AUGUST 15, 2015

Fr. Gali Arulraj has mistress, kids, embezzles a Million Pounds from British charity – but not defrocked

My insertions/comments are in green font. I have tried to present this report chronologically –Michael

Gali Arulraj – the scamming, thieving Catholic priest with a ‘wife’ and kids / His Bishop Moses Doraboina Prakasam of Nellore diocese who has not defrocked him after eight years

It must be hard not to look smug when you have scammed a million pounds –http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/

Since Fr. Gali Arulraj has only been suspended, finally (!) and not dismissed from the priesthood or laicized by obtaining a dispensation, he couldn’t have married in the Church and therefore the woman who fathered his children and whom he lives with in a luxurious palatial mansion is not his ‘wife’ but is his mistress.

The “priest” has not yet been brought to justice by either the civil authorities or the Church.

I can find no evidence of any story on his criminal and anticlerical activities in the Catholic/Church media.

UK organisation accuses NGO of misusing Rs. 6 crore

Money was sent to run homes for the benefit of disabled children

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/article3102039.ece

Special Correspondent, The Hindu, July 8, 2006

Ongole: Enable, a UK-based social organisation working in India, has alleged that an NGO has misappropriated the aid of Rs. 6 crores given to it in the last five years to run homes for the benefit of disabled children at Ongole.

Speaking to newspersons here on Friday, Enable general secretary Colin Harte wanted the Registrar of Societies to cancel the registration of the NGO, seize its records, take over the buildings, vehicles etc., and revive the activities of the two homes at Ongole for the benefit of 230 children.

He also sought an independent audit of the accounts of the society to ascertain the extent of misappropriation of funds. Expressing concern over the large-scale misappropriation of funds, he wanted action against the society to instill confidence among foreign organisations providing funds for several NGOs in India.

Started in 1995

Alison Davis* floated Enable in England in 1995 to mobilise donations to take up social activities in India through the NGO and provided 7,30,000 British pounds (equivalent to Rs. 6 crores in Indian currency) till now.

A priest launched the NGO to help rehabilitate disabled children at Kanigiri and later shifted his activities to Ongole. The society has received substantial aid from Enable in the last two years to provide shelter, food and education to some 230 disabled children through its two homes at Ongole.

*TESTIMONY OF A FORMER ATHEIST-15

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_ATHEIST-15.doc

Falsified accounts

Mr. Harte said that they were releasing funds for construction of buildings, vehicles on the basis of receipt of accounts and requests from the NGO. But they came to know that the auditor was providing falsified accounts. So he came here in January to verify the accounts but to his chagrin the NGO refused him access to accounts. A cursory look at the accounts showed him variations with the accounts provided to Enable before. He alleged that the accounts were falsified and tampered.

TAKING STOCK: Enable general secretary Colin Harte addressing a press conference in Ongole on Friday.

As Enable had provided 99 per cent of the funds to the NGO in the last two years, he filed a complaint with the police to verify the records. He came to know that it had used the funds for constructing palatial buildings at Ongole and Bangalore without its knowledge or permission and used them for purposes other than relating to disabled children.

He expressed concern that following the controversy the NGO had closed the homes and abandoned the disabled children. He wanted the Collector to see that the homes were revived immediately.

‘Receiving threats’

Saying that he had been receiving intimidating calls and mail, Mr. Harte said that he would not be cowed down by such threats and Enable would pursue the matter to its logical end.

From:
Javier Lopez Torres, Madrid
To:
michaelprabhu@vsnl.net
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 4:27 AM

Subject: Priests ‘stole thousands’ from charity

Priests ‘stole thousands’ from charity

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/News1.html,

http://www.exacteditions.com/read/catholic-herald/5-january-2007-2170/1/3

By Freddy Gray, The Catholic Herald, January 5, 2007

A Catholic-run charity for disabled children in India is in crisis after two priests allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of pounds from it. Fr. Gali Arulraj, who was director of the British aid agency Enable in India, is in hiding with his nephew – another priest, Fr. Vatakili Paulinraj – following reports that both men had been stealing cash to buy houses for Fr Arulraj’s mistresses and children.

Enable’s trustees – all Catholics – are now desperately assuring donors that any money they give will be spent helping the handicapped children who, in the words of the local Catholic bishop, have been “abandoned” by the two rogue priests.

The charity’s trustees fear the priests could take yet more funds through the illegal sale of Enable’s valuable assets.

Indian police are currently investigating the two priests, who have spent some time in custody but are now free on conditional bail while charges are being drawn up.

The police informed Enable that Fr. Arulraj had attempted to bribe officials.

“We think he offered something in the region of £12,000 to £15,000 to local police and local authorities to avoid prison,” said Colin Harte, Enable’s general secretary.

“He has been able to get away with it so far. We want to appeal to the Indian authorities to take proper action. Indian justice is at stake here.

“If the authorities don’t punish Arulraj, it could have repercussions beyond that of justice for the children; the confidence of other agencies working in India and other developing countries could be badly affected.”

In a letter to Enable supporters, Bishop Pudhota Chinniah Balaswamy, the outgoing Bishop of Nellore, said he was “shocked” by Fr. Arulraj’s actions. “His subsequent decision to abandon a good number of children in order to protect his own interests also pains me greatly,” he said. “I am sure that we can jointly rectify the defects and restore the heavy damages.”

Fr. Arulraj is understood to have embezzled Enable’s funds through his own “partner” organisation, the Dayananda Nilayam Society for Social Development (DNSSD).

In April last year, Enable became aware of what it described on its website as a “serious problem with Fr. Arulraj” after the priest refused access to the group’s accounts.

Fr. Paulinraj, who was secretary and treasurer of the DNSSD, resigned unexpectedly on May 25. Six days later Enable asked Fr. Arulraj to step down from his position immediately on suspicion of financial irregularities. In June, Mr. Harte made an emergency trip to India, staying in Ongole, southern India. While there, he visited the Enable Centre for Disabled Children and found it had been closed and locked up. He heard that children arriving for the beginning of the academic year had been turned away.

It also emerged that Fr. Arulraj had written to donors in Britain asking for money to be sent to him directly.

From his hiding place, Fr. Arulraj sent letters to police accusing Enable chiefs of stealing funds and other serious crimes.

“This was despicable of him,” said Mr. Harte. “He hoped it would distract from the investigation against him.”

Local Superintendent Mr. N. Balasubramaniam had assured Mr. Harte that Fr. Arulraj and his nephew would be brought to justice before Christmas. However, as The Catholic Herald went to press, charges had still not been filed.

Enable Chairwoman Alison Davis, voted Catholic Woman of the Year in 2002, said that she was “extremely saddened” by Fr. Arulraj’s betrayal. “We understand that he has several mistresses and he has been buying houses for them with Enable money,” she said. “He has betrayed us, but more importantly, he has betrayed the children that we are trying to help.”

Exchange of correspondence with Mr. Colin Harte, Secretary General of Enable, UK

(Modification: The rest of the correspondence was removed on Mr. Harte’s request.)

From:
Colin Harte
To:
michaelprabhu@vsnl.net
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2012 5:11 AM Subject: ephesians-511.net

Dear Michael, 
Greetings from England, 
I came across your website tonight and just wanted to write a note of thanks for you for it and the work you are doing. 

I have had an unfortunate experience with some priests in Andhra Pradesh, and their bishop who prefers to turn a blind eye to their behaviour (see http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/) and it was very positive for me to see your website and be reminded of the genuine, faith-filled attitude of Catholics in India.
I just wanted to say thank you and to encourage you to keep the faith and to promote it joyfully.
God bless you and your family, Colin

From:
prabhu
To:
colin.harte@live.co.uk
Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2012 8:45 PM Subject: Re: ephesians-511.net

Dear Colin,  

Nice to hear from you. I went through the blog. Shocking. The embezzled sum in question is a fortune in England, forget about India! I wish I could put up the story on my web site. But I cannot do it for several reasons. It has moral, financial and administrative lapses and malpractices; my ministry is about exposing New Age, heresy, doctrinal & liturgical error, etc. Two, I do not know “Enable” or the background. I never write unless I am 101% certain of the facts from all angles. The blog is not exhaustive and I do not have the time to search for information. I am in the middle of a crusade against John Wijngaards’ womenpriests.org that has surfaced in India.

What intrigues me is the affair that one of the priests is openly involved in. Now that is not very common in India, I think.

In closing, let me thank you for writing and saying nice things about my ministry.

You take care and keep up your good work and don’t be discouraged by your past experience.

