'Transparency and Accountability of Ministes'

 

Dear friends,

Wish and pray that each of you are fine.

Of late priesthood seemingly is losing its lustre and credibility especially. Personally, am really worried, especially with my thinking on priesthood vis-à-vis discipleship. In that context, in his 'Pastoral Concerns', C. Amirtha Raj has come out with his views on 'Transparency and Accountability of Ministes' in the 'Prophetic Voice' CPCI Bulletin, June 2024, Vol. 15, No. 06, pp. 7-8.

Here below i share the salient features from that write up.

Let's read, reflect and deliberate in order to evaluate our life and ministry so that we could genuinely follow Jesus and His Kingdom values:

 

'One of the consensus points... of the Synod of bishops is about transparency and accountability on the part of ministers...

The Synthesis... says "Transparency and a culture of accountability are of crucial importance... to move forward... We ask... to identify processes and structures that allow for a regular audit of how priests... are carrying out roles of responsibility...

Here the involvement of local community is to be taken care of. (11, Proposals k)

Even the necessity of 'regular review of bishop's performance' is also stressed.

... the Synod has suggested that... ministers should be transparent in their decision- making processes and be accountable

... in the implantation.

The Synod noted that 'one obstacle to ministry and mission is clericalism. It stems from a misunderstanding of the divine call, viewing it more as a previlege than a service, and manifesting itself in the exercise of power in a worldly manner that refuses to allow itself to be accountable... (11 Deacons and Priests in a Synodal Church, Convergences c)

... ministerial service should be seen as a response to God's call...

Auditing system 'should be preceded by a list of services the ministers are expected to render... Only when the list is ready, in the audit it can be checked whether such services have been rendered.

"Your transparency will lead to another people's transformation. " - Trent Selton. (C. Amirtha Raj, 'Prophetic Voice' CPCI Bulletin, June 2024, Vol. 15, No. 06, pp. 7-8)

Thank you.