Erayumman Panky இரையும்மன் பங்கி : Reflections 2013...

[A letter intended for the archbishop, but not going to send and he is used to not responding to any such, a good for nothing attitude! 15^th Feb ‘13]

Church claims to be a theocracy wherein the ‘authority’ don’t seemingly mind the people! But they conveniently forget the scriptural exhortation to no less a person than Samuel: “…hearken to their voice’! It is always better to consider a wider view than one person’s decision, however wise he was. (I Sam 8:1-9)

Yesterday’s (Friday, February 15, 2013) Hindu, in its OP-ED page brought an article on Rahul Gandhi’s projection to be the Prime Minister of India sooner than later by Vivek Katju. Some pertinent point for pondering for any ‘ruler’ was there and am taking the freedom to quote it in the church context. “…It is of utmost importance for a leader to keep his ears open at all times to the ‘voice of the people’ and to ensure that it reaches him without the filter of those who surround him. However, it is equally important for him to sense what they hold in their hearts and do not articulate out of fear of authority. Such fear is not confined to dictatorships and despotic regimes. It exists in democratic (here theocratic) systems too. Nowhere is this fear more evident than in the hesitation to openly speak on matters concerning the actual or perceived wrongdoing by the members of a leader’s family (team). …How he deals with them would be the … test of leadership, for it would set its moral tone and test how much one values probity in public life.

… in the absence of competent and honest regulatory mechanisms, economic (for that matter any growth) has been accompanied by extraordinary corruption in the area of the country’s (church’s) natural resources, especially land.

…It would be terribly misleading to think that the people overlook these issues and do not care. They watch the wrongdoings with a sense of hurt and despair at the injustice of it all. When they see growing disparities, their feelings turn to anger which occasionally manifests itself on the streets or in elections.”

A critique on your Pastoral Letter No. 001/2013/CL Dated 08.02.2013 titled “Thabasukaalam 2013” with a note to be read during Mass on 17^th, I Sunday of Lent.

At long last, you have come out with the tip of the berg! It is indeed a good sign to begin with the Lent. It is ‘better to be late than never!’ While appreciating this good gesture, I would like to comment on some of your points.

The letter states rightly that ‘a disciple is one who values Jesus more than anything.’ But the question is: Who is this Jesus? Matthew 25:40 and 45 identifies the ‘son of man’/’king’ with the ‘least of his brethren’. Is he/she not the ‘anawim’ of Yahweh, those denied of justice?

You ‘being content with what one has’ could be interpreted conveniently! The so-called ‘rich’ would mean this to be the meager ‘left over’ after their avaricious grabbing. Here, it is good to remember what Gandhiji seems to have said: ‘There is enough for everyone’s need but not to anyone’s greed!’ Birds seem to be contended as they are not denied of their due like some unfortunate humans by the avaricious ones. Jesus taught us to ‘pray for our daily bread’ and not to be anxious of tomorrow. Praying could also mean laboring and daily bread, the necessities of everyday life like clothing and shelter. Love also means caring and sharing. Bread is to be broken and shared with the hungry.

You have presented the national data on BPL, ill-fed children, illiteracy aggravated by inadequate educational infrastructure, people devoid of shelter and other basic amenities, besides potable water, poor health and hygiene paving way for contagious disease and so on. But what are the situation in our archdiocese in this year of Platinum Jubilee and Synod? As you have rightly observed Trivandrum district, mostly the coastal regions where our people are crowded, is one of the two districts pointed out as the most backward, especially in education and health and hygiene. Recent reports on ‘public defecation’ in the said area are really a shame for all of us!

These people were under the stewardship of the church since the time of Francis Xavier and especially our diocese/archdiocese! What have we really done? Could we not have made them a ‘self-esteemed’ people at least, leave alone everything else? If only we had the determination to do so would have certainly worked wonders. Have we not had our share in the exploitation of our people in the manner of the very shepherd becoming a thief, if not a butcher himself!

You seem to refer to ‘resourceful’ people keeping aloof of the church! As long as we don’t take them into confidence and entrust them with responsibilities, this sad situation may unfortunately continue.

You may present the detailed accounts to the ‘responsible’ bodies, if you prefer so, though such bodies are not without qualifications. They seemingly don’t have any loyalty to anyone or anything than to you who have appointed them. It would be preferable to have bodies like the CAG of the Central Government which is a Constitutional and autonomous body having no ‘loyalty’ to any individual or group whatever be his/her/its status or sanctity. All should ultimately be responsible to the people than to anyone else.

Contrary to your seeming perception, transparency and accountability would certainly make you really and morally stronger. Your intervention, when the integrity of your lieutenants is in question, normally sends wrong signals and facilitate the tainted ones go goat free. When a good number of our people lack miserably many of the necessities of life, the responsible ones should be scrupulously clean, especially in money matters.

As your statements show almost 20% of the `20 crores, that is nearly `4 crores, was seemingly spend miscellaneously! It is gross irresponsibility, if not outrageous, to the core! The shocking revelation that a nominal 2.81% alone was spent on education doesn’t tally with the claim of 29% of the archdiocesan receipts were spent on the same. However, most of our schools are without necessary infrastructure still when crores are squandered on churches, shrines and rectories!

No money transaction be done without proper documentary acknowledgement. Even the offering box money should be acknowledged besides the auctioning of the offertory materials. No one would believe that our priests would take this seriously. One wonders as to how priests manage cars and wear gold ornaments in the pretext of Rosary and gifts besides all sorts of cell phones and other electronic gadgets.

Every celebration, to be meaningful, should be accompanied by corresponding projects like home for the homeless and marrying the really poor girls, educating a deserving student and so on. Dowry system in any form should be abolished taking all assistance from the available laws of the land. No trading whatsoever with Mass stipends, if it can’t be abolished for good. We should be models of simple and contended living. Let us concentrate the most on our being than having…

Any default by anyone, especially a priest, should be properly and exemplarily be compensated, if not fined. Why not priests come out declaring their assets? Priests should always stand free of financial liabilities, especially the ones from the celebration of their ordination, jubilee and so on.

Last, but not the least, let us pay our workers justly and grant them necessary rest and leave besides provide them with safe working conditions?

Why man still holds on to ‘god’?

Even when man is not able to understand himself fully yet, he is preoccupied with god, a concept created by him as if it holds the key to everything he aspires for. May be that the infinity which he wants to achieve for himself looks like the horizon which seems to draw back to the extent he goes forward to get hold of it, he attributed all that aspirations which he seemingly failed to realize to this concept of god. May be that it is the greatest of all discoveries by man, one none can see, hear, smell, taste or feel, yet pervades all his activities, both intellectual or otherwise.

It is one of those constants, if not the greatest in human pursuit. It has acquired any number of colours, concepts as one likes to have. It is so elastic to cater to any one’s needs. That might have been the reason for ever so many religions and sects all over and all through.

Slave labor in the Catholic Church still!

The Hindu of Thursday, 21^st February 2013, Thiruvananthapuram edition in its page 11 brought out story of Ireland apologizing for ‘slave labor’ at Magdalene Laundries, a Catholic Church affair.

It is no surprise for the insiders at least! The church never fails to speak of justice while keeping its own labor force poorly paid and kept without the usual facilities and benefits due to a labor elsewhere.

They are made to work extra hours and without statutory rest, holidays and other safety requirements. It seems to exploit their vulnerabilities like unemployment and so on quite often. Besides, Church men are known not to treat them with dignity and esteem, amounting to human rights violations.

While enjoying all the perquisites like free accommodation, electricity, telephone and sometimes vehicle also, they seem to tolerate the minimum requirements workers need. They preach poverty for others, while they themselves won’t practice it, in spite of their vow of poverty besides that of celibacy/chastity and obedience! Justice, the core concern of the scriptures is ignored conveniently! The anawim/poor of Yahweh is despised at every possible opportunity, and are exploited enough.

Can the church, being one of the biggest multinational employers, come out with its pay scales and other labor related policies? Justice needs to begin there, not from the pulpit!

Underdevelopment, a challenge against Human Dignity, a Human Rights question…

‘…God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.’ Gen 1:27. ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath…’ Mk 2:27. Man is the measure of everything.

Hear the words of Sri Aurobindo:

‘A deathbound littleness is not all we are: Immortal our forgotten vastnesses Await discovery in our summit selves; Unmeasured breadths and depths of being are ours.’