With kind regards, Michael

From:
Colin Harte
To:
michaelprabhu@vsnl.net
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2012 3:43 PM Subject: RE: ephesians-511.net

Dear Michael, 
Many thanks for replying.  It’s kind of you to even think of putting the story on your website, but I really don’t expect you to do so. Your site is covering other things, which are important in themselves. I am also impressed that you are unwilling to cover anything unless you are certain of all the facts from all angles. This is important and a view that I always take too! 
I would appreciate it if you could remember the situation in the Diocese of Nellore in your prayers. […]

FROM THE BLOG OF MR. COLIN HARTE OF ENABLE, UK:

Gali Arulraj – the scamming priest

How is it possible for a man to have a ‘wife’ and (at least) two children, to separate himself from his bishop for nearly 15 years, to be facing criminal charges for fraud, theft and other serious crimes, and even then to continue his scamming – and yet remain a Catholic priest?

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/, http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.in/:

A disclaimer of sorts

This is not an anti-Catholic or anti-clerical blog. Far from it. Though I do not present myself as a model Catholic (few of us, alas, are), I firmly believe in and cherish the Catholic faith. I esteem the Catholic priesthood and the countless thousands of priests who live lives of dedicated service. Regrettably there are some priests who dishonour the priesthood.
Just weeks before he was elected Pope, the future Benedict XVI lamented: “How much filth there is in the Church and even among those in the priesthood.” But how can the Church be purified of that filth if Bishops fail to exercise the authority given to them to purify the Church of that filth?

This is a personal blog and responsibility for it lies solely with me and not with any other individuals or organisations with which I am associated. Having said that, I am pretty sure that everyone I associate with would agree with me in regarding a scammer like Gali Arulraj, who has used and is still using the Catholic priesthood as a front for stealing funds intended for disabled children, as being among the most contemptible people on the planet.

An introduction to (Fr) Gali Arulraj

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/introduction-to-fr-gali-arulraj.html
March 15, 2012

Gali Arulraj is a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Nellore, in Andhra Pradesh state, South India. He was ordained a priest in 1981. 

While parish priest in the town of Kanigiri, he established an independent charity called the Dayananda Nilayam Society for Social Development (DNSSD). Since its inception Arulraj has been Director of DNSSD.

Between 1998 and 2006 the main donor to DNSSD was a registered UK charity, Enable (Working in India).

Since 2006, Enable has discovered that Arulraj, with associates, embezzled donations in excess of one million pounds.

In 2007, Gali Arulraj and three associates were charged by the Indian police, at Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, with a number of criminal offences, including theft, criminal conspiracy, ‘cheating’ and fraud. Those charged with Arulraj are (Fr) Vatakili Paulinraj (Arulraj’s nephew who is also a priest of the Diocese of Nellore), Dr. Gudipati Subba Rao (a medical practitioner at the DNSSD projects), and Mrs. Gongeda Sujatha (described in the charge sheet and elsewhere as the ‘wife’ of Gali Arulraj. Her name is sometimes written as Gangada Sujatha).

The charges were brought in 2007, but the case has still not come to the criminal court.
Although Catholic priests are not allowed to marry, Mrs. Gongeda Sujatha is known as Arulraj’s ‘wife’. It is unclear whether they have formally married, but Arulraj is recognised as the father to her two young children.

There were several elements to Arulraj’s deception during the years that Enable supported DNSSD. At first he was a priest in good standing with his bishop and diocese. When he abandoned his diocesan responsibilities in violation of his obedience to his bishop (from 1997) and lived as a married man with his ‘wife’ and children, he continued to present himself as a priest in good standing. His deception was made possible due to the complicity of his nephew, (Fr) Vatakili Paulinraj [whose name is sometimes given as Fr V. Paulin Raj], who served as Secretary/Treasurer of DNSSD. With Paulinraj at times concelebrating with him, Arulraj performed the sacred priestly action of celebrating Holy Mass, even though he was living a way of life that made a mockery of that sacred action.

(Fr) Vatakili Paulinraj assisted Arulraj’s deception

No one in Enable knew anything about Arulraj’s double life until June 2006.

Arulraj and Paulinraj embezzled funds by presenting Enable with sets of false accounts over several years. An informal set was provided for the calendar year during visits to India by Enable representatives each January. A formal set of accounts, signed off by a chartered accountant, Mr. Parchuri Venkata Ranganadham, of Ongole, was prepared for each financial year, ending in March. Enable was also presented with ‘bank statements’ signed by a manager of the Indian Overseas Bank, Trunk Road, Ongole (with whom I met and received confirmation of the authenticity of the ‘statements’). The subsequent police investigation revealed that both the bank manager and the chartered accountant had fraudulently approved entirely false accounts and bank statements. Arulraj’s ‘scam’ had been to simultaneously raise funds from other donors, about whom Enable was not informed, and there was no record of those other donations on the accounts shown to us. In turn, the other donors were not informed about the donations DNSSD received from Enable.

The scam enabled Arulraj and Paulinraj to embezzle more than one million pounds. They kept for themselves donations that had been given to support disabled children. In other words, they stole from the poorest in Indian society to enrich themselves. The evidence of their embezzlement was discovered in their bank accounts and possession of palatial private properties. Enable discovered a problem with the DNSSD accounts, from which the embezzlement was eventually discovered, in 2006. When Arulraj and Paulinraj failed to give an adequate reply to queries, as Enable’s General Secretary I contacted the Bishop of Nellore, then the Most Rev. P.C. Balaswamy, seeking his intervention. With his encouragement and support I presented the evidence of criminal wrongdoing to the police in June 2006. Bishop Balaswamy gave strong support to Enable’s attempts to justly resolve the problem with the two priests. When Arulraj and Paulinraj abandoned hundreds of children for whom they had assumed responsibility, Bishop Balaswamy asked for (and received) Enable’s assistance so that the Diocese would be able to support a number of them.
In December 2006, Bishop Balaswamy’s long-overdue retirement (several years after the expected Bishops’ retirement age of 75) was accepted and a successor, Bishop Doraboina Moses Prakasam, was appointed. To say that Enable’s Board of Trustees (including myself) are “disappointed” with the way Bishop Prakasam has addressed the scandal involving his two priests would be a charitable understatement.
Some details of what happened in 2006-2007 and subsequently will be described in other posts. 
Having kept a low profile for a few years Arulraj re-emerged in February 2012, presenting himself as Director of the New Life Society for the Poor and Handicapped. On his Linked-In Profile, Arulraj presents himself as a priest, describing himself as Fr Gali Arulraj, Director at New Life Society for the poor and handicapped, whereas on a website for that “Society”, launched in March 2012, he describes himself as Mr. G.A. Raj, Director.
[UPDATE 30 March 2012:  Following the exposure given by this blog, the profile and website have already been removed]
The projects described on Arulraj’s professionally designed website, for which he is seeking donations, are non-existent. I will describe the scam in subsequent posts.  
This blog has been set up to expose Arulraj’s continued scams. Having experienced Arulraj’s deception over a period of many years, I feel a responsibility to warn others of what he is currently doing. As a Catholic myself, it is with much regret that I find myself having to expose a consummate scammer who is also a Catholic priest. The regret is accompanied by considerable dismay that Bishop Prakasam of Nellore has turned a deaf ear to repeated requests, since I first met him in January 2007, for Arulraj’s canonical status to be addressed. The ongoing scandal of the “scammer priest” could so easily have been prevented.

New Life Society for the Poor and Handicapped – The Scam

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/new-life-society-for-poor-and.html

March 17, 2012

You receive a letter or email from an organisation in India, describing the dire need of children who are disabled, homeless, sick, orphaned, hungry or needing clean water. Of course, you are moved by compassion and want to help – but you wonder whether the appeal is authentic. Could it not, after all, be a scam? One way of checking its authenticity, you might think, is to see what is said about the organisation online.  
An online search for The New Life Society for the Poor and Handicapped will reveal a professionally produced website http://thenewlifesociety.com/ for what appears to be a credible society, actively working for some of the poorest in India. The impressive-looking website (expensively produced by Bhoomica InfoGraphics in Hyderabad, A.P., as a little background checking reveals) suggests that you can confidently donate and that your contribution will make a difference to the lives of those greatly in need.
But is the “New Life Society” really as it seems? Unfortunately…no.

5. In the “About Us” page it states that the New Life Society was registered in Andhra Pradesh in 1999. Either it was registered later than that date (in which case the site is being deliberately deceptive) or it has been scamming since then and raising money for non-existent projects — possibly claiming that DNSSD projects (funded by Enable) were projects of the New Life Society, with Arulraj pocketing all the donations received for them. If the New Life Society had actually been doing any concrete public service since 1999, why are all the photographs on the website of activities associated with the DNSSD?
6. On the “project experiences” page it says that the New Life Society has “3 decades of experienced management in the community development.” This is quite a remarkable accomplishment for a Society registered, according to the same website, for 13 not 30 years. This, and the other ‘experiences’ are entirely made up. It sounds great, but has no substance to it whatsoever.
7. One page describes “Our team” – but only one person is in fact mentioned: “Mr. G. A. Raj.” He is described as having “undergone a number of interstate, national and international exposures.”  As the name “Mr. G.A. Raj” has received no exposure until now, this is in fact untrue. However, given that his alter-ego “Fr Gali Arulraj” has been widely exposed as a fraudster, scammer, and thief, perhaps it should be applauded as a uniquely truthful statement. As he clearly esteems exposure, I trust that Arulraj will be grateful for the exposure given to him by this blog.
8. If its Director is “Fr Gali Arulraj” (as stated on Arulraj’s Linked-In profile) why the deception on the New Life Society website that it’s Director is Mr. G.A. Raj?

