Rev Fr Dominic Valanmanal, a Catholic priest in Kerala and the director of Marian Retreat Centre, Idukki, delivered a sermon in which he reportedly called children with autism ‘animals’. Valanmanal was invited to preach in Ireland in October 2019, however, the organisers withdrew the invitation after a video of his sermon was circulated on social media.
As per the video of his sermon, Valanmanal said,
“The young men and women are not filled with the Holy Spirit anymore. Afterwards, they lead an animal-like life. They copulate like animals. They bear children like animals. Therefore, those children will also be like animals. Animals do not speak, they do not have ears and can’t hear. It is not human.”
The priest also blamed parents for getting ‘addicted’ to porn, homosexuality and adultery for children born with autism.
“Why does this generation have autism and hyperactivity? The children of this generation – young men, young women – should keep this in mind. Alcohol, cigarette, beedi, narcotics, paan, adultery, masturbation, homosexuality, porn – if you are addicted to any of these, I say to you in the name of God. Dear children, keep in mind, tomorrow when you get married and have children, there is a high possibility of bearing these type of children.”
A petition was started on Change.org to stop the priest from leading a three-day retreat in Ireland. According to the petitioner, John Chacko, he has also compared women who fall in love with ‘prostitutes’ and claims that their partners will force them to have sex with their friends.
The Archbishop of Dublin, along with a section of the Syro-Malabar community in Ireland, have asked the organisers to withdraw the invitation.
However, Valanmanal’s manager told TNIE that the video was ‘fake’ and that the Archbishop was misunderstood.
“This is a six-to-seven-year-old video, which was edited, manipulated and circulated on the social media by some unknown persons. The voice and body language are not matching.”
He says a police complaint has been lodged with the Kerala Police.