It might have been the great Upanishadic truths like ‘Tatwamasi! Soham!’, meaning ‘Thou art that! I am Brahman!’ enabled him and others to consider man as a spark of the divine, if not divinity itself. That is why Jesus also asked his listeners to be perfect as his heavenly father is perfect. Mt 5:48. Man’s call is not anything less than becoming divine. ‘…God does crown him with glory and honour.’ Ps 8:5. The dignity for which man is heir is no one’s concession, not even any sovereign. It is so inherent of humanity, of being human and none can take it away. This greatness endows certain freedom, freedom of the children of God! Rom 8:21.

Man along with myriads of living and non-living organisms, inhabiting this earth, if not the other planets as well, has to be its custodian and not its selfishly dominant and exploitative master. He has to keep it a cosmos and not chaos to his own destruction in the not far long future and nurture for the times to come. ‘Development’ in tune with the rhythm of nature will sustain man along with all other organisms. The backlash due to greedy over exploitation we feel so powerless to resist could be avoided, if only we care for the nature and its resources.

This dignity entails equality besides the liberty of we referred earlier. No one is above anyone else. All claims contrary to this are claims of interest and so be ignored as such. What is latent in every one of us will reach its fullness unless some of them are not denied of possible opportunities. History, in spite of it being recorded by the dominant ones, betrays such atrocities throughout. The domination onslaught was many a times presided over by the ‘religious’ and as such was justified, though there won’t be many takers for that in our times. A latest revelation on this count was reported in the ‘Hindu’ on 21^st February 2013!

Such atrocities go on in almost all the religious institutions with less pay, more working hours, no safety provisions and so on. Mind you, they carry on with such exploitation with offerings made to gods! They conveniently, rather consciously forget the high handed intervention of god at such times. Ex 3:7. They possibly can’t escape that situation which is so imminent like ‘Damocles’ sword.’

The human dignity we are speaking of expects certain minimum requirements such as food, clothing and shelter. All this, I think, Jesus referred to as ‘bread’ when on request he taught them to pray for the daily bread. This can’t be denied to anyone, not even to the birds of the air and lilies of the field. Mt 6:26ff. That is why he seemingly complained of having nowhere to lay his head. Mt 8:20. Food certainly includes water, that too worthy of drinking; and shelter will include toilets facilities for health and hygiene.

These basic facilities are denied to a great number of people in India! Why speak of India, when one can look down on one’s own backyard for these deficiencies. The recent reports on the water scarcity in the coastal villages, besides the reporting some time back of public defecation along the coast in certain part of our diocese should shame us all in a state which publicizes itself as ‘god’s own country’! May be that it is the duty of the governments; however can’t we do something from our part when we squander money on skyscraper like churches and comparatively palatial rectories, let alone the innumerable shrines on all nook and corners obstructing traffic and so on.

It is a well known fact that the literacy among our people in this capital district of the state which claims universal literacy! Where does the public fund go, when most of our schools even are miserably maintained and children neglected. Don’t we have a right to know what are we doing with all that money comes from within and without? When the church clamor for many other otherwise ‘insignificant’ ‘rights’ like the ‘minority right’ and lobby or negotiate with the government, presenting impoverished state of being as underdeveloped, why don’t they insist for such basic necessities which will certainly instill some self-esteem which in turn would make them slowly independent?

Dear Archbishop,

You seem to give a deaf ear to my communications, the last of which was entrusted to your VG to be handed over to you. That was on my rightful wages for sustenance for the services rendered. You seem to play with, if not deny my livelihood which certainly is not your concession, but my right.

If at all one offers anything, it should be done so freely, not on demand like the‘Missa pro populo.’ Every act of a priest, especially his prayers, not Eucharistic celebration alone, must be for the people entrusted to him. A labourer is entitled for his wages before the sun goes down. You have failed miserably in the test of a ‘faithful and wise steward whom the master will set over his household to give them their portion of food at the proper time.’ Being a livelihood issue, you should have acted upon expediently.

Not that I do not know of your inactive, if not insensitive ‘tactics’. If only you knew the meaning and import of the saying: ‘A stitch in time saves nine.’ You have done enough damages to many priests, parishes and the diocese even.

You may not understand what ‘a hand to mouth’ living means. You seem to be born with ‘a silver spoon in mouth’ for such ones everything is provided on a golden platter. Added to this, you seem to be ‘more catholic than the pope’ even! With your kind of ‘spirituality’ ruin whatever remains still with the blessings of your lieutenants, the ‘yes men’ courtiers.

Don’t warm yourself in the thought of remaining quiet for long seemingly fooling the entire diocese minus your courtiers. The day is not far when you will be forced to answer for all of your grievous omissions which have hurt the diocese irrecoverably. That will be a cursed day for you without many to support you.

There is still time to repent and mend your ways and win the lost ones for whom Jesus, the good shepherd exemplarily left the ninety nine in the wilderness. [2.3.13]

Enough is enough!

Having put up 22 years with this bishop out of my 32 years ministry and life in this dear diocese of ours, I forced myself on some kind of self-exile for nearly two years besides few intermittent withdrawals.

My acquaintance with him began way back in 1971 when I came to the seminary after my SSLC [11th standard]. Again he was there at Aluva teaching us ‘Prophets’ and ‘Wisdom Literature’ when the much sought after Fr. Koonthanam unceremoniously left the seminary due to an unjustly handled publication matter in ‘Mathavum Chinthayum’. He also taught us Liturgy.

Even then he seemed anything other than human! Jesus was known to have liked company and friends, including children. He was vulnerable like any other human and always felt solidarity with the marginalized. One of the greatest compliments for Jesus in the gospels is that ‘… he taught them as one who had authority…’ which was unheard of from Pakiam as was any manly traits.

Before designated as the co-adjutor, he never ever was an active priest nor did he contribute anything originally nor creatively other than being a passive and simpleton rector whose students are the majority of priests in this diocese today. What a rich source it could have turned out to be, if he had little wit and wisdom.

From the very beginning he seemed to extract all ‘power’ leaving none with any power. That he carries on to this day, in spite of his growing old and weak, all the more so in the matter of finance which he keeps to himself and to his courtiers [finance council] in a non-transparent manner.

He conveniently and cunningly never takes any theological, canonical or liturgical positions, even the one upheld by the official church! Even after the very pope himself relinquished his papacy on health grounds, he shamelessly holds on the position/lie that Rome asked him to manage with the Episcopal Vicars instead of an auxiliary. And now no Episcopal Vicars are there for the diocese other than for the ‘Tamil region.’ Tamil region does not even have Tamil liturgy! His decentralization is only a lip service.

Holiness is wholeness and it can’t but be transparent. In no field he seems to be transparent, whether it be spiritual, temporal or otherwise. This makes things difficult to get along with. Some time back he even suggested that I could opt out without bothering himself to challenge my views, let alone question or negate my stand. The high drama in this contrary, if not contradictory view is that he could not even invoke the weapon of ‘obedience from his arsenal!’

Now, let me come to my story a bit. As Paul would boast in the Acts 22:3 ‘brought up … at the feet if Gamaliel…’ let me also boast of some of my teachers: Joseph Pathrapankal, Jose Vadakkethala, George Koonthanam, Pathiparambil, George Fernandez, Soosa Pakiam to name a few of my scripture teachers as I still am an ardent student of scripture availing all possible literature, whether periodicals, journals or books available here. In one of my withdrawals did M. Th in Biblical Theology from Dharmaram.

As I understand, the disciples were a movement, known as the ‘Path’ which in course of time became institutionalized as we call it today as church. In the evolved stage, the spirit of Jesus, who washed his disciples’ feet and called them friends, slowly and gradually disappeared. What we see today predominantly is the vestiges of royal priesthood, feudalistic insignia and titles and style of functions. This is agitating my understanding of Jesus and his gospel of the kingdom of God. However, I struggled with the structure and system vis-à-vis my convictions hoping one day things would change for the better.

This can better be described by the two latest findings in Kerala with regard to our people. 1) The open defecation at Karumkulam panchayat, the only place in Kerala, is an affront to the claim of ‘God’s own country’! 2) Thiruvananthapuram coast is on par with Malapuram in illiteracy even when this state claims universal literacy. What mighty little have we done to eliminate/ameliorate such shameful ‘honours’ for our people? When we spent crores on building churches, shrines, rectories, ‘community’ halls and the like besides pumping money for the feasts and so on, what about the schools in our parishes? The indifferent administration, to say the least, could not even save a college brought up by few of our priests at Thoothoor.

When we taught them to be a believing people, did we ever move our little finger even to make them a people with self-esteem also? Wanting them to be like foolish sheep, we kept them illiterate and insulated from any external influence which could possibly enlighten them. The religiosity we advocated was never a liberating one instead was enslaving.

