அத்விகா பி. சென் மூன்றாவது பிறந்த நாள்!

கால வெள்ளம் கடந்து போகும்-எனினும்
சில தினங்கள் மட்டும் உறைந்து நிற்கும்
அத்தகைய நாட்கள் ஓன்று -அத்வி கண்ணு
மலர்ந்த ஜூலை பதின் மூன்று.

வந்ததே அந்நாள் அத்விகண்ணு -அதை
கொண்டாடுவோம் இறைபுகழ் பாடி...

உன் மழலை-சுட்டி காணாது -திரை
கடலோடி திரவியம் தேடும் அப்பா
வீடு வரும் உறவின்றி வீதியில்-மட்டும்
உனை பார்க்கும் நிலையில் 'மாமன்'...

வந்ததே அந்நாள் அத்விகண்ணு -அதை
கொண்டாடுவோம் இறைபுகழ் பாடி...

அழகும் அறிவும் ஆற்றலும் பெற்றாய்
அனுதினம் அதையே மேம்பட செய்து
அவனிக்கென்றே அர்ப்பணம் செய்வாய்
அதற்கென நாளும் வேண்டும் மாமன்...

A Valiant People invalidated...

A Valiant People, invalidated developmentally…

Trivandrum Archdiocese (Latin) probably is predominantly, if not exclusively, of fishing community. But for their geographical marginality on the shores of Arabian Sea, they had all possibilities of development which were in some way kept away of their reach. They belong to one of the rarest of category of fishermen daring the elements and exploiting all sorts of technical supports available besides inventing their own techniques in fishing. Perhaps, they are the only group of fishermen engaged in manual shark hunting in the deep sea. Their women are equally industrious and hard working. Yet that community is often branded as backward, mostly by the ecclesiastical authorities! In this context, would like to respond to an article of Sabbas Ignatius on their ‘fish-vending women’ in the diocesan magazine ‘Jeevanum Velichavum’ of July 2013 issue.

In order to gauge the culture/civilization of any people, one has to look into their womenfolk first, it is said. It is not that fisherwomen are in any way less than anyone else in the society at large. The active involvement of Annie Mascrene in the Freedom Movement of the Nation and later on her role in the Constituent Assembly drafting the Constitution of Free India. How can one forget the supreme sacrifice of Flory at the ‘Liberation Struggle’ against the first communist government through ballot?

If one of such women could rise up to this level, everyone else could do so provided similar situations are there for them too. My response would be in line with that presumption. Sabbas’ write up was seemingly based on a sample survey conducted among 482 fish-vending women and 100 fishermen of Trivandrum Archdiocesan coast by the Trivandrum Social Service Society in collaboration with the Resource Centre of ‘Sakhi’.

To begin with he speaks of 15% of such women expecting a change in attitude from the larger society towards them. He specifically mentions among others two challenges, namely the odor of fish and their slang usage. This relates to hygiene and literacy which none can help, than acquiring them for themselves. The very TSSS, the most influential of the diocesan organ itself can do anything to help them acquire those skills to overcome those challenges. Once this is done, everything else would fall in line in their favor. That is going to be a real challenge for the diocese which it dilly dallied with all these years in the vain hope of keeping them superstitious and subservient without any self esteem.

Then he describes the various stages in their life when they were rather forced to drink this ‘cup which they pray to pass away, if possible!’ One thing is that their men are not sufficiently responsible for the reasons that they were not properly brought up and educated in letters and self-esteem. The other side is that there is any number of ways to market fish in a decent way today, from cold storage facilities to processing them to reaching it to the spot in insulated vans and so on. Women need not be engaged in it and that could easily be handled by anyone as a decent and competitive business like any other business. Here also the TSSS with its organizational infrastructure could render yeomen service and help them reach economic self-sufficiency, if not independency.