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/how-scam-works.html

March 18, 2012

How could Gali Arulraj get away with scamming Enable and other agencies for so many years? Didn’t Enable monitor the projects? Didn’t Enable view his society’s accounts?
In fact, Enable was more conscientious about monitoring the projects in India than most comparable international agencies. Two of Enable’s trustees visited the projects in India in 1995, 1997, and 1998. Thereafter, at least two trustees (and usually more) visited each January between 2001 and 2006, each visit lasting two weeks. During those January visits Enable’s trustees closely monitored how well the projects were functioning, discussed possible developments, and went carefully through the accounts statements with Gali Arulraj and Vatakili Paulinraj. We examined the formal accounts we had received for the financial year (ending in March), which were signed off by the chartered account, Mr. Parchuri Venkata Ranganadham (whom I met). We also examined an informal set of accounts for the calendar year (January to December) and based subsequent funding decisions on (what we reasonably believed to be) accurate and reliable information.

As has been described in the first post on this blog, the chartered accountant signed off statements of the accounts knowing them to be entirely false. They were tailor-made to deceive Enable. There is nothing that an overseas aid agency can do in the face of systematic corruption by people who are willing not only to violate their professional code of ethics but to break the law. It was only by chance that Enable uncovered Arulraj’s scam with the DNSSD after discovering that Mr. Ranganadham had falsely certified the accounts of another charity.
The formal sets of DNNSD accounts were also signed off by Arulraj (as shown in the picture below). The informal accounts, which were equally false, were signed off by both Arulraj and Paulinraj (further below).

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/from-mouth-of-consummate-scammer.html

March 19, 2012

Following on from yesterday’s post I found an email, sent to me and also to Enable’s Chair (Alison Davis) on 8 December 2004. It describes how scams work in the state of Andhra Pradesh (A.P.), where DNSSD is based. The email is from none other than the expert scammer Gali Arulraj. Here is the relevant extract, reproduced as it was written:
“I wish to share with you some information about NGOs in A.P.

There are 4000 NGOs in A.P. Most of them exist in paper. Nearly 20% work here and there genuinely. These are mostly church related organizations. These organizations also have different aims and areas of working. There is one organization in Ongole they are working for erradicating the child labour. But mostly it is some sort of employment for the NGOs.

In every projects they plan 70% would go for salaries and 30% would reach real beneficiaries. There are some NGOs who are always interested to get addresses (donors) and apply for some amount which is not realistic because they are not sure whether the agency would give the help needed and therefore they apply for small help because they think whatever comes is O.K.

[…]There may be some NGOs who will have 10 donors correspondence and ask all of them equal amount then they get what they need. To all of them they would give the same picture of the building. In this situation a donor can be happy that they asked for small amount for a big building.

[…]Many organizations give money and they would never visit and that type of projects would remain only in the paper.  Since you come every year you know what is happening and the developments etc.”

Arulraj also spoke on this topic of scamming to us several times. It was obviously a topic close to his heart.

Arulraj’s contact details from his website

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/arulrajs-contact-details-from-his.html

March 19, 2012

Rehabilitation Centre, Annavarappadu, Ongole

Phone:  9989604414; +919989604414; 08592-224110; +91 8592-224110; +918592-224110; +918592224110; +91 8592224110

Email: info@thenewlifesociety.com

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/evidence-of-arulrajs-million-pound-scam.html

March 19, 2012

The palatial property in Gollipudi Street, Santhapet, Ongole built for Arulraj’s wife and children from embezzled funds

The same property, which is so secluded it cannot be seen clearly from the main road, and is too large to be pictured clearly.  This side view was photographed by me after a neighbour allowed me access to his property.

“I can live my priestly life under a tree or in a hut. I do not need these buildings. They are meant for the disabled children and not for me. I have lived hard way and I can live hard way till my death.”

                      – (Fr) Gali Arulraj. Email to Enable’s Chair, Alison Davis, 6 May 2006

“All these years I was doing all the works that have been asked by Fr Gali Arulraj on your behalf without taking a rupee except the gift you give when you come to India.”

                     – (Fr) Vatakili Paulinraj. Final email to Alison Davis and Colin Harte, 3 June 2006

Well, that’s what they said……but the evidence tells a very different story:

The fraudulent DNSSD accounts for the year ending March 2006 indicate that apart from about £3,000 received from two other sources, DNSSD relied on Enable to funds its projects. This was the pattern of previous years too and Enable understood it was providing 98% of DNSSD’s income.

The (genuine) DNSSD bank statements (of which I now have a copy), that came to light during the police investigation, revealed that in the years during which Enable understood that it was providing a necessary 98% of DNSSD’s income, it was in fact providing only 37% of its income. In addition to Enable’s funds, DNSSD received during that period donations of INR (Indian Rupees) 85,350,785 from other overseas sources. This amount was embezzled – not used for charitable purposes. Taking into account fluctuations in the exchange rate this is an amount in the region of 1.2 million pounds sterling (close to two million dollars or euros).

If you scammed a million pounds in the UK or the equivalent amount of dollars in the USA you would be a wealthy person. Multiply that amount several times and you will get a glimpse of the scale of luxury provided by Arulraj’s scam in a small town like Ongole in South India.

The charge sheet, dealing with the crimes of Arulraj and his associates was filed in court in Ongole and reveals what happened to some of the embezzled funds. In addition to the property, photographed above, it gives details of other properties (not previously declared) in Ongole and also one as far away as Bangalore.

The charge sheet gives details of a property, constructed for INR 21,01,112 (about £30,000 – a large amount in Ongole) in the name of (Fr) Vatakili Paulinraj. Why he needed the house is unclear given that he was working as a parish priest some distance away at the time, living in a house provided by the diocese. Unlike Arulraj who was scamming full-time, Paulinraj visited the DNSSD projects for just a few hours every week or two. There is no way that a priest like Paulinraj could have honestly amassed such a large amount (especially by Indian standards) to construct a house for himself. Paulinraj also had INR 48,77,700 (about £70,000) transferred from DNSSD in his bank account. Arulraj rewarded his nephew Paulinraj well for his involvement in the scams, no doubt knowing he couldn’t have been so successful without him. 

In addition to the properties he bought or constructed from embezzled funds, the charge sheet records that Arulraj had INR 65,56,749 (about £94,000) transferred from DNSSD in his personal bank account. The DNSSD bank statements show that the charity account had also been used like a personal bank account with a range of large withdrawals made over the years for unidentified purposes.

The evidence of the bank statements, as well as the findings uncovered by the Indian police investigation and included in the charge sheet, demonstrates clearly that Gali Arulraj, with the support of Vatakili Paulinraj and others, was a million pound scammer.

Why is Gali Arulraj still a priest?!

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/why-is-gali-arulraj-still-priest.html

March 19, 2012

LinkedIn profile of “Fr Gali Arulraj” – screenshot of 17 March 2012

 
If Gali Arulraj were an ‘ordinary Joe’ his actions, while contemptible, would not cause the same degree of consternation. It is precisely because he is a priest that his behaviour has been truly shocking. Apart from the recent subterfuge of calling himself “Mr. G.A. Raj,” Arulraj has insisted on using the title of “Fr Gali Arulraj” and introducing himself as a Catholic priest. 

It is as a Catholic priest that he has sent malicious letters (about me and others in Enable) to just about anyone he can think of including Archbishop Vincent Nichols (of Westminster) and my own bishop, Bishop Christopher Budd (of Plymouth Diocese). It is still how he presents himself on the LinkedIn profile set up in February 2012. And when his case comes to trial, he and Paulinraj will be tried (and, if justice is served, convicted) as Catholic priests.  

The scandal of Arulraj – and also of Paulinraj – is compounded by the fact that neither of them has incurred so much as a suspension of their priestly faculties or, in fact, any disciplinary penalty from their bishop.

After discussions with informed people who were able to enlighten him about the situation with Arulraj, Archbishop Nichols wrote a letter, dated 18 October 2007, to Arulraj’s bishop, Bishop Moses Doraboina Prakasam. He asked for a clarification of the status of Arulraj, and said:
“I understand from very reliable sources in this country that the accusations [against officials in Enable] that Fr Arulraj makes in his letter are not only unfounded but they are also part of an aggressive defence that he is mounting to defend himself against charges of fraud and theft.

I am of the impression that he has written to many of the Bishops of England and Wales. To have done so is an act of considerable deceit which surely has grave consequences.”