Whenever representing them with the ruling dispensation, we were keener to safeguard the institutional interest than of the real issues of the people, like their livelihood etc. Unfortunately that institution itself was enslaving and exploiting.

When we could raise revenues in lakhs, if not crores for all and sundry causes purely from their hard labour and sweat, we never bothered to present the accounts nor establish any auditing machinery. It is vogue for the incumbent to desist accounting. Holding control over fiscal matters without disclosures would eventually hold the people under their control, they might have presumed foolishly! People were not really consulted on any worthwhile matters or decision having far reaching impacting in their lives.

After prolonged illness and amputation of his legs, Bishop Jacob could no longer manage the diocese and sought for a co-adjutor instead of an auxiliary. We were all excited to have Fr. Soosa Pakiam as the co-adjutor, with his low profile in the diocese. The otherwise simpleton fr. Pakiam became the sole authority of the diocese overnight. It is said that in order to know the real person, one needs to be given authority/power. The real Pakiam we were all experiencing in one way or other all these days and that too to the detriment of the diocese in its onward march to keep pace with those communities which had already marched well ahead.

In this crucible/test, he failed from the very beginning alienating the seniors with contempt. Having no experience or expertise in administration, he could not be comfortable with the ones known for that but instead he trusted the so called ideologues who then had a considerable backing due to various reasons. Now, having conveniently watered down their ideologies, they are adjusting and accommodating with power sharing in a number of guises. The prophetic voice is stifled by the offer of position and possession due to the non-transparent and unaccountable handling of finances.

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For almost one and a half years I was keeping aloof from any diocesan activities, including the Chrism Mass and the Ordinations even. Adding insult to injury I have assumed charge of the parish on the strength of the appointment letter alone without the usual canonical installation. I was not signing the monthly abstract or the parish accounts in the previous parish. The leadership was stoic in its insensitivity to all of these and could do nothing to challenge or stop me!

The much hyped Platinum Jubilee and the Synod of tall claims passed away without ever making any attempt to get back the ‘lost’ sheep! What else can one infer from this callous insensitivity other than the unchristian message that, if you don’t want to toe the line, get lost? All were like an aborted firework in a festivity, like a mountain giving birth to a rat!

I do not know whether this honourable presbyterium ever wanted to know why at all some of you keep away or kept away or whether you approve of the indifferentism of the authority! Presuming that none of you would ever accuse me of irresponsibility, I feel obliged to tell you why I have kept aloof all these days.

Christian authority is to serve; holiness is to be transparent, stewardship is to be accountable and responsible. This is what I was taught and understand of the gospels. Whenever authority was used to dominate, holiness to hide, stewardship to be irresponsible and arbitrary I criticized it, denounced it, desisted and resisted it.

I don’t have any tall claim or presumptions than telling you that I tried to live my life and ministry the way I understood the scriptures and certainly according to my convictions, openly as far as one could normally. Never ever did I aspire for any so called ‘higher’ offices or ‘big’ parishes, nor did I canvas even indirectly or unknowingly. More than I loved the people, they rather suffocated me with their love and appreciation, wherever I was, though I had the sole credit of misfortunes from the very second year onwards to witness deaths, rather killings of precious human lives either by their own or by the police. Had the rare and painful experience of fleeing with the people and going underground for fear of arrest or attack by religious fanatics.

I must acknowledge that this bishop placed his trust in me number of times – twice as the Senate secretary and twice as the Director of the BoE and in the second tenure as the Corporate Manager also. I think I haven’t betrayed his trust, though I could not agree with his stands which often times seemed to autocratic and arbitrary. Let me boast a while telling you that it was in my tenure the decision to establish an Engineering College was taken in the Board and that you see realized as Marian Engineering College.

Though there are enough chances to disagree with him even in matters of faith and morals, by extension to the realm of liturgy and so on, I have confined my disagreement with the fiscal management which was quite arbitrary and non- transparent besides being not at all accountable, implying social auditing in particular. The authority warms itself saying that there is the ‘Finance Council’! It is a pick and chose mechanism whereby those picked and chosen were understandably more loyal to the bishop than the diocese or the people, the ‘anawim’/poor of Yahweh. There was no real criterion for this exercise too.

Though don’t have any intention of raking up the old skeletons in the cub board, I challenge the way people were raised to high offices before clearing their alleged involvement in serious allegations both fiscal and otherwise, including the ones the very bishop acknowledged before an august assembly. What else could be the expectation of the appointing authority than such people’s servile and docile approach? The appointees did more than what was expected of, as their allegiance was more towards the authority than the people/poor of Yahweh.

Church may not be a democracy, but to ‘play God’ before ignorant people is too much in our days. This is what precisely the authority plays when they behave arbitrarily and unaccountably. I really don’t think that the church has or should have anything to hide, especially on money matters. This is what specifically the authority does.

Collective wisdom is the rule in the church, as I understand. The famous infallibility is exercised by collective process than by individual one. Even the sharpest of minds or the ablest of administrators don’t dare any serious decision solely or even behind closed doors. This is what precisely takes place in our situation. The so-called college of consultors is understandably manipulated and used only as a preview theatre to inform a decision prior to public announcement! Any number of cases could be cited like the bishop’s house maintenance, the lip-service decentralization and the eventual relinquishing of the Episcopal vicariates and so on.

The authority being not free, can’t really free the people, fettered for so long in the chains of ignorance and self-pity, with any worthwhile attempts. Such authority can’t be creative and bold for that matter. It remains timid and insensitive to the dissent or criticism. Truth is the casualty here as it is through dialectics truth comes out for which thesis and anti-thesis is a must.

Its advisors are there only to please and not to bring out the truth and do justice to the rest of the people. They can’t call a spade a spade in order to retain the bones thrown out.

The Archbishop

Dirty linens going public…

Even after having been repeatedly given a deaf ear, am writing this confidential note to let you know of some seriously troubling developments, in case you are not yet aware of them, or … It may not go well with the diocese, its image and good name and that hurts very much…

1. The other day one of our advocates in our office had shown me a complaint by a woman against a ‘priest’ of our diocese. That was given by the said priest in order to engage one of our advocates to defend him… One can more or less guess as to the possible fall out in a court of justice by way of evidence and other proceedings.

2. One of our priests has seemingly filed a complaint few weeks back in a police station regarding an anonymous letter and has seen to it that some of his parishners were implicated and were brought to the police station and has threatened them there with severe consequences. Probably that also may come to the court in due time. It may not be to his taste and he may have to defend matters thread bare when people would rather be forced to bring them to the attention of the court. There is yet another relevant saying in this regard: ‘Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones!’

Hope, you won’t let this slip out of control this time like the litigation on the church construction at Vettucaud and so on. ‘A stitch in time saves nine.’

Act urgently to save those concerned and ultimately the diocese. One can’t stand helpless in such situations. Have some genuine moral authority over our priests at least. They need to be brought to toe the line and let them be models to the faithful and others or else let them honestly keep out.

Consumerist culture is seemingly very prevalent among our priests. They are worse, I think, than the corrupt politicians who would one day be answerable to the public at the polls or to the courts of justice. They seem to be very much after money, comfort, conveniences, power and position. Spirituality is rather misunderstood with ostentatious liturgy with least concern for the Word of God properly interpreted. Singing and other theatrics to impress upon the poor faithful looks like a box office formula!

After the Platinum Jubilee and Synod, let us have a relook into the authenticity of our priests which invariably has a direct impact on the life of the people of God.

Ignoring many vital issues of the people, priests are rather preoccupied with construction of churches, shrines, halls and rectories! In so doing they trample with the history and antiquity of our faith and all that represent it. It is an affront to the poverty of the ‘anawim’ of Yahweh.

The Archbishop

Even after having been repeatedly given a deaf ear, am writing this note to let you know of some seriously troubling developments, in case you are not yet aware of them, or … It may not go well with the diocese, its image and good name and that hurts very much…

2. Another of our priests has seemingly filed a complaint few weeks back in a police station regarding an anonymous letter and has seen to it that some of his parishners were implicated and were brought to the police station and has threatened them there with severe consequences. Probably that also may come to the court in due time. It may not be to his taste and he may have to defend matters threadbare when people would rather be forced to bring them to the attention of the court. There is yet another relevant saying in this regard: ‘Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!’

Hope, you won’t let this slip out of control this time like the litigation on the church construction at Vettucaud and so on. ‘A stitch in time saves nine.’

