The faculties of Father Varghese Pereppadan of the diocese of Irinjalakuda, India were revoked after he was accused of sexually abusing a minor two weeks ago, according to a statement issued by the archdiocesan spokesman Father Christopher Coyne on Aug. 6.
Father Pereppadan, a priest from Kerala, India who was ordained in 1994, was studying in the archdiocese. He was granted faculties and allowed to operate as a priest in the archdiocese, the statement said. According to a May newsletter put out by the archdiocese’s Office of Healthcare Ministry, he was also serving a part-time ministry at Kindred Hospital in Boston and Youville Lifecare in Cambridge.
After the receiving the allegation, the archdiocese removed Father Pereppadan from public ministry and his residence at Our Lady of the Presentation Parish in Brighton.
The archdiocese also immediately informed legal authorities of the complaint and is cooperating with the investigation. The archdiocese’s Office of Pastoral Support and Outreach is offering assistance and counseling to the victim, family and parish community.
The alleged victim’s family has asked that no details about the minor be released. No information about the nature of the alleged abuse was released by the archdiocese.
[Editor’s note: This story was originally scheduled to run in last week’s edition of The Pilot but, due to an editorial error, was inadvertently omitted.]