Gilbert's post does not do justice to his considerable intelligence. Let's put it down to end of year fatigue and not being defensive about the Goa and Catholic Church. See my specific comments below.
George --- Gilbert Lawrence <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have no ax to grind. Neither do I or others who seek the truth. > Both your posts on this thread and others on Goa's Catholic Church have very > little factual > information. You are plain wrong here. If you re-read my posts I am going to the source (the Goa Archdiocese) to get the facts. They are silent. They are FORCING conjecture, speculation and rumor by their silence. I am requesting they speak publicly as they have not to date. This is not the time to bury their heads in the sand, not with so many people on Goan beaches celebrating the New Year. > You are claiming that the US Catholic church has a problem; so the Goa church > has the same > problem. I have made no such claim. Again, please re-read my posts. I have asked if a formal study was done by the Archdiocese and if the problem is pervasive or isolated (just Ribandar) or non-existent. A number of people in Goan cyberspace have made the claim there are other instances in Goa. Why have you and other Goan Catholics not asked for a full inquiry? Is it easy to lecture about a communal video (which it is), the Hindu caste system, sati, and not deal with the mess in your own house? That seems to be the attitude of Goan Catholics in this case. Consistency brings credibility. > This is called guilt by association. And the Church is 'guilty until proven > otherwise'. No, it is not. It is called transparency and accountability and responsibility. Post Vatican II, the laity has an equal standing with the church authorities - they serve different roles. It is not a heirarchy to be deferred to. You seem to put the Church authorities on a pedestal, I do not. In fact a few months ago with respect to the "Passion of the Christ" DVD shown in an Aldona Church, you requested that people should have first approached the Church authorities and inquired there. In this case, I wrote to them first (not once but twice). Their silence led me to believe they are copying the USA model (denial, sweep under the carpet, bury heads in the sand). This is why I am asking these questions openly in Goan cyberspace so learned people like you can add to the discussion. Perhaps, even some Archdiocese members can speak up with the same enthusiasm as they discuss a communal video, Hindu caste system, and sati. > While you are quoting the case in California, I can forward you the story in > our newspaper, > where the priest was vindicated. Precisely the point I made in my posts. There are many innocent priests (probably 99%) and because of the silence of the Church they as treated as guilty by association. You obviously did not read my post carefully. Or are you simply being too defensive about the Church? I saw the same attitude from many Goan Catholics with respect to the lack of Goan saints problem and other Church issues. > Just because some Goans somewhere in the world have extra-marital affairs, or > other sexual > transgressions, should all Goans be investigated to satisfy the paranoia of > their spouses or the > gossip of others? This is a red-herring and a bogus argument. The issue is serious enough as we know from the USA experience. Are you saying is does not exist in Goa? On what basis? By the same people who throw out fancy tourist statistics? > I would suggest (and hope you'd agree) that the Goa church should embark on > education courses > for priests (and nuns too) on sexual harassment. Such courses never hurt. But first determine if the problem exists, if it is isolated or pervasive. The cure will then fit the disease (if it exists). > But could you have a 'pathological fixation' against the Church on this and > on several other > Church issues that you have publicized? To their credit, many injustices in the Church have been brought out by Catholics themselves, including the priest sex abuse scandal in the USA. It is important to clean the mess inside a glass house before stones are thrown at another glass house. Happy New Year to all who celebrate it at this time (Greco-Roman calendar?). To the others, best wishes as always. Regards, George