Act urgently to save those concerned and ultimately the diocese. One can’t stand helpless in such situations. There should be a damage control mechanism. Have some genuine moral authority over our priests at least. They need to be brought to toe the line and let them be models to the faithful and others or else let them honestly keep out.

Consumerist culture is seemingly very prevalent among our priests. They are worse, I think, than the corrupt politicians who would one day be answerable to the public at the polls or to the courts of justice. They seem to be very much after money, comfort, conveniences, power and position. Spirituality is rather misunderstood with ostentatious liturgy having least concern for the Word of God properly interpreted. Singing and other theatrics to impress upon the poor faithful looks like a box office formula!

After the Platinum Jubilee and Synod, let us have a relook into the authenticity of our priests which invariably has a direct impact on the life of the people of God.

A reply is expected expediently so as to try other alternatives if needed to contain possible spill outs.

Thanking you,

pancretius.

1^st June 2013

A critique on your Pastoral Letter No. 001/2013/CL Dated 08.02.2013 titled “Thabasukaalam 2013” with a note to be read during Mass on 17^th, I Sunday of Lent.

‘A disciple is one who values Jesus more than anything.’ Now, the relevant question is: Who is Jesus? Matthew 25:40 and 45 identifies the ‘son of man’/’king’ as the ‘least of his brethren’. Is he/she not the ‘anawim’ of Yahweh, those denied of justice?

‘Being content with what one has’ could be interpreted conveniently! The so-called ‘rich’ would mean this to be what is left over after their avaricious grabbing. Here, it is good to remember what Gandhiji seems to have said: ‘There is enough for everyone’s need but not to anyone’s greed!’ Birds seem to be contended as they get their due, because no bird ever hoards anything thereby making someone go hungry. Jesus taught us to ‘pray for our daily bread’ and not to be anxious of tomorrow. Praying could mean laboring and daily bread, the necessities of everyday life. Love has the meaning of caring and sharing too. Bread is to be broken and shared with the hungry.

While presenting the national data on BPL, ill-fed children, illiteracy due inadequate educational infrastructure, homeless people, people devoid of minimum facilities for their basic amenities, of potable water, health and hygiene resulting in contagious disease and so on, have we ever tried to have a census of these details in our archdiocese, at least in this year of Platinum Jubilee and Synod? As you have rightly observed Trivandrum district, mostly in the coastal regions where our diocesan population live in concentration, is one of the two districts designated as most backward, especially in education and health and hygiene. Recent reports on ‘public defecation’ in the said area are really a shame for all of us!

These people were under the stewardship of the church since the time of Francis Xavier and especially with our diocese/archdiocese! What have we really done? Could we not have made them a ‘self-esteemed’ people, leave alone everything else? If only we had the determination to do so would have certainly worked wonders. Have we not had our share in the exploitation our people in the manner of the very shepherd becoming the butcher himself!

You seem to refer to resourceful people keeping aloof of the church! As long as we don’t take them into confidence and entrust them with responsibilities, this sad situation may unfortunately continue.

You may present the detailed accounts to the ‘responsible’ bodies, if you prefer so, though such bodies are not without qualifications. It would be preferable to some bodies like the CAG of the Central Government which is a Constitutional and autonomous body having no ‘loyalty’ to any individual or group whatever be his/her/its status or sanctity. All should ultimately be responsible to the people than to anyone else.

Contrary to your seeming perception, transparency and accountability would certainly make you really and morally stronger. Your intervention when the integrity of your lieutenants are in question normally send wrong signals and facilitate the tainted ones go goat free. When a good number of our people lack many of the necessities of life, the responsible ones should be scrupulously clean, especially in money matters.

As your statements show almost 20% of the `20 crores, that is `4 crores, was seemingly spend miscellaneously! It is irresponsibility, if not outrageous, to the core! It is shocking to learn that a nominal 2.81% alone was spent on education, while a heartening 29% of the archdiocesan receipts were spent on the same. However, most of our schools are without necessary infrastructure still!

No money transaction be done without proper documentary acknowledgement. Even the offering box money should be acknowledged besides the auctioning of the offertory materials.

Every celebration should be accompanied by corresponding projects like home for the homeless and marrying the really poor girls, educating a deserving student and so on. Dowry system in any form should be abolished taking all assistance from the laws against dowry.

No trading whatsoever with Mass stipends, if it can’t be abolished for good. Recent trend among priests in wearing golden rings in the pretext of Rosary and golden chains and owning cars should be stopped by general consensus. We should be models of simple and contended living. Let us concentrate the most on our being than having…

Any default by anyone, especially by a priest, should be properly and exemplarily be compensated, if not fined. Why not priests come out declaring their assets? Priests should always stand free of financial liabilities, especially the ones from the celebration of their ordination, jubilee and so on.

Last, but not the least, let us pay our workers justly and grant them necessary rest and leave besides provide them with safe working conditions?

[A letter intended for the archbishop, but not going to send and he is used to not responding to any such, a good for nothing attitude! 15^th Feb ‘13]

Dear Johnrose,

By this time, you must be more or less settled down with all those events and situations which troubled you and your family. I did try to stand on your shoes to understand you as a loving, caring and responsible father. Emotions might have given way to seasoned thinking after this much time.

Yes, it is me, Pankiras. If that very name annoys, you need not proceed further. Take your own time to get back to your mother at least, before it may be too late. Almost a year back, sent you a letter, without bothering to reveal the identity, on your birth day as it can’t easily be forgotten. Hope, you got it. Two more weeks remaining there for your birth day, comes another day, Fathers’ Day!’

You were and are a good and responsible father, going any extent to bring joy to your children. You are a good and loyal husband and in-law too. May you have all the joys of those relishing relations! But one has to have some other ‘sine qua non’ relations which you seemingly have either disregarded or the later relations have eclipsed that! If that makes you comfortable, carry on with. Those a priori relations long to come in search of that ‘lost’….

They might not have positively supported you or your concerns. But certainly did they not oppose you or did anything to harm you or your people, though it might have looked so! May be that time will prove and they seemingly are not in a hurry to prove anything. If I understand rightly, your mother still earns for you. Being a loving father, you won’t fail to understand such maternal feelings.

Happy fathers’ day!

17^th June 2013 Some loud thinking….

‘Under normal circumstances, one would expect that every individual must be loyal to his or her family. But when one’s family discards dharmic ways, one is duty bound to keep one’s distance from such family…’ (The Hindu, Monday, June 17, 2013 ‘Religion’ in p.6)

For some quite some time, almost for two years, am keeping my distance from my ‘diocesan family’! In the mean time ‘much water flew under Thames’ and none bothered to know why someone is keeping away. It was the days of Platinum Jubilee of the diocese, yet another ‘living together’, the much hyped Synod, which still could be challenged on technical grounds, and so on. Following are some of the serious enough reasons which rather force me to keep aloof, after having attempted enough number of times in vain to convince the leadership whom a courtier team keeps cushy, ostensibly for their interest than of the people’s…!

The leadership doesn’t seem to bother about different views, let alone dissenting views! As A. S. Panneerselvan, the Readers’ Editor of ‘the Hindu’ in his column of 17^th June 17, 2013 quotes Sunil Khilani speaking of the ‘idea of India’; the leadership seemingly fails to grasp the ‘idea of Trivandrum diocese’! This idea is ‘not homogenous and univocal. In fact, no single idea can possibly hope to capture the many energies, angers, and hopes…’ of two lakh plus people. The idea of Trivandrum diocese must be the ‘one that can enable other ideas to emerge, and allow them to learn to live alongside one another… A comparatively populous diocese, naturally ‘with diverse and conflicting interests can be a better home for liberty, a safer have against tyranny, than homogenous and exclusive ones. Within them, factions and differences can check one another, moderating ideological fervor and softening power.’

It may not be pleasing for a tyrannical leadership, however ‘pious’, clever and ecclesiastical he is, to acknowledge and act upon differing views. But there is no other go than this attitude and approach for the betterment of the people in his care. ‘Hearken to the voice of the people…’ is what the Lord wanted of Samuel (1 Sam 8:7) but ‘warn them’ the possible pitfalls, if you are so sure of.

However good and efficient one is, he could be duped by his lieutenants as is reported of the developments with the Chief Minister’s office with regard to the ‘solar scam’ of late. This could only be restrained through transparency and accountability which is not really there in the systems in the diocese. The claim of accountability is for name’s sake and that too is only before those few people who are arbitrarily picked and chosen! Auditing may be there, but not real internal auditing!

This is equally applicable with regard to the making of policies and the much claimed and equally half baked decentralization, though the real ‘centre’ is an enigma!