Archbishop Nichols rightly pointed out to Arulraj’s bishop that even for Arulraj to write a letter to bishops in England and Wales containing unfounded allegations was “an act of considerable deceit which surely has grave consequences.” Yet, for this act Arulraj suffered no consequences from his bishop. And there have been no consequences, grave or otherwise, for Arulraj and Paulinraj, in spite of much more serious acts committed while presenting themselves as Catholic priests.
Since January 2007 I have met Bishop Prakasam in Nellore, India and in London. I have written to him countless times, asking time and time again for him to deal with the two priests. After the first meeting in January 2007 he assured me that he would be taking appropriate action. By email, he informed me on 21 May 2007: “I am initiating the process of giving a canonical conclusion to the status of Arulraj, as per the Cannon [sic] Law.” When I discovered a few months later that nothing in fact had been initiated I wrote to him on 26 November 2007, with a “formal request” for disciplinary action to be taken against Gali Arulraj and Vatakili Paulinraj. The letter said:
———————————

In January, I informed you that Enable’s Trustees do not believe that Enable, as an organisation, has a responsibility to ask you to discipline your priests. However, individuals within Enable, including myself and other trustees, are entitled to express their opinions informally and even to raise matters formally with you.   

On several occasions since January, I have mentioned that I was expressing informally to you the sense of outrage caused by the behaviour of both Arulraj and Paulinraj, and I have expressed an expectation that their bishop should take proper disciplinary action against them. I am saddened that I have had to express my opinion so frequently, and that you have not taken any action. A bishop who is conscious of his responsibilities when faced with the sorts of outrages committed by Arulraj and Paulinraj should take action without being asked formally to do so,  and I have not wanted to ask you formally to take action because this in itself suggests that you have been negligent in taking the action expected of you.

It is therefore with much regret that I am now writing to you, more ten months after I first raised these matters with you, to ask you formally to take proper disciplinary action against your two priests. Arulraj merits immediate suspension from all priestly ministry, with a further canonical process to consider whether he should be dismissed from the priesthood. Paulinraj merits at least an immediate suspension from all public priestly ministry, including suspension from his position as parish priest. There may well be grounds for further disciplinary action to be taken against Paulinraj, given his close association with Arulraj’s activities.

You have already received details about the activities of Arulraj and Paulinraj from me, Bishop Balaswamy and [a diocesan official]. You have also received a copy of the charge sheets drawn up for their trial at the criminal court at Ongole […]

Each of Enable’s trustees has asked to be included in this formal request for disciplinary action to be taken against Arulraj and Paulinraj. The names of these trustees are Ms. Alison Davis, Mr. Colin Harte, Mrs. Eileen Brydon, Mrs. Janet Thomas, Dr. Hugh Heggary, and Mr. Robin Haig. The trustees are all Catholics and are fully informed of the actions of Arulraj and Paulinraj which they find entirely incompatible with that of the priestly ministry. Like me, the trustees regret that you chose not to discipline your priests before now, and regret the need to ask you formally to take action. Our formal request reflects the opinion expressed by many hundreds of supporters of Enable from both the laity and clergy.

———————

Five years on from my first meeting with Bishop Nellore, no progress has been made.

When a bishop refuses to take action…

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/when-bishop-refuses-to-take-action.html

March 20, 2012

When I first met Bishop Prakasam in January 2007, a few days after his installation as Bishop of Nellore, I told him about a case that was just then being reported concerning a priest in America, Fr Rodney Rodis. It had come to light that the priest had embezzled six hundred thousand dollars (about £400,000) from parish funds to buy a property and fund a lifestyle for himself and (would you have guessed?) his ‘wife’ and children. 
Immediately Rodis’ priestly faculties were suspended. He was subsequently convicted of embezzlement and is now serving an 18-year prison sentence. He is described in reports now as an ex-priest.

Bishop Prakasam: Let Arulraj be Mr. G.A. Raj

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/bishop-prakasam-let-him-be-mr-ga-raj.html

March 20, 2012

On his “New Life Society” website he wishes to be known as “Mr. G.A. Raj”.
Arulraj’s preference for lay status should be facilitated as soon as possible

I started this blog the day after Arulraj’s scamming website for “The New Life Society for the Poor and Handicapped” was brought to my attention. What I have written here gives anyone who is making an internet search connected with this “New Life Society” enough information to avoid being scammed, so this blog has served its primary purpose.

Maybe Arulraj will always be a scammer – that’s up to him. Nobody is born a scammer. We choose whether we want to live honestly or whether we want to cheat others. I wish Arulraj would choose a better life. But it’s up to him.

What is truly offensive, though, to any Catholic – and indeed to any decent human being – is to have someone scamming who is a priest.

And so the question posted in the sub-heading of the blog must be addressed:

How is it possible for a man to have a ‘wife’ and (at least) two children, to separate himself from his bishop for nearly 15 years, to be facing criminal charges for fraud, theft and other serious crimes, and even then to continue his scamming – and yet remain a Catholic priest?

With Arulraj’s renewed scamming activities – online for all to see – his bishop must now surely address his status as a priest. And if he does not, all Catholics are entitled to ask: why is he not doing something about Arulraj?

There is much more that could be said about Arulraj. Perhaps one day I will post on this blog more evidence of his scamming activities. (I have enough evidence to keep me busy for a long time.) However, I would prefer not to. What has been posted is bad enough. This blog was set up out of a sense of obligation to fellow Catholics and others who deserve better than to be scammed by a priest of the Diocese of Nellore who should have been dismissed from the clerical state long ago. I get no joy from posting what I have, and have no wish to post any more.  Whether or not more is posted depends on whether Arulraj continues to scam, and especially whether he continues to scam as a priest.  

This blog has highlighted the case of Arulraj, not that of Paulinraj, because I am not aware that Paulinraj is continuing to scam. Moreover, the case of Paulinraj is different from that of Arulraj.  Perhaps he might have been an honest and faithful priest if he hadn’t been led astray by his uncle. Maybe there is still a chance that he could function as a priest. Unlike Arulraj, he at least does not have (as far as I know – though not much would surprise me nowadays) responsibilities for a wife and children that are incompatible with continuing to function as a priest. Nevertheless he has been active systematically over many years in committing serious crimes that bring disgrace to him and dishonour to the priesthood. (And there is more to his crimes than has so far been publicly revealed.) It is not sufficient for Bishop Prakasam to ‘resolve’ the matter by moving Paulinraj to a different part of the diocese (as parish priest with not only a care of souls but also with financial responsibilities) without any reparation for the serious harm that he has done. Until there is an acknowledgement from Paulinraj of his serious wrongdoing, and a demonstration that he is truly sorry for what he is done and sincerely willing to make amends, how can he have any credibility functioning as a priest? 
There are also aspects of Bishop Prakasam’s handling of his two priests that I haven’t raised here, that give me cause for concern. For now, I prefer not to raise them. I hope that when Bishop Prakasam reads this blog he may recognise the need for him to reconsider his policy of inaction. Bishop Prakasam’s inaction raises too many questions, as I informed him in an email two years ago (24 March 2010): 

“As you acknowledge, I do understand the situation in India, but this in no way excuses your failure to discipline your priests. In particular, the fact that Arulraj (living with a woman who is publicly regarded as his ‘wife’, and with whom he has two children) has not yet been dismissed from the clerical state — and, almost unimaginably, has not even been suspended from priestly ministry as is required by Canon Law* — is nothing short of scandalous. To Catholics here, your failure to take action means you are giving your support and protection to your priests. I am asked: Is the Bishop of Nellore a weak Bishop? Is he afraid to take action? Has he been intimidated by Arulraj and Paulinraj into not taking action? Have these priests got some sort of hold over him, so that he is effectively being blackmailed from taking action against them? Has the Bishop made an unworthy and shameful deal with the two priests, allowing them to continue in the priestly ministry if they give to the Diocese the money and properties at their disposal (when any criminal and civil cases against them have been concluded) obtained as a result of embezzling funds? Is the Bishop corrupt like his priests? When asked these questions I can only reply that I do not know the answers to any of them, but that I entirely agree with the questioners in deploring your inaction.”

*According to Canon Law if a priest attempts marriage he incurs an automatic – latae sententiae – suspension.  If he is living as though he is married, then the bishop has to impose the suspension. 

Can. 1394: 1. […] a cleric who attempts marriage, even if only civilly, incurs a latae sententiae suspension. If, after warning, he has not reformed and continues to give scandal, he can be progressively punished by deprivations, or even by dismissal from the clerical state.
Can. 1395: 1. Apart from the case mentioned in can. 1394, a cleric living in concubinage, and a cleric who continues in some other external sin against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue which causes scandal, is to be punished with a suspension. To this, other penalties can progressively be added if after a warning he persists in the offence, until eventually he can be dismissed from the clerical state.

