Take on more responsibilities, devotees tell Goa Church PANJIM, Oct 5: Caught in the midst of rapid social change, and growing expectations of an activist Church that's more relevant to contemporary needs, Christians and others stressed the need for religion to take on new responsibilities and more enlightened attitudes.
Repeated calls came up for the Church to become more sensitive to contemporary problems, link up with well-intentioned others regardless of religion, and extend its activities in new spheres, at a two-day conference of the 'Church in the Evolving Society of Goa'. Pointing to the growing litigation-consciousness of Goan society, Advocate Jos Peter D'Souza argued: "In Goa, a large number of litigants are Catholics. Brother against brother, neighbour against neighbour. Does the Church have a role to play in such a situation?" He called on the Church to "guide Christian advocates in ethics". Calling on the Church to be more inclusive in whom it takes care of, trade unionist Christopher Fonseca said: "Who are God's children? Only believers (in Catholicism)? Only Goans? Should we see things as insiders and outsiders? As the minority and the majority?" (Fonseca pointed to the grim labour situation under the new labour policies, pointed out there were no differences between the BJP and the Congress on the economic front, and claimed that some 20,000 people had lost jobs in Goa.) Educationist Dr Rita Paes pointed out that the Church had a large educational network of some 160 institutions in Goa. But most worked in isolation. Said she: "I would really like to see our educational institutions work together, and not at cross-purpsoes. Even when it comes to being part of the SSC Board, so many are busy with the daily school work, that they don't get onto bodies where decisions are made." Another educationist Isabella Santa Rita Vaz called on the Church to "keep eyes and ears open" and understand the concerns of the youth. "Unemployment is a massive hidden problem," said she. Artist Shridhar Kamat Bambolkar suggested that "places of worship" could be effective places from which to work for social change. Goa University senior lecturer Rafael Fernandes, currently doing research on the tiatr (the Konkani drama form), of which over 300 shows are put up each year, remained a powerful a potent form through which a social message could be passed on to Goan audiences. One nun made a call for the Church to provide a temporary-stay home for battered women and their children, regardless of religion. Another layperson said "21st century Christianity" should be known as an "amalgam of spirituality, pragmatism and rationality". Another demand on the Church was that it should start a legal aid cell, for families torn by litigation, and to help them get out of it. Some called for the Church to "listen" to the views of well-intentioned people from other religions, launch a helpline for those in distress, and help dropouts from schools to find potentials for earning. Archbishop Raul Gonsalves agreed that talent among Christians needed to be tapped, saying the "richness of the resource we have in Goa, within or outside the Church, is a gift from God". After forming Small Christian Communities, the Church was working to form Small Human Communities -- including people of diverse faiths -- so as to common action by all those of goodwill, he said. Pilar seminary rector Fr Seby Mascarenhas said the issues that emerged from the meet including family-related concerns (pertaining to women, children and youth), the need to harness the educational system to transform society, and the role of Christians in public life. One urgent emerging concern, said he, was to harness the skills and energies of Goan professionals, for undertaking positive work in society. "There are concerns about integrating gender sensitivity in our (priests') curriculum, and taken on more interdisciplinary studies," he said. (ENDS) ########################################################################## # 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 # ##########################################################################