BEING RESPONSIBLE in spite of being avoided, if not ignored!

Presbyterium 16^th July 2013 [Latin Archdiocese of Trivandrum]

· Since September 2011 I was keeping myself away from the archdiocese (almost 2 years)

· Those two were eventful years with the i) Platinum Jubilee; ii) Synod; iii) Living in together besides others

· Not signing the Parish Accounts since then while at Thycaud

· No Retreat, Chrism Mass or Presbyteriums etc.

· Haven’t taken charge of Malamukal to this day…!

Some Pertinent Questions: Even if the archbishop doesn’t want to address the problem and you, my colleagues seem not to bother of a priest like me, I feel that I should tell you as to why I have chosen to keep away for the past almost two years.

With almost 33 years of priesthood, and that too responsibly lived, should one be treated so impersonally? Not that I want to be somewhere, but rather the presbyterium can’t afford that way to leave everything to such an omniscient and omnipotent archbishop. (Public accountability and responsibility)

Just for some possible posts or other positions, let us not compromise our call. We not called to servility, but to freedom and together build the Kingdom in our situations.

= But for the last, no holding me accountable or responsible nor any queries or questioning! Even the last one, only when I poked through some insider! Then I have clearly told the reasons for my willful abstaining and nothing was done to address them nor could enforce any discipline or disciplinary action!

= What does it convey!? It is up to you to draw convenient conclusions! Where will it all end up?

This ‘avoidance attitude’ which certainly is not that of Jesus, is there continue, unless something drastic is forced by people in their good sense for the welfare of the archdiocese which is seemingly tragically left to the archbishop and his chosen ones!

There certainly are achievements to be proud of/ take credit from, like the Engineering College and the like. (Did anyone ever bothered to know who brought forth and began implementing that very idea!?) But all that becomes dismal in the face of public defecation in the Karumkulam Panchayat, that is our coasts there and thereby digging holes in the claim to ‘God’s own country’; and the poorest literacy rates in the Trivandrum coast making people to question the universal literacy claim of the state!

Public relations, of late, has caught up with other publicity savvy organizations like the empty vessels making noise. Yesterday’s Hindu carried two news items besides the face book propaganda.

The diocese I was ordained for:

@ Since 1980, that was when I was ordained, some 110 were ordained so far!

Three bishops; the present one is made bishop and later archbishop

Of those with whom I began my ministry some 48 have gone to their eternal reward, while some 6 have left for good.

Of the remaining 20 priests who were ordained before me, only 12 are in active ministry and the rest are retired.

- 2 of my classmates are bishops

- Few of them VGs

- One a rector of major seminary

- Yet another, the Definitor General of Carmelites

- Two were Provincials (Carmelites and Capuchins)

Things out of the way: Twice was I Senate Secretary

- Twice again Director of Education Ministry, and once Corporate Manager

- Manager of two individual management schools.

- Abstained from allowance and stipends for almost 10 years since 1992

- Nearly 4 months of Ashram life (Contemplative order)

- Nuh Mission

- American Apostolate

- CPCI, National treasurer

- Editorial Board at ORA Magazine

Academic: Post Graduation in Philosophy and Biblical Theology. Doing the same in Law now

After having enrolled, practicing as a lawyer at the Trivandrum Bar.

Events that shook…

- Two police firings leaving one dead and others with casualties.

- Village fight resulting in the loss of 5/6 lives

RSS fight and one was allegedly drowned and was listed as an accused and went underground for almost 2 years, besides self exile with the parishners for quite some time.

Claims to have no bad habits and have good number of friends on both spectrum of humanity, that is male and females.

Dear Msgr. Ferdinand,

Loving greetings!

Hope and pray that

this letter finds you fine.

Let me introduce myself!

Am Pancretius, a priest of

The archdiocese of Trivandrum.

Dr. Alphonse Legori,

One of my good friends

Complimented your

“Sathyavicharadarshanam”,

A fitting memorial of the

Golden Jubilee of your Priesthood.

You, a man of exceptional caliber,

Have put in such a lot of efforts

To compile and edit this volume

Ranging from education,

Health, history and so on.

It indeed is a reference

To those seek the history

Of Latin Catholic community.

Congratulations!

Pancretius.

Today, 23^rd July 2013, is the inauguration/dedication of a new church/mansion at Kochuthura where I was a parish priest some 25 years ago. At that time an existing church was renovated and it was that church which was demolished to have this multi crore structure for God when his very children/the poor of Yahweh don’t have a proper shelter to ‘lay down their heads!’ Coincidently Ramachandra Guha in his article on the editorial page of ‘The Hindu’ today writes while speaking on ‘What Hindus can & should be proud of’: “In a society where so many are without access to adequate education, health care and housing, where malnutrition is rife and where safety and environmental standards are violated every minute, to invest so much… in the demolition of a mosque and its replacement with a brand-new temple seemed wildly foolish, if not downright Machiavellian.”

Was Jesus not identifying with those who don’t have a roof over their heads or the ones whose roofs must be leaking especially at this downpours of the monsoon, when he said that ‘…the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head’? (Mt 8:20)

This rightly applies to this inauguration/dedication of the said church in the background of known public defecation in Karumkulam Panchayat where this village and church is located and in Thiruvananthapuram district coast where literacy is the poorest along with Malappuram, is an affront to the God who said, “I have seen the affliction of my people..., and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out… and to bring them up out… to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey…’ (Ex 3:7-8).

Listen what Paul is saying to the men of Athens: ‘The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man…” Acts17:24. Hearken to Jeremiah saying: ‘Do not trust in these deceptive words:”This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” 7:4. [July 23, 2013]

Mary Magdalene:

Yesterday, 22^nd July was the memorial/feast of Mary Magdalene. The ‘Divine Office’ Vol. III page 119* says: ‘She was one of Christ’s disciples and was present at his death. On the morning of Easter day she was the first to whom the risen Redeemer appeared (Mk 16:9). Luke in 8:1ff says: ‘Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene… John was more personal in detailing the resurrection account: ‘Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter… and said them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb… and they went toward the tomb… Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept… she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rab-boni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”… (20:1ff).

While replying to the inquiries of the angels she refers to Jesus as ‘my Lord’! While stooping to look into the tomb Magdalene saw two angels…, Simon Peter who was reported to have gone into the tomb earlier could not see anything other than the linen cloths lying!

Another noteworthy thing is of the reading today. A choice is given regarding the first reading: i) Song of Songs 3:1-4a or ii) 2 Cor 5:14-17! Why at all the Song of Songs, a love poem be given? The ‘church’ seems to be averse to such realities of life as love and so on. I feel there is lot of hypocrisy in it. Certain things we are so keen to protect, though it is not from Jesus or his immediate followers. This may be to protect some of the later ‘necessities’ to sustain some systems which again is not evangelical. May be that this has helped the church for some time, not really strengthened it basically.

The evangelical virtues are more ornamental than genuine. [July 23, 2013]

Man:

The very first book of the Bible in its very first chapter declares that ‘…God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him…’ 27. In Hamlet, Shakespeare wonders, ‘What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form, in moving, how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals!’

It is this man who is hungry, has no roof over his head, let alone anything else. This man was represented by the very Son of man, Jesus when he was hungry (Mk 11:12) and had nowhere to lay his head (Mt 8:20). Consolingly he identified himself with the hungry, the naked, the stranger, the sick, the prisoner etc in Mt 25:34ff.

The toll of starvation today is equivalent to a Hiroshima every three days! V. R. (Krishna Iyer) ‘…twenty eight people, most of them young children, are dying this very minute – twenty eight people no different from you or me or our children, except that we had food and they do not.’ (Morilyn Ferguson: The Aquarian Conspiracy, pp 455-56) Let us listen to Gandhi wailing of his own countrymen: ‘The poor sisters of Orissa have no saris; they are in rags yet they have not lost all sense of decency; but I assure you, we have lost. We are naked in spite of our clothing and they are clothed in spite of their nakedness.’ (M. K. Gandhi: Socialism of My Conception, pp 108-9) In basic human capabilities, India ranks 134; in adult literacy almost half the population remain unlettered; the percentage of underweight children are 63 and pregnant women with anaemia aged 15-49 are at 88%. How will one justify this deprivation against the dignity of man which is akin to that of God himself?