As though it were a defence of his inaction, Bishop Prakasam informed me, by email, as recently as 12 February 2012: “Fr. Arulraj denies of having contacted [sic] any Civil Marriage.”
But in that case, Canon Law is crystal clear. If there is doubt as to whether Arulraj has formally married, then given that he is known to be living as though he is married (with a ‘wife’ and children) then he “is to be punished with a suspension.”  And the person who is to impose the suspension is the bishop.
Far from there being uncertainty as to how Bishop Prakasam should act, Canon Law is clear. And on this matter, Canon Law reflects the opinion of just about every decent person who is surely appalled that someone like Arulraj – who has brought so much dishonour to the Catholic priesthood – could possibly remain a priest and be honoured with the title (still given to him by Bishop Prakasam in his February 2012 email) of “Fr” Arulraj.  
Not only should Arulraj have been suspended many years ago, but also his dismissal from the priesthood is long overdue. And the fact that, after all he has done, he continues to have the protection of the Bishop of Nellore inevitably raises the question: why?

When I met Bishop Prakasam in January 2007 I had the impression that he was a good and honest bishop. Of course, that doesn’t count for a lot – for ten years I had believed that Arulraj and Paulinraj were good priests seeking to serve the poorest among whom they were working. Two years ago I did not know the answers to the questions I raised in the email, reproduced above, to Bishop Prakasam.  I still do not know the answer to any of them.

For the sake of ensuring there is credibility not only in the presbyterate of the Diocese of Nellore, but also in the episcopate, I sincerely ask Bishop Prakasam: please resolve the scandal of “Father” Gali Arulraj now.

“Father” Arulraj no more?

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/father-arulraj-no-more.html

March 22, 2012

The Linked-In profile of “Fr Gali Arulraj” that is no more – removed today (22 March 2012)

Well, would you believe it?! This blog had its first viewers from India this morning, and a couple of hours later Arulraj has removed the Linked-In profile that he set up less than two months ago, in which he presented himself — as a priest – as “Fr Gali Arulraj, Director of the New Life Society for the poor and handicapped.”
(If you google the name “Gali Arulraj” the first thing that comes up still is a reference to the Linked-In profile. Although the link to the profile itself no longer works, you can still see Google’s cached image of 6 March 2012.). 
Dare we hope that Arulraj’s conscience has been awakened and that he realises how greatly he insults the Catholic priesthood by presenting himself as a priest?  
Dare we hope that we are closer to the day when Arulraj is no longer able to present himself as a priest?
Let’s see if the website of his (scamming) “New Life Society” will be removed next.

Arulraj’s scamming New Life Society website down

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/arulrajs-scamming-new-life-society.html

March 29, 2012

The website has been down for more than 24 hours, which suggests that there is not merely a temporary problem with it. If you go to the website you get a HTTP 403 Forbidden notice, which indicates that access to the website is being deliberately denied by the server. It is too early to say whether the website might be made active again.
Given that Arulraj went to the trouble and expense of setting up the website as part of his scam to make money, its removal is very welcome.  In itself it has justified the presence of this blog.
The continued presence of this blog is also more than justified as a warning to anyone who is a potential victim of a scam by “Fr Gali Arulraj” or “Mr. G.A. Raj” working for the “Dayananda Nilayam Society for Social Development”, the “New Life Society for the Poor and Handicapped”, or (another of his made-up charity names) the “Home for the Orphans and Disabled Children.”

The blog will also stay in order to draw attention to any new scams that come to my notice.
Of course, with the exposure that “Mr. G.A. Raj” was in fact Arulraj, he may have wanted his scamming New Life Society website removed as it was further evidence of his ongoing criminal activities. If there are any police officers, tax officials, Delhi Home Ministry officials, NGO Registration officials, FCRA investigators, or anybody else who needs evidence of the scamming website then they can still get that evidence. I made copies of everything that was on the website and will be happy to make them available.

A general email from Bishop Prakasam

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/general-email-from-bishop-prakasam.html

April 2, 2012

A few people have sent me a copy of a general email sent today by Bishop Moses Prakasam of the Diocese of Nellore.

Bishop Prakasam’s email was a follow up to previous emails sent to a particular correspondent “and all” who share the concern expressed in this blog about the shameful actions of Gali Arulraj and the unwillingness of the Bishop of Nellore to even suspend him from the exercise of the priestly ministry.

The correspondent informs me that in his previous email he had expressed his dissatisfaction that Bishop Prakasam had been unwilling to clarify some points, e.g., he had understood from what the Bishop had written to him initially that Gali Arulraj had been excommunicated, and he could not see why the Bishop would not clarify whether this was so when he queried it. The correspondent had also indicated his dissatisfaction that the Bishop had said it was a ‘local Church’ matter and that he should be left to deal with it himself. Of course, by embezzling as a priest at least one million pounds from overseas donations to fund a rich lifestyle for himself, his ‘wife’ and children, Arulraj’s actions are not simply a matter of concern for the ‘local Church’ but a legitimate concern for many people way beyond the Diocese of Nellore.

Bishop Prakasam’s willingness to respond to those who are concerned (and from the feedback I have received, I can say with no exaggeration, outraged) about the matter aired on this blog is appreciated. In posting Bishop Prakasam’s email on this blog, I am happy for readers to consider thoughtfully what he says. Reading the email I readily agree with what Bishop Prakasam says about God being merciful, loving and forgiving, and that we are called to be merciful, loving and forgiving. However, with respect to Bishop Prakasam, most of what he says is not applicable to the concern of this blog which is precisely: how someone like Gali Arulraj can have acted as he has acted and can continue to act as he is acting – and still remain a Catholic priest. I hope that Bishop Prakasam will be willing to consider a reply to his email that I shall post in due course.

[Bishop Prakasam’s email is reproduced without editing, except that the name of his principal correspondent has been removed]

My Dear […] and all other Brothers and Sisters,

Greetings to you in the most precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is never my intention to offend you or any one. I only wanted you to understand and allow us to act as a local church. My dear Brothers I wish to share with you my inner spirit and request you to understand and stand with me.

1.   Of course I agree that someone raising funds internationally is a matter for concern for all. Usually when someone is appealing for funds as a Priest any individual Donor or Donor Agencies refer the matter to the Bishop of the Diocese and the Bishop will give either his approval or disapproval. That way I am always ready to respond to when such clarifications sought.

2.    When I say “Not in communion with the Bishop” I do not mean ‘excommunication’. It means that a priest is not carrying on any active ministry that is officially assigned by the Bishop. He does not take part in any meetings, common celebrations and activities of the Diocese.

3.     My Dear Brothers and Sisters without in any way minimising your concerns I wish to share with you the following. In this case we have many options before us.

a.     Shall we be like Abel in the OT whose blood cried for vengeance for his on slaughter (Genesis 4:10) or shall we be like Jesus who in peak moment of His agony on the cross prayed for those who have crucified Him saying “Father Forgive them”. (Luke 23:34).

b.    Should we expect erring brother be a wanderer and fugitive like Cain? (Genesis 4:13-16). Or shall we pray and hope that like David will repent for his sins one day and experience the forgiveness and merciful love of God? (2. Samuel 12:13 & psalm 51).

c.     Shall we pray and hope that like the Father for the return of the prodigal son or shall we react like the eldest son? The prodigal son, in the sight of his father never ceased to be the son. Therefore great celebrations at his return. (Luke Ch.15).

d.   Shall we pray and hope our erring brother like Peter to repent and receive the forgiveness of the Lord whom he betrayed or shall we want him like Judas Iscariot not to have recourse to the mercy and forgiveness of God and end up his life as Judas did? (Mk. Ch. 14:66-72 & Mt. Ch. 27:3-10).

e.   Should we take up the stones and through at our erring brother or shall we like Jesus forgive him and pray for his conversion. (John 8:1-11).

f.     Should we not remind ourselves of the abundant love and mercy Christ has shown us and show the same love and mercy towards each other? We repeatedly say in the prayer Jesus taught us “Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”.

I have humbly paced before you in a fraternal way the spirit with which I operate. It is not my intention to justify any one or to undermine the feelings and concerns of any one. What you experience is quite natural but my prayer and humble appeal to you is to rise to the supernatural levels to which Christ has taken us through His suffering, death on the cross and by His Resurrection. To celebrate Easter means to experience the immeasurable mercy and love of Christ individually and together as a Church. I have full respect to the law of the Church. I only wish to go by the spirit of the law rather than by the letter of it.

Recently it was brought to my notice how Arulraj Gali was meted with a very inhuman and most heinous treatment in the jail. He was beaten up the whole night and was made to accomplish some unspeakable acts. However guilty one might have been it pains me very much when any one of our Brother or Sister is treated that way.  I do also understand and have empathy for you too what you have been going through.

It is not my intention to preach but this is what defines our entity as Christians called to have the mind attitude like that of Christ. (Please see the attachment). I shall continue my efforts of going out in search of the lost sheep. (Luke 15:1-10). On my part I continue my efforts. I plead you to join me with your prayers and Christian charity. As St. Paul says our call is to “overcome the evil with goodness”. (Romans 9:21).

                Wish you and all a very meaningful and joyful Easter Festival.

                With much love and prayers.

