Kolkata: The March 2-9 biennial plenary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) crystallized on some important decisions, in line with what our Pope has been exhorting the Church to do.
They are:
1. The unanimous view that “the crying need of the hour was to continue dialogue” which is essential in solving problems affecting the society and the country. The bishops wanted a more humane and fruitful mode of dealing with the conflicts, not by force, but by an “open, free and trusting dialogue.”
2. The right to profess, practice and propagate one’s faith and underlined the fundamental equality of all human beings, regardless of caste, gender, creed and status in life.
3. Bishops and priests must shun “excessive institutionalization, clericalism and extravaganza.”
4. Bishops and priests must become “first and foremost, shepherds of the flock, available and service minded,’ and lead a life of “simplicity and spirituality that can be an inspiration to everyone.”
5. The Church in India is a “vibrant community making significant contributions to nation building through education, social development, health care and service, especially to the poor.’’ Greater opportunities will be provided to the Church’s service organizations, comprising health care, education, social services and rehabilitation
6. Promote transparency and accountability at all levels of administration of the Church — parishes and institutions
Dialogue, the crying need of the hour
This is a very practical and workable realization. All over the world all issues under the sun are being resolved through a process of dialogue, making use of the best professionals who are called “peace brokers”. Even sworn enemies Israel and Palestine have realized that long-term solution, dialogue was the much better option than bloodshed. Most of the problems which the Indian Church sweeps under the carpet, can be solved through dialogues, especially by setting up Crisis Management Teams in each parish / diocese. One of the important jobs of this team would be to give early warning of “smoldering crises” – ones that ignite a very slow and steady burn. If these are not noticed and addressed at the outset, they might suddenly take the shape of a volcanic eruption.
For dialogue, the Church has to change its own mindset. It has to free itself from the illusion of sitting on a high pedestal and come down to a level-playing field before the process of dialogue starts. It has to treat the affected party as equal and allow free flow of thoughts particularly “dissenting opinion”.
True dialogue calls for large-heartedness on both sides. Bishops, Provincials and Parish Priests can show this large-heartedness by first acknowledging receipt of letters and emails. Nine out of ten times they don’t and think it to be below their dignity to do so.
Though CBCI has a well-publicized Social Communications Commission, which is also one of the concerns of Diocesan / Parish Pastoral Plan, in practice every attempt is made by bishops and parish priests to shut out communication. This attitude has to change before the process of dialogue is put in place. Also it must be made clear what the remedy is when the respective Archbishop or Bishop does not acknowledge or answer letters / emails. Does one then go to CBCI (if so, to whom) or the Nuncio who too is not free from the same folly!
Fundamental equality of all human beings, irrespective of caste, gender, creed and status in life
The Indian Church itself is guilty of the above discrimination. Though in Christianity (and also in Islam), there is no caste system, in reality it is very much practiced by the Church, especially in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa. The Indian Church has first to clean up its own backyards before venturing on to advice the Indian government. As the Lord said “You cannot serve two masters.” In Kolkata one parish priest tried to divide the parish by bringing in his own Kerala caste culture. He left the parish in ignominy.
Provision of greater opportunities in health-care, education, social services and rehabilitation
This a very welcome decision indeed. But in reality, the Indian Church which has 25 percent stake in education and health care service in India, actually provides very little to its own Christian Community and the lion’s share to the non-Christian Community. In most missionary institutions, 90 percent of student population comprises non-Christians and less than 10 percent is Christians for whose benefit these institutions were founded and accorded Minority Institution status.
Christian students are given admission no doubt, but in reality they are treated as second-class citizens, for most of them need fee concession and other help. Most of the students out of this 10 percent, drop out in the middle levels due to various handicaps, inferiority complex being the main malady and school authorities are not bothered to keep track of where they go – languish or recover. They merrily fill up the vacancies with the paying non-Christian students.
In a parish in Kolkata, an on-going study centre run by a laity action group to help out poor Christian students, has been forcibly closed down. Even change of parish priests and the provincial who has a degree in pedagogy has not changed the ground reality. Oral hire and fire of teachers goes on unabated. The poor students continue to suffer and the apathy goes on with the exhibition of spiritualism.
Didn’t one of the resolutions at the Plenary urge the bishops and priests to be “first and foremost, shepherds of the flock, available and service minded,’’ and to lead a life of “simplicity and spirituality that can be an inspiration to everyone?”
Promoting transparency and accountability at all levels of the Church – parishes and institutions
This is an area where a lot of work needs to be done for the Indian Church is very cagey about Transparency and Accountability though in Sunday sermons honesty and truthfulness are preached profusely. Transparency in Sunday collection, donations received, receipt and disbursement of sponsorship which in most cases are kept under wraps, income and expenses, vendor selection, assets register, details of parish property – is lacking at the Diocesan and Parish levels.
Most parishes even today do not have transparently elected Parish Pastoral Councils (PPCs) and Parish Finance Committees (PFCs). PPCs are loaded with yes men, handpicked by Parish Priest. PFCs which will capture all income and expenses of a parish and thus help in making parishioners wise, are non-existent in most parishes. Can CBCI produce any authentic database on how many parishes under each diocese have PPCs and PFCs?
Similarly for aid– educational, healthcare and income-generating activities – to reach the really needy, parish-wise family database creation should be given the first priority.
These databases need to be vouched by select members of PPCs and PFCs and updated at pre-determined intervals say quarterly. They can be customized by data access/ administration password. The respective parish priests and bishops can get a clear picture of the health of a parish / diocese. From these databases, professionals in various fields can be culled. These rich pools of professionals can then be motivated to form the backbone of parish / diocese development activity. Talents can be shared amongst parishes.
To translate all the above noble resolutions into reality, two pronged approach is a must: Clear vision of sustainable development and scientific approach. There is no place for tokenism.
(Isaac Gomes is a member of Indian Catholic Press Association and the Archdiocesan Social Communications Commission (ASCC), Archdiocese of Calcutta. He is a regular writer in the Herald Calcutta. He also writes in Silent Voice Mumbai, Mumbai Laity, Smart Companion, UCAN, Church Citizens’ Voice and Matters India. He edits his parish monthly newsletter AUXILIUM SPEAKS.)
Isaac Gomes