In this background let us listen to Vivekananda: ‘We talk foolishly against material civilization… Bread! Bread! I do not believe in a God who cannot give me bread here, giving me eternal bliss in heaven. Pooh! ...more bread, more opportunity for everybody…’ Now listen to Gandhi again: ‘…the economic constitution of India, and for the matter of that of the world, should be such that no one under it should suffer from want of food and clothing. In other words, everybody should be able to get sufficient work to enable him to make the two ends meet…’ (Young India, 15^th November 1928)

How this situation of want/deprivation compromises with the picture of man drawn in the Bible and in other literatures? On the contrary it challenges it which is an affront to human dignity and worth.

‘…Before they would work for change they have to believe that change is possible, that a culture fixated on individual profit-seeking alone is not ‘natural’. The tragedy is that we have had to reach the point where so many people are hungry and malnourished… before we could begin to see that our system- a system built on the vulnerabilities of the human personality instead of its strengths- can never create a human society.

…we must not allow our appropriate sense of urgency to lead to frustration and despair. It took centuries to create the structures that cause the worldwide deprivation we now witness. It will take time to construct a human world. That does not belittle our task; that makes it all the more important. Our personal time frames have changed. We must come to understand today’s struggle in light of the entire scope of human history. We must not limit our vision by what we see around us today. What we see today may tell us little about what our children and their children are capable of creating.’ (Food First, p. 503)

Let us conclude this reflection by quoting Gandhi again: ‘There is enough for everyone’s needs, but not to anyone’s greed.’

[Indebted to Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, “…..’

‘Vaidhika mathangal’

‘Vaidhhika mathangal’ literally means revealed religions, as revelation (‘shruti’-what is heard) is claimed to be deposited in the Vedas (scriptures), which are collections of sacred texts. To this were appended in course of time the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads by way of commentary etc. ‘Shruti’ was supplemented by ‘Smriti’-what is remembered- in the established religions.

Revealed religion is one where a ‘deity’ is said to educate through revelation. Revealed religions are the Abrahamic (Semitic) monotheistic religions like Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

In Vedic faith, incarnations like Rama and Krishna were not there. Such ‘deities’ might have been revered but not worshipped. Buddha didn’t claim to have been sent by God as did Jesus and Mohammed whose religions Christianity and Islam are thus said to be revealed.

Vedas – Scriptures:

In our times the scriptures are no more taken for granted as revealed due to growth in science and technology. These so-called sacred texts are also studied like any other literature to decide its antiquity, history etc and decipher its meaning using various tools like archeology, various forms of literary criticisms and so on. The official Catholic position is note worthy here: ‘as much it is the word of God, so much is it the word of man too.’

The so-called ‘canonicity’ of accepting or rejecting one or other books is an exercise by an establishment called ‘religion’ which is not without interest!

The monotheistic, impersonal God has given way to personal gods said to have been incarnations. [Like nirguna ‘Brahman’ giving way to various ‘Ishwars’.]

The constant theme of almost all the scriptures is the greater, higher human ideals and aspirations through the ups and downs, the dark and light of life throughout history.

Spirituality has given way to religiosity with its hierarchy and domination contrary to what the prophetic utterances state invariably in every scripture.

Being a Catholic/Christian minister/priest, the case of Jesus won’t be an example out of place. He dared to challenge the scriptures of his time when he announced, ‘… I have come not to destroy, but to fulfill the law.’ ‘It has been said to your forefathers… but I say to you…’ ‘Man is not for Sabbath, but Sabbath is for man…’ Over and above, he proclaimed, ‘I have come to serve, not to be served.’

Man is the measure of everything, for he ‘is created in the image and likeness’ of God. Anything which dehumanizes needs to be challenged and changed. Jesus came to give life, life in its fullness.

Faith that is handed over through friendly relations…

[Ru.1:8-14; Jn. 1:35-42]

Thycaud, Mon, 12^th Aug 2013

[Themes: 1) Communion, strengthened by faith…6/8; 2) Faith towards social commitment…7/8; 3) Faith that becomes evident through good works…8/8; 4) Faith that heals…9/8; 5 & 6) Renewal Retreat…10, 11/8]

Gen 3:8/ Ex. 33:11

Mt. 11:19/ Jn. 15:14 &15/

Friendship itself is based on faith

Faith brings in friendship

Enriched faith is one that flowers in friendship

God is depicted as a friend

Jesus called us his friends

He relished friendship with all, especially with the sinners. That was how raised them to the status of the children of God. That was why he insisted on equality and resisted dominance and subordination. He came not to be served but to serve. Service is the expression of friendship.

Faith seems to be the basis of religions! Letter to the Hebrews in 11:1 says that ‘… faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.’ Yes, it seemingly is a matter beyond the grasp of our senses! It is not ‘intuition’. Usually it is demanded by an authority, for that matter religious authority which claims ‘infallibility’, or with regard to the revelations, ‘inerrancy’ and ‘inspiration.’ The so-called ‘faithful’ has no choice.

This approach doesn’t suit man who was created in the image and likeness of God. What could be the image and likeness of god other than his freedom and reasoning faculty? Other than the so-called revelation, truth could be accessed only through reasoning. It is this truth which would set us free as Jesus said. Jesus didn’t denounce Thomas when he defied believing in the risen Jesus till he saw him in person. That much freedom god’s children do have.

The ordeal of faith begins with the very first parents. They were asked ‘not to eat of the tree… in the midst of the garden… lest you die.’ In spite of resisting the delight of the tree, the woman failed before the persuasion of the ‘serpent’ which assured her that ‘you will not die… your eyes will be opened… know good and evil.’ The assurance of the serpent turned out to be real for they did not only die, but their eyes were opened and knew that they were naked!

And the punishment for this failure was certainly disproportionate and that is being inflicted on all humans to this day! Jesus is said to have atoned for all our sins, including that of the first parents! In that case, this punishment should have been lifted and there should not have been a hell! The ‘purgatory’ has already been abolished and what remains is this ‘hell.’ [Does it not imply that all these are man-made, including the gods…? The Malayalam poet Vayalar has written man has made religions which in turn have created gods. Both of them together have divided the land and our minds. Again Kunjunni has written: on the sixth day god has created man out of dust and on the seventh day, the very next day, man has made god out of rock!]

Coming to Abraham, the father of the faithful, that poor man was tested beyond his capacities and he obeyed blindly as if a mentally retarded person would do! Why should a god test or try humans like this? Are we a toy in his hands, having no feelings and other responses? Does he not respect our freedom? Has not Jesus re-written the old concepts of god? Why do we still keep him a Lord rather than a loving father, father of the prodigal son?

Jesus too had his share of these trials! He prayed that the cup should pass away from him for it was too much and bitter. His pain and anxiety was such that he sweats blood!

Why should there be evil at all, especially when there is this omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent god? Jose Saramago in his ‘The Gospel according to Jesus Christ’ depicts the temptation scene in such a way the Satan offers to resign in order to save Jesus from being sacrificed for sins, but god doesn’t accept the offer fearing that there won’t be any relevance for god himself in the absence of devil/Satan!

Faith would be meaningful in human relations rather than between god and man. To exist is to co-exist and faith becomes an imperative in this. Without faith human relations would be hell, a curse. Having faith in others and being faithful to them is what we earn for in life.

VETTUCAUD…

- Have sent a mail for a discussion regarding this… No reply yet…

- Hence this submission, knowing well that it is a matter ‘sub-judice’

- My intervention should not be taken as an advocacy for multi-crore church complexes when people still live in huts, if not in slum like situations, besides having other pressing needs…

- Am well aware of having no diocesan policy regarding church constructions in place, let alone demolishing the existing ones giving scant regard for the historicity and other existing civil requirements…

- A huge structure with hectic investments is staring on all of us on our complacency in doing things within a time frame besides the sense of helplessness of the people concerned and the amount being wasted on avoidable litigations…

- When the complainant seems to have no known gains out of this litigation and no real public interest is going to be served, one wonders why this litigation after litigations even after the parish priest was convicted for no fault of his…

- Did the litigant ever had any dialogue or discussion with the parish prior to filing the suit? If so, does the diocesan leadership know of it and what is their stand, if at all they have any?

- Even when the courts encourage ADR methods, why we fail to make use of such methods to resolve this and set an example for others to emulate?

- Let us not wreak vengeance taking someone else, especially a parish in a hostage situation. It is not becoming of a priest, let alone any socially spirited person. Let us come across the discussion table and solve this scandalous dispute and set out framing some exemplary policies to be followed hereafter. [Thursday, August 22, 2013]

Sanju V. Samson, our pride…

When the Indian currency plunges into record low, one of our young man is taking us to the newer heights while remaining grounded ‘without airs and graces’ ‘… not carried away by the attention and hype, the celebrity status after the successful IPL. Hear what he told M. R. Praveen Chandran for the Hindu on Wednesday, August 21, 2013: “What is important for me is to stay at the top of my game, make fewer mistakes, and learn from failures… and the ultimate aim is the India cap…”

Let this ‘role model’ young man who ‘caught the imagination of the public’ ‘with his strokes and maturity belying his age’ realize his ambition. Let us support him with our wishes and prayers.

