From: "Dr. U. G. Barad" <[email protected]
Under subject mentioned as in above, Fr. Ivo C da Souza, on Sat, 12/20/08,
makes a good point saying: There have been cases of conversion "by force"
in
the 16th century, but that was never an official policy of the European
missionaries who worked in India. The First Provincial Council of Goa,
held
in 1567, forbade the use of force, by decreeing that "it is not lawful to
bring anyone over to our faith and baptism by means of force with threats
or
terror, because no one comes to Christ by faith, unless he is drawn by the
heavenly Father with voluntary love and prevenient grace" (Bullarium
Patronatus APP I, p.6).
My query: Fr. Ivo, without contesting to your above points and considering
what you wrote above is correct; please answer my stupid / ignorant
questions:
1) Did Christianity prevailed in Goa much before 1567?
**Christianity began to operate in India since 52 of the Christian Era.
Missionaries came to India and Goa and changed the face by providing Gospel
values.
There were missionaries before the Portuguese came. When St.Francis came to
Goa on May 6, 1542, there were Christians in Goa. The Society of Jesus
worked through institutions. Missionaries did a lot for Goa.
Conversions "by force", as I said, are not excluded, but there were
conversions by free choice and in mass. People would join them. What I
affirmed was that the official policy of the missionaries was against
"conversions by force".
2) In which year Portuguese took over Goa?
***Your question is really "stupid". There have been Christians in Goa
before 1510. My answer is to your "ignorant" question.
3) Is the year you quoted (The First Provincial Council of Goa, held in
1567) synchronizes with second point as is mentioned above. If not, The
First Provincial Council of Goa, held in 1567 as is mentioned by you is
totally wrong. Do you agree with this!
***No, the Council is not wrong. That has been always the policy. You are
wrong when you surmise that their policy was "conversions by force". Goans
of those times were not so ignorant as to follow blindly the colonial
masters. There were Christians by choice.
4) How Christianity got spread in Goa after Portuguese started ruling
Goa?
***The Church worked for the people of Goa. There were Christians by choice.
We are generations of these Christians by choice. Even today I meet Hindu
people who are dissatisfied with their religion (of their "gods and
goddesses", to use their own words), and wish to "join the Church and follow
the Saviour of the World, Jesus of Nazareth" (in their own words). They
would be Christians by choice. It is our fundamental human right. I am not
elaborating this point, because you refuse to discuss your religion, and
also there are Goanetters who do not like discussion on religion at all...
5) What is the percentage of Catholics in Goa as of date?
***Your question is again "stupid". You should know the answer. I know it
also. But the point that you are making is really "stupid", whatever may be
the percentage of Christians in Goa today (25 or 23 per cent). There is a
great influx of people today in Goa. There are more non-Goans than Goans...
The number of Catholics will be naturally less. We are a "little flock"
(only 2.4 per cent), but evangelization continues in India and in Goa, since
that is our duty. In the Indian context, the number of Christians is
decreasing, because there are "re-conversions by force" of Dalits to
Hinduism even today. Remember that Dalits are not Hindus and they cannot
enter the Hindu temples. There are cases of Dalits being killed because
they entered the Hindu temples. We cannot measure the work of the Christians
in India by numbers. Christianity is a powerful leaven in India.
Fr. Ivo, what ever be your explanations, I will not respond to your
message.
I only need clarification / rather answer from you in this forum.
***I am not elaborating these points, since you do not want "explanations".
But I have given you "clarification" and "answer" to your "stupid/ignorant"
questions (in your own words)... I forgive you for these silly questions,
since I am writing after the Midnight Mass on Christmas Day. Forgive me for
my blunt answers.
May the Lord Jesus bless us all! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Regards.
Fr.Ivo
