Overwhelming support for Fr Swaratsingh

Hundreds of parishioners packed the St Patrick’s RC Church yesterday to meet with RC Archbishop Edward Gilbert on allegations made against Fr. Kennedy Swaratsingh, for whom there was overwhelming support.

Speaker after speaker came to the microphone and praised Fr Swaratsingh for bringing back life  into the church. There was a range of ages and ethnic groups, and included a US Embassy official. There was only one dissenting voice among the flock. The meeting was chaired by Archbishop Gilbert who said the allegations against Fr Swaratsingh had to do with financial issues, his preaching and teaching and personal behaviour. Gibert said he had earlier met with  Fr Swaratsingh,  Fr Gregory and Fr Charles as well as the Parish Council prior to last evening’s open discussion among the parishioners. One parishioner criticised Archbishop Gilbert for bringing the allegations in public, and he was loudly applauded by the packed church. Fr Swaratsingh was absent from the meeting.