Dear Pamela, It is good that the Archdiocese of Goa is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,perhaps with a little prompting from the BJP or the former advisor to the CBCI turned BJP fan from Saligao.The Congress is not likely to come to power in Goa in a hurry.No point in priests supporting it from the pulpits.This makes shrewd political sense. The Church in Goa seems to have forgotten the activist role of the late reverend Monsignor Alberto Luis ,from Konkan railway re-alignment to political re-alignment.In the meanwhile students in the schools run by the DSE and ABE try to make sense out of the subjects taught in English after five years of Konkani at home and at school.Forget that the Konkani at school is that of the Saraswats(and those catholics who mimic them) and the Konkani at home is of the caste to which these followers of catholicism in the villages belong.The city dwelling,affluent catholics send their children to English schools.Willy's fan Fatima runs one such school. Dr. Willy and the priests do not have children to send to school,so it does not matter to them what is taught and in which lingo. Happy are the poor in English,they shall become diocesan priests and inherit the Catholic church in Goa.....and the Sunday collection will be enough for their needs !! The difference between the the Konkani in school and our mai bhas is akin to the difference between Christianity ( to which caste did Christ belong, and which rite is right ?) and catholicism.Viva la difference. But then whose pedagogy says that the Konkani in school(Like the latin in the pre-1969 seminaries) is our mother tongue?? Can the right honourable Bishop read Sunaparant in devnagri script and understand it? If he can read it at 30 words per minute,does he believe it is his mother tongue.His mother would turn in her grave if he puts his hand on his consceince and states it to be true. It is time to stop bluffing.Vote for BJP like I do ... shout it from the pulpit as they did for the congress so far.Besides,Dr. Willy will not live forever.Even Gines Viegas died.He served good food.I do not know how many people will be as charitable about Willy when he is no more. Alberto Luis? Who was that again? The only person who can give a run to the BJP in Goa is Vijay Mallya.UB's Kingfisher is more refreshing than Vinicola's sacramental wine.Churches are festooned with banners of Belo beer and Kingfisher during feast days.Vinicola's advertisement appears on the back cover of the Church published Renovacao (meaning renovation ,not restoration) magazine that has very poor circulation and still worse readership.I am yet to see a banner of it near any church or Paco Patriarchal,on a feast day or otherwise. Vijay Mallya's kuldev (God) is in Mardol and so he is a Goan.The Church can justifiably promote the healthy Goan spirit ! Mardol is closer than Palestine,Israel and the Vatican. What beer lack in spirit it makes up in gas.So do most catholics.I am not being sarcastic.This is our history ..and unfortunately,our present.Future is only on Sugar Candy Mountain..via purgatory, if you missed your last dose of Eno fruit salt or mug of beer.
Miguel ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pamela D'Mello" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2003 11:57 PM Subject: [Goanet] NEWS: No politics please, we're priests > **************************************** > For more information/links, see http://goanet.netfirms.com > **************************************** > > > No politics please, we're priests > > By Pamela D'Mello > > PANAJI, April 20: Don't misuse the pulpit as a political platform, or get > caught in the "hustle and bustle" of political activity, That's the advice > to priests of Goa's fairly influential Catholic Church, from its head > archbishop Raul N Gonsalves. > > In a four-page circular with potential consequences, the archbishop has > urged that the "pulpit should never be used as a political platform to > propagate or support any particular political philosophy or ideology". > > In a significant stand where politicians have often demanded their ounce of > flesh from the Church, the advise urges priests not to offer "special > concessions or considerations" to individuals at church services "merely > because they hold particular political or public office". > > "Inside the church, all worshippers are to be treated equally," says the > statement signed by the archbishop. > > This is perhaps the first wide-reaching statement of its kind issued by a > church, which has shown an increasing interest in taking up this-worldly > issues and concerns, but has also drawn flak for allowing its pulpit to be > misused -- at times -- to support the interests of certain politicians. > > In the past, certain priests have been seen as taking stands which favour > certain politicians, particularly in coastal central Goa and areas like > Salcete, where the Catholic vote plays a determining result in the > elections. > > "Prudence demands that priests and religious are not seen to support or > promote any particular political party or ideology or candidates through > their public pronouncements or conduct," says the statement. > > It says that common platform could be offered to candidates contesting > elections, but church premises "should not be made available for the > exclusive use of any one political party or candidate". > > Priests should criticise "unjust social structures, or policies > and actions" but not target individuals. It calls on priests to avoid taking > a stand on technical issues -- like industrial projects -- unless they > understand the issues. > > In the past, the church has taken a stand on environmental issues. > > But as the statement points out that the "visible presence" of priests or > religious at protest rallies against injustice "even though this is their > prerogative as citizens in a democractic society" could provide detractors > "with an excuse to communalise the issue". > > It adds that priests have a role as "full-fledged citizens in a democratic > polity" but need to be prudent while enlightening the faithful "about the > social dimension of the Gospel". > > "As good shepherds, priests and religious are required to be involved in > issues of social concern as an integral part of their pastoral ministry (and) > have an obligation to conscientize the faithful about their responsibility to > work for the establishment of a just social order," says the guidelines. > > It also reminds priests that they "have a duty to denounce publicly unjust > socio-economic structures which dehumanize and impoverish men, women and > children". > > Besides, it says, priests "need to encourage" Catholics to participate in > "honest political activity, including party politics" to "fulfil their > prophetic role in transforming society". > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > > _______________________________________________ > Goanet mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.476 / Virus Database: 273 - Release Date: 4/24/2003 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.491 / Virus Database: 290 - Release Date: 6/18/2003 ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
