AWAKEN CUSTODIANS OF CHRISTIANITY.

Bill Gates & Warren Buffet are atheist and the two greatest philanthropists who have already donated BILLIONS of dollars to various ngo’s & charity groups involved in helping poor christians as well as poor non-christians. It doesn’t matter if Bill Gates & Warren Buffet are atheist because by serving the poor they are serving Jesus. Jesus Christ said “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me”.

Here in Bombay the Catholic Clergy should follow the philanthropic example of Bill Gates & Warren Buffet and utilize church assets, resources, wealth & vacant church properties for the benefit of the bombay lay catholics. Unfortunately the Bombay Catholic clergy have become selfish and greedy and don’t care about the bombay lay catholics this is the reason why many of our poor catholics in bombay have left the catholic church. During Sunday sermons the clergy which includes parish priests, bishops & cardinal preach from the pulpit about poverty and helping the poor with cash and kind which includes housing but the Clergy themselves don’t practice what they preach. HYPOCRISY AT ITS BEST IN THE CHURCH OF BOMBAY!!!!!!!

One Bombay based English newspaper came up with the article ‘EastIndians oppose sale of church land’ the clergy reacted with anger another Bombay based English newspaper came up with the article ‘Church Land Going Going Gone’ the clergy reacted with anger. Just as the catholic clergy have the right to react with anger similarly the catholic parishioners also have a right to react with anger and stop the clergy from selling away church land.

The official weekly magazine of the Archdiocese of Bombay which is available for Rs.10/- is filled with one sided content which gives an impression that whatever the catholic clergy say and do is right it’s a different matter that there is hardly any bombay lay catholic who reads that magazine because the magazine does not have any content in it that will improve the health, wealth, housing of the bombay lay catholics. What we need in Bombay is for some lay catholic group to start a subscription based monthly magazine and provide information on the corrupt activities the clergy are indulging in as well as put content in it that will improve the health, wealth, housing of the bombay lay catholics and make the magazine available through the courier service because the catholic clergy will not allow the sale of this magazine in & around the church premises. As of now most catholics are not internet savvy and information posted on internet may not reach them hence the need for a magazine.

Ask the average Indian what they think of the Christians in India, and you will get the reply -- "peace loving." Dig a little further and you will probably be told that they are a contented lot, who don't easily get agitated or involved in public life. You may also hear that they are not particularly ambitious.

There was a time when the clergy was financially dependent on the contributions of the laity. In turn the laity was dependent on the clergy for spiritual solace. Two factors have changed this bond of mutual love and respect. One partner (the catholic clergy) has become too powerful and dominating, while the other (lay catholics) has correspondingly become more docile. This imbalance is unhealthy.

Prior to Vatican II the clergy and religious lived an ascetic and arduous life. They have since abused the responsible freedom of Vatican II to jettison all forms of asceticism. They have "secularised" themselves in work, thought and dress, even more than the laity who are supposed to live and work in the secular sphere.

With the easy accessibility of foreign funds, dollar mass stipends, money from sale of vacant church properties and mushrooming growth of money-generating institutions, the catholic clergy are now self dependent, leading to self-complacency.

The only other time that the catholic clergy requires the laity is when a priest or missionary has been killed by right wing hindu organizations. Then the laity must come out in vast numbers to support the clergy.

The Church cannot walk on one leg if it seeks to get anywhere. This is precisely what is happening. The clergy and religious are using the laity as a crutch to prop themselves up. This is crippling the church. Both legs must be strong and walk in tandem. Since the laity has been reduced to a peripheral and passive role, it has become increasingly uninvolved in church life. This is evident also in the growing diffidence to Catholic associations, which are or should be the public face of the church in socio-economic, political and media affairs.

What is the vast majority of lay Catholic's involvement in the life and mission of the Church? We are often referred to as Sunday Catholics. Those who are involved in the catechetical ministry refer to it as a petrol-filling station, where you just come to get something, to fill up for the week.

Others sense that catholics are united. This is akin to saying that bodies laid side by side in the graveyard are united, because they don't raise their voices. There is no true unity in the Catholic community which every catholic knows.

First there is the clergy-laity divide, which is widening by the day. Then there is the ethnic divide -- the Malayalees are separate, the Adivasis are in their own cluster, the English speaking don't mingle with the local folks, and so on. This is why, in many urban areas, there are strong associations of Malayalees and adivasis, who have more members and better finances than the cosmopolitan and heterogeneous Catholic associations.

