Panaji, Zee News: Goa Church has said that it has 'forgiven' a person, who allegedly produced a CD against parish priest Father Diago Fernandes, which had allegedly shown the priest in a bad light.

The CD had kicked up an agitation in Colva village.

"We are for forgiveness. Space has to be created for repentance, if he has done anything wrong," Father Fransic Caldeira, spokesman for Goa Archbishop, told PTI this morning.

The Church was reacting to the recent controversy raised through an audio CD named 'Dogui Bodmas', which allegedly had portrayed Colva Church priest Father Diago Fernandes in a bad light.

The CD had triggered protests during the new year celebrations with Colva residents resorting to street protests. Local police had registered a complaint against Calvert Gonsalves, producer of the CD.

Father Caldeira today said that Church has got battering for 2000 years and it has survived. "Now our stand is what stand Jesus took. Forgive them and took the battering," he commented.

He recalled that when Jesus was slapped by a soldier, the Lord asked him, 'why did you slapped, if I have done anything wrong tell me!

The CD controversy had attained a new dimension when Radharao Gracias, lawyer representing Calvert Gonsalves, had blamed Archbishop for such issues. Gracias had alleged that the church does not entertain complaints against the priests.

The church spokesman, however, rubbished the allegation. "Archbishop takes action in all the complaints received. The actions may not be publicised in the press," he said.

Gonsalves, who is a local panchayat member, had managed to get anticipatory bail from district and sessions court after evading arrest for a couple of days. The CD controversy is being probed by Crime Branch.