangalore has said in its press release that, in immediate response to the incident, Fr. Olivera would be removed from the religious ministry at the Christ The King Church.
Fr. JB Saldanha and Ronald Castelino, who are the Diocese public relation officers, have said in the press release that the Diocese would fully cooperate with the law enforcing authorities. They added that, apart from the government enquiry, the Diocese itself would undertake canonical enquiries on the incident to establish the truth to take adequate future action in a just and fair manner.