Now he goes on telling the life burdens like a debt trap which is like quick mire that develops dangerously or a vicious circle that tightens or suffocates them to ‘death’. This is a sheer lack of fiscal management skills. Both the men and women work like uncompromisingly and against all odds fetching enough and more money to be loitered in extravaganzas like the marriages and other celebrations. Why not the diocese does something with determination against the exorbitant dowry system down the coast? Many poor parents can’t afford to see their daughters married of this way! Again education in letters and genuine gospel values becomes a must, sine qua non. Are we ready to do that whole heartedly, even if that means giving up some of the church’s cherished privileges and prerogatives?

I think we make a mountain out of a mole; we are trying to demonize matters without ever moving our little fingers in the real direction of solutions which is very much within their stamina. Educate them, respect them and challenge them whenever needed and enable them to find out their own solutions for which they are quite able and efficient. Wait only to see wonders to happen from among them.

Am proud of being born into that valiant community and impatient to see all of us feel so. Let that day dawn very soon, if possible, in our own times...

‘The costly tyranny of secrecy’

‘The costly tyranny of secrecy’ is the title of an article in the editorial page of ‘The Hindu’ Thiruvananthapuram edition on Friday, July 05, 2013. The title expands thus: ‘As long as the process of judicial appointments remains opaque, selection of judges on considerations other than merit will continue.’ This again is applicable to the church in the selection of priests for episcopacy, though it is claimed to be a matter of theocracy and not democracy. Presenting of a priest as bishop designate by a bishop can only be for that bishop, more than for anything else!

Merit has to be ensured more than any other considerations like personal interests and quid pro quo. The following merit criteria could be followed in picking up a candidate:

i.            Intellectual capacity: Nominated candidates ought to demonstrate (a) a high level of expertise in spiritual matters with (b) ability to quickly absorb and analyze information.

ii.          Personal qualities: ranging from (a) integrity and independence of mind, (b) sound judgment, (c) decisiveness, (d) objectivity, (e) ability and willingness to learn and develop spiritually and (f) ability to work constructively with others.

iii.        An ability to understand and deal fairly, that is, ability to treat everyone with respect and sensitivity whatever their background and willingness to listen with patience and courtesy.

iv.         Authority and communication skills: He is expected to have (a) the ability to articulate clearly and succinctly to all those involved and (b) ability to inspire respect and confidence and (c) maintain authority when challenged.

v.           Efficiency: The ability to work at speed and under pressure and to organize time effectively and come out with decisions expeditiously.

Transparency will instill confidence in people. The church deserves nothing short of authentic, honest and committed spiritual persons inspiring, motivating and challenging when necessary. The church’s future cannot be totally compromised because the bishops want to ensure their influence in perpetuity.

The winds of change sweeping the world demanding greater participation, inclusion, equity, accountability and transparency will eventually engulf the episcopacy too. The present pope and his approaches instill hope.

Structural Violence…

‘…structural violence is so deeply embedded in everyday life and so thoroughly normalized in our psyche, that we scarcely see it as violence…’ [The Hindu, Thiruvananthapuram, Thursday, July 04, 2013, Op-Ed “Debate’ in p.9]

When one speaks of structural violence, what comes to mind is of politics or state machinery. And none ever even think of such violence in religion, for that matter in the Church. But it is very much there and the hapless victims when retaliate in utter desperation, it is termed real violence! Here, what is meant is not retaliatory violence. What one has to say of the ‘enormous, unacknowledged violence in the poverty and oppression of everyday life’, illiteracy, underdevelopment, deeply dehumanizing situations like public defecation, manual scavenging and so on?

What one says of a people who were insulated by the church from any outside influence, even indirectly from acquiring literacy, involvement in civic activities and so on? It has no qualm in building multi-crore churches, shrines, all convenient priest homes and halls when most of its people live in slum like shackles to be washed away by the monsoon monster waves!

When rather strong churches were demolished to build new ones no one bothered to provide a safe school with necessary amenities or to upgrade decades old schools. No efforts worth the name was taken to educate them in health and hygiene or even to save and be secure etc. Instead they were made dependent for everything from first aid to filing an application for anything!