LAW PRACTICE with Adv. CELINE WILFRED…

Dear ‘Chechi’,

Loving greetings! Thanks for everything from our first meeting on Wednesday, 13^th July 2012 and then from Monday, 10^th September 2012 as an enrolled advocate till this day.

You seemingly welcomed us generously and as days went on you seemed to lose that gradually leaving us wonder whether we are really wanted or not, if not dispensable. At one stage I even came to your house to share that, especially the financial constraints, though I didn’t expect any monetary benefit as I always maintained in my ministry in the church.

For your information, to this day `3000/- (three thousand only) on16 days out of my nearly 175 days was given except the amounts in Judy’s cases (`2500/- at CJM on 17^th May and `2000/- at Family Court on 9^th July, 2013). Knowing her to be poor and dependent, I gave back the two remunerations to her only.

As people seem to believe, a priest is said to be a ‘consecrated’ person and all along I tried to live up to that faith. For me ‘holiness’ is nothing but truth, justice and the like. The little experience I have in litigation, led me feel that we, the lawyers are failing justice as the priests have failed ‘holiness’ all these days! That feeling suffocates me besides the change in attitude from your side.

The office seemingly doesn’t have any discipline with no one in charge especially with regard to us, the juniors. No guidance of any kind is given! Yes, in the first few days, you spared some time for us, and never thereafter. We could at least have been entrusted with some concerned seniors in the office. No evaluation, no remedial steps in the possible pitfalls! Besides this your attitude/comments of late is hurting, if not humiliating which I have never ever let anyone. Never ever have I gone against any of your expressed wishes or guidelines. Am sure that I was only happy to give you the respect you deserved as an experienced and esteemed senior, even when you openly exempted me as a ‘priest’. May be that I took little freedom with you and that that too never at the cost of respect due to you.

While there is no doubt with regard to our being beginners, no one needs to take us for granted ignoring our age and experience in our respective fields. Fortunately all in the office gave that much consideration, though some tried in vain to impose. Thank you again for letting me as your junior to this day. However, I shall only be happy to assist you in the courts or office provided that is asked for sufficiently in advance. 23.08.’13

Thanking you,

Pankiras A

Attempts by ‘higher ups’ to protect Unauthorized Resorts…

Yesterday’s (Fridays, 23.08.2013) Mathrubhumi in Page 14 reported that few MLAs and Church ‘higher ups’ wrote to the CM asking him not to forward the Supreme Court ordered Enquiry Report by the Chief Secretary fearing negative impact on the illegal resorts at the bank of Vempanad Lake.

Among the signatories the ‘Syro Malankara Catholica Major Archbishop Baselios Cardinal Cleemis’ is also found! After the elevation to Cardinalship, he is no more a simple head of a rather small individual church alone, but a ‘prince’ of the church whose actions and utterances will have an unavoidable impact on the Church as a whole. When the alleged MLAs came out with their explanations in today’s paper for their signing, there is nothing of that sort from the Cardinal or other ‘church higher ups’! They should not presume that they are not accountable or answerable.

In this context, I am thinking of writing to the Cardinal. Depending on his explanation, if at all he prefers to respond, shall either stop or resume further. Let the Church leadership not take everyone for granted.

Would like to get your opinion before sending the letter. Kindly respond without fail.

POVERTY

United Nations: Fundamentally, poverty is the inability of getting choices and opportunities, a violation of human dignity. It means lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society… not having enough to feed and clothe a family, not having a school or clinic to go to; not having the land on which to grow one’s food or a job to earn one’s living, not having access to credit… It means insecurity, powerlessness and exclusion of individuals, households and communities… susceptibility to violence, and it often implies living in marginal or fragile environments, without access to clean water or sanitation.

Copenhagen Declaration: Absolute poverty is a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to social services.

Synonyms: privation, neediness, destitution, indigence, pauperism, penury.

Antonyms: riches, wealth, plenty.

CHURCH/CHRISTIANITY:

– One of the three evangelical counsels or counsels of perfection

- A radical way to live out the Gospel of the Kingdom.

- Expressing the oneness with the poor...

JESUS:

Jesus would not have wanted this for his children. He wanted his children to enjoy the freedom of the children of God. ‘He came to give life, life in its fullness…’

- Riches are ‘thorns that choke up the good seed of the word’ (Mt. 13:22).

- "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests: but the son of man hath not where to lay his head" (Mt. 8:20),

- "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor" (Mt. 19:16-21).

- ‘Don’t carry a stick, a tunic etc…’

- ‘Woe to you, the rich…’

- ‘It is easier for a camel to slip in through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom…’

- He was hungry and his disciples too…

- They “sold their goods "and divided them to all, according as everyone had need" (Acts 2:45),

- The object of a virtue must be something honorable or praiseworthy in itself: now poverty has no intrinsic goodness…

- Calling this poverty would be a mistake, as the main principle of Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism or Gandhi's teaching is to use minimum resources or giving up the greed to consume.

- To share all in common rather than have personal ownership of material goods.

- When so many are ignoring people who are on the fringes of society, religious with a vow of poverty can connect with the poor, work with them and speak about their needs and concerns.

- Be contented with what is necessary

- Expressing the oneness with the poor

- Benedict XVI distinguishes “poverty chosen” (the poverty of spirit proposed by Jesus), and “poverty to be fought” (unjust and imposed poverty). He considers that the moderation implied in the former favors solidarity, and is a necessary condition so as to fight effectively to eradicate the abuse of the latter.

Poverty is the consequence of greed. [Gandhiji]

Need to live like the birds of the air and lilies of the field.

We really don’t trust God, but everything else which gives us what we call ‘security’!

Poverty of the majority, the ‘anawim of Yahweh’ compels us to be accountable, transparent etc.

Yahweh agitates at the exploitation and the resultant poverty of his people and promises them to take the land flowing with milk and honey, that is, plenty…

Jesus identifies himself with the least of this brethren, the hungry, the thirsty, the naked etc…

Our style of life with plenty, the modern amenities, palatial churches, presbyteries etc is an affront to the poor…

A greedy man’s prayer can’t be heard when there is any number of needy people around…

‘The food/left over kept for tomorrow belongs to the one who goes hungry to bed…’ St. Basil

- ‘Security’ v. vulnerability…

28.09.2013:

Temple:

1. These days the first readings from Ezra, Haggai and Zachariah deal with the building of the temple at Jerusalem.

Why do the temple given so much of importance in the Old Testament? Not that Yahweh wants a place to dwell! Rather he wants his people to come together in a sign of brotherhood under his loving and caring fatherhood befitting his children experiencing the warmth of one another, concerned of one another, understanding the others needs, both material, physical, emotional and even spiritual. This is what for a temple is needed. Yahweh must be glorified, when his people is dignified through their enjoyment of the freedom of the children of god.

Unfortunately, nowadays churches are built ignoring god’s people and their need for a decent shelter! This must be an affront to the very god whom they try to please or placate! Jesus might have meant this when he lamented of his, the son of man’s, having nowhere to lay his head!

PP’s Allowance:

From September 2013, the ‘allowance’ of priests in the archdiocese of Trivandrum was raised to `7000/- from `4000/-! I think, it is 57% increase! May be that it is not that big in the present sky rocketing cost of living. This is besides our residence, water and electricity, in some places, telephone facilities and health insurance.

Though they are said to be ‘full-timers’ without having anyone to look into as to how much time they are using for the people, like me going to the courts from 9.30 to 4.30 or so! Along with this hike, is it not advisable to have some ‘job’/service conditions?

In this context, should we also think of the other ‘emoluments’ and ‘stipends’ and of regularizing them. What about our evangelical counsel of poverty? It would be beyond a priest’s ability to employ someone for cooking, cleaning and washing. While the later two could be done by themselves, food could be arranged from convent, if there is one, or from willing families paying them fairly.

When the ‘allowance’ of priests was hiked, should we not increase the wages/salary of the ones working with us and for us? While doing this, it would again be advisable to have their service conditions relooked with hours of work, weekly leave and other rights of workers. To my understanding the daily wage of an unskilled labor for an average 8 hours is somewhere around `400 to `500/-! That means an average monthly salary of `10000/- or so!

In the rather eroding credibility situations, we need to be accountable and transparent besides being simple, honest, trustworthy and available of course.

