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The Church Directory 2004 is indeed an useful tool for communications and is a MUST for every Christian home. Given the present scenario in India under which the Catholic Church functions deseminating information to weed out the truth from the half truth is essential and above all ought to be timely. Unfortunately the experience of this writer, and as most of the netizens and others will agree, is that on issues affecting the Catholic church the archdiocese of Goa and Daman despite having a Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media --- has never clarified PROMPTLY on the official stand of the Church on several issues. Instead it believes in sending out or "leaking" out news through some selected newsman. This to my mind is incorrect. The Diocesan Centre for SCM should always have its "official written communique" released on such vital issues rather than letting the faithful hear it from "reliable" sources. The "RENOVACAO" monthly magazine is a poor substitute for prompt news. Take the issue of the Church of Our lady of Brotas at Anjediv, the then Archbishop Dr Raul Niclau Gonsalves had said in a meeting in the presence of this writer that "we need to examine it (Anjediv issue) in all perspectives before going public " true --- but this was in August/Sept 2002 and unfortunately till this date there is not a single "written official communique" on this issue from the Church. When a corporator and some others forcibly entered the "Paco Patriacal" Bishops Palace at Altinho claiming for some stone structure believed to be a "linga" there was no clarification issued by the Church on this issue. Imagine an emotive issue like this incident ----which took place just behind the official residence of the Chief Minister of Goa who is also the Home Minister (law & order portfolio)--- did not in the view of Church deserve a" written official communique" till this date on what exactly happened and what action has been taken. Recently in the case of the Fire at Bom Jesus Basilica Annexe after about two days there was a small news item. But what about the Catholics the world over who use the Internet, and concerned especially with the Exposition 2004 were they not required to be informed so to say from the "horses mouth" Therefore it is not enough to have a directory giving the telephone numbers and email addresses besides websites --- it is necessary that lay people have access to information via these tools of communications and can interact to get clarifications. Often when one gives a call to any of the Churches or even the "Paco Patriacal" office there is no prompt reply. The working hours for the priests "include a well deserved siesta" from say 1300 hrs to 1600hrs --- even if there is some burning issues. One needs to ascertain if calling at a certain time would mean an "ungodly hour" in the eyes of the priest concerned. Thus what use the directory of telephone numbers and are emails ever attended to ??? As a matter of fact if the Church had only realised the need for effective communication the network linking all the chapels and churches with both telephone fax and email facility could have been put to daily use. This network could have been used for desemination of information : be it Goverment schemes etc etc The church could have assisted, if not all atleast, its own faithful on various schemes etc specially to those who do not have access to newspapers etc in the remote villages. Sadly this is not being done ---again, though reading is a vital necessity in the modern day world there is hardly any newspapers periodicals (other than religious publications) subscribed by the Churches in Goa and most of the priests are miserably ignorant of day to day happenings. At best many have an archaic mindset despite nearly seven years of some hard learning -- theology philosophy to attain priesthood. The above observations are a constructive criticism so that the Church could put its website and directory to real good use rather than just have reprints this is the fifth one (? ) GODFREY J I GONSALVES Borda Margao Goa [EMAIL PROTECTED] @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ > Over 660 phones, a hundred email address -- together > with a small number of > websites and tiny number of by-now-outdated faxes -- > are the communication > tools of Church-related institutions in Goa. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@> > ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your life partner online Go to: http://yahoo.shaadi.com/india-matrimony