Now, the situation is changing, not because of the church, but of the media invasion into their homes which none can resist. Even now the church is not proactive!

The above debate asserts, ‘…the texture of politics is enriched by being connected and critical…’ This is equally applicable to any institution, all the more so to the church.

Another article in the same page, “In god’s abode, questions for man” by Ajaz Ashraf states ‘…commercial gains accrue from promoting a religiosity of an irrational kind...’ And it concludes thus: ‘What is needed is to rescue god from meanings and attributes we assign to him. In this, the priestly class could play a vital role. But what hope can we derive from stories of pujaris walking away with the donations, running into lakhs of rupees…’   

To my priest colleagues…

Dear Friends,

I am proud to be a member of this great presbyterium which grew many folds (110) since my ordination in Dec 1980, though quiet many (40-45) of them are no more with us today. Rather contrary to its cherished traditions, this same presbyterium didn’t bother to know what happened to one of its members all these days (for nearly two years)!

However, considering myself as a responsible colleague, I feel obliged to tell you why I kept myself out all these days, though you may not be quite interested to know of it. I tried to live as public as possible and don't want that to be an affair between a bishop and a priest.

It rather becomes an imperative when the archbishop identifies/interchanges himself with the diocese and has a taken a stand of not minding anyone who dissents, if not rebels or agitates against matters seemingly of serious consequences to the diocese. Had enough confrontations with him in private and in the last one he dared me to challenge him in public, if I could! That was not becoming of anyone comfortably placed in a high pedestal. I can very well take up that challenge, provided he takes his position on a level ground. Why can't he have a genuine evaluation of his episcopacy?

He is no more in command, at least with regard to me. I have defied him, rather his policies enough. Why is he not initiating any disciplinary action?

He seems to act like Louis XIV who in his arrogance said ‘I am the state’ and Indira Gandhi of whom it was said, ‘Indira is India and India is Indira!’

You, my friends, stand to gain one thing or other by apparently approving everything he does or says. That may be the reason why most of us, most of the times kept quiet even in matters of serious consequences affecting the destiny of our beloved people who deserve much more than what is thrown to them.

As for me, I have opted out, when I was denied of a basic information as a responsible charge of a ministry.  This was in the background of two of our schools, the only ones in the entire district, to get disqualified for not providing the basic amenities as directed by the honourable High Court of Kerala.

Of late we learn with alarm, shock and surprise, how the very lieutenants whom the CM trusted betrayed/cheated him and ultimately the state and its peoples! If so, how much more will it be in our situations, especially in the fiscal matters. Transparency and accountability should be the hallmark of any genuine administration, even that of the church for that matter. But he wants us to believe him and his lieutenants! It is not enough to be just and truthful but one should look to be so.

Even in the liturgy, he is arbitrary and autocratic to the extent of giving scandal. How can a bishop let the Mass be put on hold/stopped/paused for a considerable time for him to come and bless a marriage? Can’t he come little early and attend the Mass of the edification of the faithful? Or let him preside over the Eucharist and bless the marriage. How can one justify posing for photos intra Missa? Has he ever let a priest preach and listened to him? Is it only a bishop’s prerogative to preach? ‘Brevity is the soul of wisdom.’ What a lengthy sermon he preaches, without any regard for precious time! His disregard for punctuality speaks volumes! 

He seemingly is no more in command of things!

After almost two years, I am here amongst you, my fellow priests, though, none of you seemingly hasn’t bothered to know what happened to me all these days! [However, wishing to be a responsible colleague, would like that you be told of the reasons why I stayed out with enough pain.]

This diocese of ours gave me the ‘community’ identity, of which I am proud of. And this great community is still said to be ‘backward’, a constant refrain by the authorities, in spite of the developments our valiant people carved out of their sheer determination and hard work giving no credit to anyone.

One of my friends the other day (3.7.13) persuaded me not to confront the so called ‘authority’, but tactfully move to empower the people ultimately. This needs to be heeded to. Let me try.