Reflection on First Communion:

Today went for the First Communion of Beena-Francis Antony (Shaji)’s son Sharon. Wondering as to how much a boy of 11 years will understand the meaning of such a mystery I attempted to present it in the following lines:

Communion is said to be a memorial of Jesus’ Passover meal with his disciples on the eve of his almost sure arrest, trial and conviction. The arrest and the scripted proceedings were planned by his opponents who felt threatened by his new teachings. Besides framing charges of treason and blasphemy, they instigated people to demand for his crucifixion, even to the extent of releasing a hard core criminal like Barabas in exchange, if needed. Not being able to pacify the crowd, Pilate yielded, rather not fully convinced of the charges, to their outcry and handed him over to be crucified.

In all appearance Jesus was a criminal convicted for crucifixion. But in his genius, or divinity as people would prefer to claim, he prepared ground to negate this charge and conviction by taking the usual ritual Passover to an entirely new realm wherein he presented the bread as his own body and wine as his very blood, signaling the morrow’s breaking of his body and shedding of his blood in the cross. But for this rather saving clause, the crucifixion would have turned out to be yet another end of another criminal.

So, the Passover made the difference. Through this he made it clear without any tint of doubt that his life is for others, a perfect abandonment of oneself for love. Knowing the possibility of his friends do likewise, he wanted them to do so in his memory, a memory of breaking oneself for others, shedding one’s blood for them through loving surrender.

Whoever partakes in this memorial commits himself for this love to the extent of death even. When needed he should be broken for others and shed his blood for others.

Probity and integrity:

‘My heart is sore for …., sometime one of your clergy, that he should have so little understanding of the office that was conferred on him. It moves me to warn you earnestly against any excessive fondness for money, and to insist upon your absolute probity and integrity. You must keep yourselves from the slightest taint of wrong. If a man has no control over himself in matters of this sort, how can he possibly preach it to anyone else? If he fails to rise above the love of money, he will find himself corrupted by the worship of his idol…’ [Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians, Ch 9,1-11,4, II Reading from the Office of Readings on Wednesday, 26^th Week, p.596 of Vol. III of The Divine Office.]

The Id, ego and Freud:

“Where does a thought go when it is forgotten?” It began with this question, born in the mind of Sigmund Freud. He spent his life answering this question (and its derivatives) and came up with ideas we’ve been trying to forget since.

After all who wants to know what goes on up there? Who wants to know the truth behind all that anger, jealousy, and fears; those strange sexual fixations and bizarre dreams? Who wants to know the secret wishes that lurk in the darkest recesses of the unconscious?

“The mad man is a dreamer awake.”… But self-realization is better than living in an illusion. “Being entirely honest with one’s self is a good exercise.” “A man should strive to eliminate his complexes but to get into accord with them: they are legitimately what directs his conduct in the world.” [p. 4 of Metro Plus of the Hindu, Saturday, 28, 2013.]

6.10.13

‘A religious leader should be careful in deciding when to remain silent and be sure to say something useful when deciding to speak… Negligent religious leaders are often afraid to speak freely and say what needs to be said – for fear of losing favor with the people… they are certainly not guarding their flock with the care expected of a shepherd but are acting like hirelings, because hiding behind a wall of silence is like taking flight at the approach of the wolf.’…They are likened to dumb dogs that cannot bark… The lips of a priest, adorning the office of herald, shall guard knowledge, and men shall seek instruction from his mouth… [Pastoral Rule of Gregory the Great, Bk 2, 4 in p.609-10 of The Divine Office, Vol. III.]

7^th Oct ’13:

Sanju again with his quickfire 60 in the Champions League T20!

Champions League Twenty 20 came to an end with Mumbai Indians spinning the way to the glittering trophy defeating Rajasthan Royals in Delhi.

Faced with a mammoth task of 203, Rajasthan batsmen took the challenge head on. After rather disappointing performances of Kushal Perera and Brad Hodge, came our own Sanju to the rescue worrying the Mumbai camp with his destructive batting. Maintaining his composure, he rode to his fabulous timing to blast the Mumbai bowlers all over the ground, for fours and an equal number of sixes in his quickfire 60.

Keep cool and confident Sanju. You are doing wonderfully well and perform still better. You have a lot to achieve for Indian Cricket which will have yet another legend in you. Keep your target still higher after every great performance. Cricket world expects a lot from you. We wish you to be on top and our prayers follow you. CONGRATULATIONS!

7^th Oct ’13:

‘You surprised me!’ is the name of a book by Joe Mannath. This poetical title becomes very relevant with the sweet and simple Francis, the pope.

We were all watching this otherwise unassuming and simple shepherd from Argentina to make a difference for the good of the sheep Jesus entrusted to Peter ensuring his irrevocable commitment to love him. Thereafter, it were days of surprise after surprises.

And on 25^th Sept I received a mail from one of my friends providing me with an attachment. It was the interview Antonio Spadaro, S.J., editor in chief of La Civiltà Cattolica, the Italian Jesuit journal, had in person with Pope Francis on 20^th Sept ’13. It was conducted on behalf of La Civiltà Cattolica, Thinking Faith, America and several other major Jesuit journals around the world. See and savor the outright honesty, beauty and boldness befitting an enlightened.

Spadaro starts point-blank: “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” The pope stares at him in silence. He asks him if he may ask him this question. He nods and replies: “I do not know what might be the most fitting description.... I am a sinner. This is the most accurate definition. It is not a figure of speech, a literary genre. I am a sinner.”

This simple man is making waves already, waves of hope in a seemingly drowning/sinking church ship. May be that she has conveniently forgotten a saying attributed to the hard core atheist, Frederick Nietzsche. It is somewhat like this: ‘Christ was a crocodile. Church was built upon it. The crocodile went down and the church alone is seen.’ One of my friends in the early eighties wrote a verse exhorting to make roofs out of crosses without Christ for the poor!

Though the alarm had already been raised with the scandals of child sex abuse, corruption and incompetence, she was sitting rather complacent. May be that Pope Benedict XVI was bold and humble enough to take the lead by stepping down with a clear hint that he was no more competent to lead!

Naturally the worried and anxious faithful were expecting a new shepherd who will steer clear the ship of impending troubles and take it to the safe shores. And they were indeed praying the lord of harvests to send a man of his heart of warmth and understanding and not judging and condemning. Yes, the lord heard the prayers and gave this simple man who preferred to live in the apartment in the Casa Santa Marta, hinting at what is in store for the days to come.

How honest, humble and bold was he to suggest: ‘Who am I to judge?’ He had the heart of Jesus when he asked us not to ‘interfere spiritually’ in the lives of gays, lesbians and so on. Pastors have enough urgent business of nourishing the faithful with the ‘saving love of God’ than judging and penalizing.

The other day he was heard referring to the all encompassing church centre and was again hinting at decentralization. It is better that the local church address the local issues, if necessary only in consultation with the Vatican.

He was eloquent while speaking of greed the minority which begets poverty for the majority. He brands it as ‘idolatry of greed!’

“I did not see myself as a priest on my own. I need a community… I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others.” What an awesome understanding of priesthood!

In pastoral ministry we must accompany people, and we must heal their wounds…I dream of a church that is a mother and shepherdess. God is greater than sin…The first reform must be the attitude. The ministers of the Gospel must be people who can warm the hearts of the people, who walk through the dark night with them, who know how to dialogue and to descend themselves into their people’s night, into the darkness, but without getting lost

Religion has the right to express its opinion in the service of the people, but God in creation has set us free: it is not possible to interfere spiritually in the life of a person.

Here is a real shepherd God has given to his church ‘to speak freely and say what needs to be said’ – not fearing the loss of favor with people… they are certainly not guarding their flock with the care expected of a shepherd but are acting like hirelings, because hiding behind a wall of silence is like taking flight at the approach of the wolf.’…They are likened to dumb dogs that cannot bark… The lips of a priest, adorning the office of herald, shall guard knowledge, and men shall seek instruction from his mouth…’ (Pastoral Rule of Gregory the Great, Bk 2, 4 in p.609-10 of The Divine Office, Vol. III)

Let me conclude with the first and last lines of the Hindu editorial today: ‘Pope Francis may have been an unlikely successor to Pope Benedict XVI, but he is already emerging as a remarkable pope… For Roman Catholicism, (he) may well be a truly world-historic figure.

Let us try to take clues from this great pope and mend our ways to enable God’s people realize the Kingdom of God in their midst.

Erayumman Panky இரையும்மன் பங்கி

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Reflections 2013...

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