                Yours fraternally in Christ,

+ Moses D. Prakasam.

[The attachment referred to in the final paragraph is reproduced below]

Has Arulraj been convicted and jailed?

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/has-arulraj-been-convicted-and-jailed.html

April 3, 2012

I have received a few emails today from people who said they didn’t realise that Gali Arulraj was in jail. Yesterday’s email from Bishop Prakasam of Nellore had mentioned beatings and “very inhuman and most heinous treatment” experienced by Arulraj in jail. I received emails asking when Arulraj was convicted, how long his sentence was, and whether he is still in jail.

To clarify the situation: Arulraj’s case has still not come before the criminal court. He has not (yet) been convicted. He is not (yet) in jail. 
Arulraj spent some time in jail in 2006 or 2007. As I recall it was 2006. The reason that he spent time in jail had nothing whatsoever to do with Enable. Indeed nobody in Enable knew anything about it until sometime afterwards. He was jailed because he broke the conditions of his bail. In other words, he brought it upon himself.

Why he received such bad treatment in jail I do not know, but it could be that others took a dim view of him as he was well known in the town of Ongole after embezzling large sums of money that were intended to benefit disabled children. And is it surprising if they took such a dim view?
I have no idea why Bishop Prakasam mentioned this in his email. Whether or not Arulraj spent time in jail in the past, whether or not he was well treated, whether or not anyone should be concerned about how he was treated, whether or not he will spend time in jail in the future – the answers to each of these points are entirely incidental to the question of why, contrary to the law of the Church and the specific responsibility of the Bishop of Nellore, Arulraj is allowed to continue functioning as a Catholic priest.

Pope Benedict XVI answers Bishop Prakasam

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/pope-benedict-xvi-answers-bishop.html

April 14, 2012

Bishop Prakasam’s general email will receive the considered reply that it merits, but until then it is worth noting briefly the difference between the thinking of Bishop Prakasam and Pope Benedict XVI with respect to the implementation of canon law and how a bishop should respond to a priest’s shameful behaviour.
Refusing to respect Canon 1395.1 which requires the bishop to suspend Gali Arulraj from all priestly ministry, Bishop Prakasam says, “I have full respect to the law of the Church. I only wish to go by the spirit of the law rather than by the letter of it.”
Contrary to Bishop Prakasam’s suggestion, it is false to suggest that the spirit of the law could be the precise opposite of its letter. It is also disingenuous for him to claim to have “full respect” for the law when he is blatantly disregarding it.
Whereas Bishop Prakasam shows his disdain for canon law, Pope Benedict regards canon law as something to be both understood and appreciated  (indeed, loved) because it is necessary for respecting rights – in this instance, the rights of the faithful, not to be ministered to by a priest living a shameful life. Like others in Enable, I find it offensive to have been ‘ministered to’ by Arulraj – attending Holy Mass that he celebrated during the eight years up until 2006 during which time he should already have been suspended. It is offensive that Bishop Prakasam is not preventing Arulraj from continuing to minister to others when he is still living a life that is totally incompatible with the priestly ministry. Where is Bishop Prakasam’s concern and love for those who are the unfortunate recipients of Arulraj’s ‘ministry’? Where is Bishop Prakasam’s concern that the Holy Eucharist should not be celebrated in an unworthy manner by an unworthy minister? Where is Bishop Prakasam’s love and concern for Arulraj that he should prohibit him – for his own good too! – from celebrating the most holy of sacraments while his life is so disordered?
Pope Benedict makes it clear that one cannot violate law by appealing to ‘love’ because law is a condition of love.  Addressing seminarians he said:
“You should also learn to understand and – dare I say it – to love canon law, appreciating how necessary it is and valuing its practical applications: a society without law would be a society without rights. Law is the condition of love.” [Letter to seminarians, 18 October 2010]
Whereas Bishop Prakasam suggests he is showing ‘love and mercy’ towards Gali Arulraj, indulging him by refusing to take any action, Pope Benedict makes it clear that when bishops tolerate conduct unworthy of the priestly life it has nothing to do with love:
“The use of the rod can actually be a service of love. Today we can see that it has nothing to do with love when conduct unworthy of the priestly life is tolerated.” [Homily to end the Year for Priests, 11 June 2010]
Bishop Prakasam has totally disregarded the many representations I have made to him on behalf of Enable. Will he continue to disregard Pope Benedict’s view too?

A reply to Bishop Prakasam’s general email

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.in/2012/04/reply-to-bishop-prakasams-general-email.html

April 16, 2012

I have written today to Bishop Moses Prakasam, in response to the general email  he wrote on 2 April. My text is reproduced in full, below.  
In summary, my reply takes issue with the offensive focus of Bishop Prakasam’s email, which instead of addressing the situation of his priests Gali Arulraj and Vatakili Paulinraj, makes unjustified judgments about, and criticisms of, the motives and attitudes of the correspondents and supporters of Enable he is addressing. 
Questioning whether Bishop Prakasam’s words are empty rhetoric or actually have substance, I raise a series of questions, challenging whether it is truly loving and merciful of the bishop not to suspend Arulraj but to let him continue to function as a priest.
In particular, I remind Bishop Prakasam that in May 2007 he had said that he was going to initiate a canonical process to bring a conclusion to the status of Gali Arulraj.  I ask him whether he was being untruthful then, or whether something happened after that date to make him change his mind to the extent that he is unwilling now even to suspend Arulraj from priestly ministry.
I look forward to receiving Bishop Prakasam’s answers to the pertinent questions I have asked him.

Reply to Bishop Prakasam’s general email

Dear Bishop Prakasam,

Recognising how busy you would be during Holy Week and Easter I thought it would be better to wait until now before replying to the general email you sent on 2 April.

As you know, since our first meeting in January 2007, days after your installation as Bishop of Nellore, I have written to you countless times not only about the scandal caused by your two priests, Gali Arulraj and Vatakili Paulinraj, but also about the additional concern arising from your refusal to discipline them.

It was therefore with considerable disappointment and dismay that I read your general email.  I can hardly believe that, after more than five years of discussions with you – in person and in print – you can fail to grasp how much concern is caused by your inaction. You begin your email saying that it is never your intention to offend anyone. And yet, the central part of your reply is extremely offensive.

The main part of your email is paragraph no. 3, which you break down into six parts. Here you treat shabbily those who have raised a legitimate concern with you. Instead of addressing their complaint you level all manner of criticisms against your correspondents: you present them as being vengeful; you suggest they want to cast out Arulraj as a fugitive and wanderer; that like the elder brother of the prodigal son they are lacking generosity of spirit; moreover, that they are unwilling to pray for Arulraj’s repentance and that they don’t want him to receive forgiveness and mercy; that they are in effect throwing stones at him.

By contrast, you suggest that, unlike all of your correspondents, you are walking the path of love and mercy, forgiveness and hope.

With respect, Bishop Prakasam, what you have written is both offensive and ignorant. I know personally many of the hundreds of supporters of Enable who feel very badly betrayed by your priests as well as by your inaction. I do not know a single person among them who thinks Arulraj is fit to remain a priest. Among the supporters of Enable are some of the most generous, loving, merciful and compassionate people you could hope to meet. To effectively slander them in the way you have done is nothing short of disgraceful, and I invite you to withdraw your ill-considered criticisms.

Of course, I cannot speak for the attitude of mind or spirit of each of your correspondents. But, in fact, I do not need to. What you have been asked to address is not your correspondents’ (or my own) failings or sins but the scandalous actions of the two priests of your diocese, Arulraj and Paulinraj. Not once do you even acknowledge that your correspondents have a legitimate grievance with respect to the actions of your two priests – as well as a legitimate grievance with respect to your allowing Arulraj (in particular) to continue to function as a priest.

It is easy to quote scriptural passages about searching out the lost sheep, and seeking to overcome evil with good, and to speak of love, mercy and forgiveness. And as it is easy to be deceived by empty words (which, as you will know, St Paul warns against – Ephesians 5:6),  I trust that you will be willing to demonstrate whether there is any substance in what you say by addressing the following points:

1. You speak of forgiveness and mercy. Have Arulraj and Paulinraj acknowledged their gross wrongdoing with respect to embezzling in excess of one million pounds, and abusing their positions as priests in order to enrich themselves. You suggest that your correspondents are unwilling to forgive. But have Arulraj and Paulinraj acknowledged their crimes and their sins and sought forgiveness and mercy?
   
2. As far as I am aware there has been no indication whatsoever that either priest has acknowledged their wrongdoing and sought forgiveness. Moreover, given the gravity and the public nature of their offences there would be a need for them to make a public demonstration of their contrition, and a willingness to make amends to those they have wronged. This includes donors from Enable and other agencies whose donations were embezzled, as well as the many hundreds of disabled children who suffered serious deprivation as a result of their thieving. Can you please tell me what sign either Arulraj or Paulinraj has given you to indicate contrition and a willingness to make amends? And can you please tell me what sort of action you believe is necessary for them to demonstrate that they sincerely wish to make amends for what they have done?
   
3. In the absence of contrition and willingness to make amends, do you really believe that it is fitting for Arulraj and Paulinraj to exercise either a public ministry as parish priest (as is currently the case with Paulinraj) or an ‘unofficial’ ministry (as has been the case with Arulraj since 1997/1998)?
   
4. You criticise your correspondents for lacking love and mercy. Given the reality of what is involved in the priestly offering of the Eucharistic sacrifice, and the reception of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion, how loving and merciful is it to ignore the sacrilegious priestly actions of Gali Arulraj, when he has been living a way of life for many years that the Church identifies as being ‘mortal sin’? Is it not, in fact, loving and merciful and fatherly to suspend Arulraj from any priestly ministry for the good of his own soul?
   

1. Do you truly believe it is acceptable not only for Gali Arulraj to exercise his priestly faculties ‘unofficially’ now, but that he might even eventually resume an official ministry? If you do not, why have you not even suspended him from ministry now and initiated (if not concluded) the process leading to his dismissal from the priesthood?
   
2. If you do believe it is possible for Arulraj to one day resume an official priestly ministry, where is your concern and compassion for the woman regarded as his ‘wife’ and also for the children he has fathered? Has not Arulraj chosen a new way of life which brings responsibilities to provide for his ‘wife’ and children? Given the choices he has freely made, should you not be encouraging and assisting him to live a good and honest ‘lay man’s’ life as a husband and father, rather than perpetuating the scandal of his being a priest with a ‘wife’ and children, who is ‘earning a living’ by embezzling funds intended for charitable purposes?
   
3. You say “I shall continue my efforts of going out in search of the lost sheep.” According to your correspondence with me, you have not met Arulraj even once since you became the Bishop of Nellore in January 2007. You told me that he has refused to meet you. Your words about seeking the lost sheep sound to me like empty rhetoric, designed to suggest that, unlike your correspondents, you are concerned about Arulraj’s wellbeing. Perhaps you can give some idea of the efforts you have made in searching out the lost sheep, Arulraj? Perhaps you could also explain why it is not possible to suspend Arulraj from all priestly ministry while also seeking him out as a lost sheep?
   
4. I find your last remark about overcoming evil with goodness particularly offensive. In May 2006, when Arulraj realised that Enable was on the verge of discovering his embezzling, he closed down the centres for disabled children. A few months later he gathered together some of the children to give the semblance of caring for them after he received adverse media publicity in India. Your predecessor, Bishop Balaswamy, told me that he sought to overcome evil with goodness, by showing the diocese’s commitment towards helping some of the children adversely affected. Enable entered a commitment with the diocese in November 2006 to fund a small project for which the diocese had responsibility. It was understood that the number of children being supported would be quite small, but Enable undertook to fund it for an initial two year period and then to review the situation. By May 2007, less than four months after your installation as bishop you had unilaterally closed down the project without even discussing it with Enable. Where was your compassion for the children who, having been so badly let down by Arulraj were subsequently ‘dumped’ by the diocese? Why were you so keen to abandon the attempt by Bishop Balaswamy to overcome the evil of Arulraj’s action by the Diocese (with Enable) doing good for at least some of the affected children? Perhaps you could tell me what you did to ensure the wellbeing of those children adversely affected by your decision (though I doubt if you will, given that I understand your answer to this question would be ‘nothing’)?
   

Bishop Prakasam, I have read your email several times, and I have reflected on it carefully. It clarifies that Gali Arulraj has not been excommunicated and that the matter under discussion is not one that affects only your local church but is of international concern. Other than that, it is bitterly disappointing. How easy it is to use the language of love, forgiveness and mercy – but how bitter it is to hear those words when they are devoid of real substance. It is particularly disappointing to see a Bishop attempt to defend his inaction by suggesting that those criticizing him are really the ones to be censured for their (supposed) lack of mercy, forgiveness and charity. That is a shabby defence and I hope you will withdraw it.

Most of all, I am puzzled as to why you should have said in May 2007 that you were initiating a canonical process to bring about a conclusion to the status of Gali Arulraj – and yet since then you have done absolutely nothing to even suspend him from priestly ministry. Were you being untruthful in what you said in May 2007? Or what happened that you should have changed your mind?

We expect our bishops to be men of honour, who are true to their word, who do not take lightly the gross misconduct of their priests, who are concerned about the dignity of the priesthood and the worthy celebration of the sacraments. It has been a very unfortunate experience for myself and others in Enable to have been so badly deceived and betrayed by two priests of the Diocese of Nellore. That you, as their bishop, should now give them your support, and be so indifferent to making amends, upholding justice, and restoring confidence in the priests of your diocese, would be considered by most reasonable people as beyond belief.

In your email you attempted to explain why, contrary to the requirements of canon law, you insist on letting Gali Arulraj function as a priest. As you have decided to place yourself outside the framework of canon law then your judgments inevitably invite the scrutiny of others, and you have to be willing to answer the legitimate questions that have emerged from your defence of your (in)action. I trust that you will be willing to address the specific questions asked of you in this letter.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Colin Harte

Gali Arulraj – a priest with no shame

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.in/2012/04/gali-arulraj-priest-with-no-shame.html

April 26, 2012

Gali Arulraj’s scamming website back online today – he has no shame

Gali Arulraj’s scamming website for the bogus New Life Society for the Poor and 
Handicapped went online again today, having been taken down one month ago.

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.in/2012/05/and-its-down-again.html

Gali Arulraj’s scamming website for the bogus “New Life Society for the Poor and Handicapped” went online again last Thursday.
By Saturday morning it was down again. It’s still down.  

Blog poll conclusion: Arulraj unfit to be a priest

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/conclusion-of-blog-poll.html

May 2, 2012

Is Gali Arulraj unfit to be a priest?                  

Change your vote 

Votes so far: 218 
Days left to vote: 224

[Votes on the poll this morning]
It has been brought to my attention that the number of votes on the blog poll has, mysteriously, been reduced at least three times during the past week. The votes saying that Gali Arulraj is unfit to be a priest have gone beyond 230, and then mysteriously been reduced by 10 or 15 votes – and when they have gone beyond 230 again the number has inexplicably been reduced yet again.
This morning I noticed that the ‘yes’ vote had been dropped from last night’s 231 to 217.  The ‘no’ vote had dropped from 2 to 1.
I assume that Gali Arulraj was one of those who voted that he is fit to be a priest. Perhaps he was supported by Vatakili Paulinraj (his nephew and fellow priest of the Diocese of Nellore who is also charged with fraud, theft, etc. and awaiting trial)? Or perhaps his ‘wife’ gave him her loyal support? I had thought he might receive at least three votes – not that he is getting any sympathy from me after the dismal amount of support shown for him.
Given the inexplicable problem with the poll, and in order to avoid any accusation that I have unfairly slashed the ‘no’ vote in half, it seems right to bring the poll to an end now.
I should just add that I have no control over the poll itself. It is managed by ‘blogger’ and I cannot increase or decrease any of the votes myself. As only one vote can be registered from each computer the poll cannot count the multiple votes of family members who would all have liked to indicate their objection to Arulraj remaining a priest.
The poll, however, which registered more than 250 ‘yes’ votes, and only 2 ‘no’ votes, reflects the overwhelming opinion that Gali Arulraj is unfit to be a priest.
Of course, I am not calling on Bishop Moses Prakasam of Nellore Diocese to resolve Gali Arulraj’s priestly status in view of the blog poll.  The case for immediately suspending Arulraj and then concluding the canonical process for his dismissal from the priestly ministry stands on its own merits – and it is a compelling case.  
What I am truly trying to fathom though is this:  if it is so obvious to just about everyone else that Gali Arulraj is unfit to be a priest….why is it not obvious to the Bishop of Nellore?
[UPDATE – 9 May 2012: During the past week there have been some fluctuations in the poll figures even though the poll has been closed during that time. The ‘yes’ votes have fluctuated between about 205 and 250. I will keep the poll results up in the right hand column for now, as they give a general idea of how people voted, but I will remove them if the changes are so excessive as to give a distorted impression of the results.]

Still waiting for the Bishop of Nellore

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.in/2012/08/still-waiting-for-bishop-of-nellore.html

August 25, 2012

In recent weeks several people have contacted me inquiring whether Bishop Moses Prakasam of the Diocese of Nellore responded to the email I sent him on 16 April in reply to his email of 2 April.  More importantly, they have asked whether he has at last taken action against his rogue priests, especially against Gali Arulraj.  
In emails to me, dated 22 and 28 April, Bishop Prakasam said that he had not intended to cause offence by his email of 2 April.  He said that he was unable to reply to individuals who were writing to him, but wished to correspond directly with me and work on this directly with me. Bishop Prakasam asked me not to publish on this blog his correspondence with me. Although he did not answer the many points I made in my email of 16 April I assumed good will and sincerity on his part, and so (in spite of my previous experience with him) I accepted what he said at face value. Recognising that some things have to be said and done privately I told him I was willing not to publish our correspondence so long as it was clear that progress was being made. The indications I received were that at long last Bishop Prakasam would deal properly with the scandal caused by allowing Arulraj to continue functioning as a priest.

I have received no response – not even the courtesy of an acknowledgement – from Bishop Prakasam. Since then there has been silence from him.  
The evidence I gave to Bishop Prakasam was sufficient for him to suspend Arulraj immediately from functioning as a priest in any way. More than that, given that Arulraj was denying being married when there was public evidence to the contrary, it required Bishop Prakasam to suspend him from all priestly activities. (See a previous post which gives details of canon law on this.)
Indeed, Bishop Prakasam received sufficient information to suspend Arulraj more than five and a half years ago, and the process to dismiss him from priestly ministry should have been concluded long ago. Instead, he is willing to let this scandalous situation with a priest of his diocese continue.
And the persistent question remains:  Why?
It is now three months since Bishop Prakasam’s last email, and it seems clear to me that he has reverted to his policy of inaction. For the coming weeks I will be busy and will be unable to deal with queries about Arulraj.  This matter is not, however, forgotten.  And it will not be forgotten.  It will be resolved.
In the meantime, Bishop Prakasam has a final opportunity to demonstrate whether the emails he sent me in April and May were truly sincere and whether he is genuinely concerned to take action to put an end to the ongoing scandal of Gali Arulraj remaining a priest of the Diocese of Nellore. He could show his sincerity today by issuing a decree that Arulraj is suspended from all priestly ministry. In the absence of concrete action there is only one conclusion to be drawn as to whether the Bishop of Nellore is sincere.
It seems to me that Bishop Prakasam has abused the good will of myself and others in Enable, and is taking us for a ride. There are several reasons why Bishop Prakasam might want to spin out this ‘waiting game’ and they do no credit to him or the Diocese of Nellore. He should know by now that the scandal of Arulraj – and the additional scandal of his own inaction – will be pursued to its fitting conclusion.

From:
Colin Harte
To:
michaelprabhu@vsnl.net
Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2012 11:02 PM

Subject: RE: ephesians-511.net

Dear Michael, 
I thought you might want to know that the rogue priest Arulraj has at last been suspended. I only received notice of the suspension earlier in the week, though it apparently happened in September. My understanding is that the bishop was directed to take action ‘from above’. The notice of suspension is on the blog: http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.com.

Not much media coverage so far, but some: http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=21351.
I thought you might want to know about this.  Obviously, there is a point in appealing for bishops to take action!
God bless, Colin

India: charity welcomes ‘long overdue’ suspension of embezzling priest

http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=21351

By Independent Catholic News Correspondent, 147A Leighton Road, London, NW5 2RB Email: edit@indcatholicnews.com October 31, 2012

For more information see: http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.com.

Official – Gali Arulraj now suspended as a priest

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.in/2012/10/official-gali-arulraj-now-suspended-as.html

October 29, 2012

This morning I received a copy of a public notice, issued by the Bishop of Nellore, Most Rev. Moses Prakasam, to “inform all the clergy, religious and people of God that Rev. Fr. Gali Arulraj was placed under suspension with effect from 06-09-12.”

Whereas a priest is sometimes given a partial suspension for offences that are less grave, it is to be noted that Arulraj’s suspension is total: he is “prohibited from exercising all the acts of the power of Orders, power or governance and exercise of all the rights and functions attached to the office of the Priesthood.”  Arulraj “has no faculties and consequently he is not authorised to celebrate Holy Mass, hearing confessions or administration of any other sacraments or any other related ministries of Priesthood.”

There remain serious concerns with regard to the amount of effort and the length of time it has taken to effect this suspension – a suspension which should have been declared many years ago. It is only with this suspension that a canonical process leading to Arulraj’s dismissal from the clerical state – which must surely be the outcome of the process – can now take place. (That his dismissal remains necessary is indicated by the notice of suspension itself, which describes Arulraj respectfully – as a priest – as “Rev. Fr. Gali Arulraj.” It is, however, clear even from the sanitised description of Arulraj’s shameful activities, which date back some 15 years – 15 years! – that he does not merit this respectful title or any of the privileges attached to the clerical state.) While it is to be hoped that the canonical process now advances without unnecessary delays this blog will remain active in case there are further concerns to raise.

For now, though, there is much reason to be grateful for the imposition of the suspension. The scandal of Arulraj living a family life and fraudulently raising funds and then embezzling them from the poorest of the poor, and continuing to function as a Catholic priest,  has now been addressed by the Bishop of Nellore’s actions. May Bishop Prakasam now bring the scandal of Arulraj remaining a Catholic priest to its fitting conclusion.

Pope Francis addresses the scandal of Gali Arulraj

http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/pope-francis-addresses-scandal-of-gali.html

April 25, 2013

Well, yes, the heading is perhaps a little misleading as I have no reason to think that Pope Francis has even heard of Gali Arulraj – though I suppose it might just be possible that he has been one of the readers of this blog from Argentina or Italy… 
However, in a book published in 2012, Pope Francis makes it clear that someone like Arulraj cannot remain in the priesthood.  Speaking as Cardinal Bergoglio (as he was at that time), he addressed the general situation of a priest who has fathered just one child, not two (as is the more appalling case with Arulraj). He said:
If [a priest] comes and tells me that he got a woman pregnant, I listen. I try to help him have peace and little by little I try to help him realize that the natural law takes priority over his priesthood. So, he has to leave the ministry and should take care of that child, even if he chooses not to marry that woman. For just as that child has the right to have a mother, he has a right to the face of a father. I commit myself to arranging all the paperwork for him in Rome, but he has to leave everything.

From:
Colin Harte
To:
Michael Prabhu
Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2014 9:01 PM Subject: RE: Fr. Arul Raj Gali C.S.C

Dear Michael, It’s good to hear from you again.

I had heard that Fr Arul Raj Gali C.S.C.* was a participant at the Extraordinary Synod on the Family. He has the misfortune of bearing the same name as the rogue priest from Andhra Pradesh, but the good fortune of being an entirely different person. *national director of the “Holy Cross Family Ministries in India”

The rogue priest was at long last suspended from the priesthood. (See http://gali-arulraj.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/official-gali-arulraj-now-suspended-as.html). I had been on and on and on at the bishop of Nellore to suspend him for many years, and he acted only after the Nuncio got involved. I suspect that it will be some years before Arulraj is dismissed from the clerical state, as the bishop seems unwilling to pursue this further.  

I hope all is well for you. Best wishes, Colin

FROM MY FILES

I must have saved the information that follows, several years ago. The links that I have recorded:

1.
http://209.85.129.104/search?q=cache:RaOhQicbiyQJ:www.enable-india.org.uk/aluraj.html+%22Gali+Arulraj%22&hl=es&gl=es&ct=clnk&cd=1

2. http://www.enable-india.org.uk/AboutUs.htm

3.
http://www.marklewin.co.uk/Enable/index.htm,

are not opening.

The only Enable web site link that I could find is http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.p.lewin/Enable/News.htm, 2004

In January 2006 we opened the “Enable Home for Disabled Children” also in Ongole. Its plaque describes Alison Davis and Colin Harte as its founders. For further details, see The Centres   

Enable has referred its problems with Arulraj and the DNSSD to the UK Charity Commission. The Commission is periodically updated on Enable’s efforts to ensure that the centres in India are restored to our control and has expressed an unqualified satisfaction with the actions of Enable’s trustees.
© Enable (Working In India) 2007 Contact the Webmaster

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/ARCHBISHOP_OF_MADRAS_MYLAPORE-CORRUPTION_CHARGES_AGAINST_THE.doc

ARCHBISHOP OF MADRAS MYLAPORE-MURDER ACCUSED IS CHANCELLOR

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/ARCHBISHOP_OF_MADRAS_MYLAPORE-MURDER_ACCUSED_IS_CHANCELLOR.doc

BISHOP OF ALLAHABAD CONSECRATES AND INSTALLS PROTESTANT BISHOP

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/BISHOP_OF_ALLAHABAD_CONSECRATES_AND_INSTALLS_PROTESTANT_BISHOP.doc

FR JEGATH GASPAR RAJ-IN PRAISE OF SHIVA-PRIEST INVESTS RS 15 MILLION, FLOATS COMPANY WORTH RS 100 CRORES

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/FR_JEGATH_GASPAR_RAJ-IN_PRAISE_OF_SHIVA-PRIEST_INVESTS_RS_15_MILLION_FLOATS_COMPANY_WORTH_RS_100_CRORES.doc

SEXUAL PREDATORS MORE PREVALENT AMONG RABBIS PASTORS YOGIS THAN AMONG PRIESTS

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/SEXUAL_PREDATORS_MORE_PREVALENT_AMONG_RABBIS_PASTORS_YOGIS_THAN_AMONG_PRIESTS.doc

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