Homogenous groups are comfortable in their own familiar milieu, and don't want others to rock the boat. To add fuel to the fire is the increasing divisiveness of Rites. This particular phenomenon was earlier restricted to Kerala. However, with Malayalees now spread all over India in sizeable numbers, this historical divide has spread like a virus throughout the Church. Unfortunately, its flames have been fanned by the hierarchy and clergy, further dividing a fractured framework. In certain parts of south India, which boasts of being an older Christian community, the caste divide is shamefully rampant. So the image that we see of us is divisiveness.

As per information provided in one newspaper, only 25% percent of Catholic children and youth (between the ages of three to 21 years) are actually studying in Catholic institutions. This is a startling figure, which the bishops of India are unable to face. The harsh reality is that three out of four Catholic children are not in Catholic institutions.

The Catholic Missionaries, Caritas, Catholic Relief Services & other Catholic social welfare services operating in India are not catering to the needs of poor and deprived Catholics instead they are catering to the needs of poor Non-Catholics with an intent to convert them.

Just as India is a country of many hues, so is the Catholic community that is spread out from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and Gujarat to Arunachal.

GOD'S OWN COUNTRY, KERALA: Described as God's own country, it was the first place in India where Christianity was established in apostolic times. Today Kerala accounts for more than two-thirds of the number of personnel joining seminaries and missionary groups. Whether it is clergymen or nurses, the image of Kerala Christians is that of assimilation and hard-work on the one hand, and a tendency to be CLANNISH on the other.

Moving up the coast from Kerala comes MANGALORE or South Canara. An important aspect of Mangalorean Christians is that they too remained rooted in their local culture and language. Their attitudes are influenced by the Kerala Christians to their south, and their northern neighbours, the Goans.

GOA, WHERE HISTORY HAS BEEN FAR FROM IDYLLIC: Goa today is projected as an idyllic destination for honeymooners, and an ideal place for setting up pharmaceutical, cosmetics and software industries. But the history of the Church in Goa has been far from idyllic. Because of Portuguese repression, and limited opportunities, Goans were among the first Indian Catholics to migrate to other parts of the country in substantial numbers.

THE NORTH, A POTPOURRI OF MANY PEOPLES: This vast expanse, in ecclesiastical terms, covers the entire non-tribal regions of north, central and western India. It is a potpourri of many peoples, with just small pockets of local Catholics. The Church in north India is a Church of outsiders. The first migrants to the north were the Goans, followed by the Tamilians. There were of course the Anglo-Indians, who have since migrated in large numbers to Canada and Australia. Today the major groups that form the bulk of the Church are the Malayalees and the adivasis. There are hardly any local vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Ahmedabad in Gujarat is the first diocese to have a local bishop. All the others are either Malayalees, Mangaloreans or a remnant of Goans.

One the WEST of Maharashtra are the EastIndian Christians (or North Konkan Christians or Salsette Christians) who have been devastated by the Land Acquisition Policy…..The Land Acquisition Policy which the British Raj invented & carried forward by the State Governments has ruined and displaced many communities across India that includes the East Indians. From human security angle, displacement involves ‘impoverishment risk’ the common elements of which are: “landlessness, joblessness, homelessness, marginalization, food insecurity, increased morbidity and mortality, loss of common property assets, and social disarticulation”……East Indians are the only large Christian community in India who are indigenous to a metropolis. Being sons of the soil they find themselves strangers in their own lands. All their ancestral lands in Bombay are acquired and their houses in the gaothans are ruined. For want of money their children cannot get higher education, and for want of higher education, they cannot get better jobs……..Some of the East Indians who were unable to maintain their dilapidated houses and gave away their properties to corrupt mafia backed builders for redevelopment are now living in penury. Small time builders with political connections, conned the East Indian bungalow owners, with the connivance of the local administration and constructed repair permission houses which have leakage, monsoonal problems and walls as thin as papers. At the moment Repair Permission is passe now towers are coming up, within the same Gaothan infrastructure, whatever is being done in widening the drainage, roads or laying of new water pipelines is not for the old residents but for the new residents who will move into these towers. The construction of these towers has resulted in water shortage in gaothans. Most of the political giants in Bombay are builders by default we all know it only the paper thin walls don't know it…. The Roman Catholic Church in Bombay did nothing to help the east indians....the Church has no political will.. it only believes in numbers and head counts at the Sunday Mass. So this is it, the EastIndian community, is a peaceful quiet community, controlled under duress, a few leaders but all rubber stamp type.. the only fire and brimstone is during the sermons in the Church. Peace Marches happen, Candle light marches happen but the East Indian lives in darkness.

Few practical suggestions for improving the economic conditions of Catholics in India :

1. The Lay Catholic Associations should be the public face and spokesperson of the Church in all socio economic and political affairs. Catholic associations and sabhas must become more active and representative of their people. Bishops and clergy must "let go" of domination in temporal affairs. It is not enough to pay lip service to the role of the laity. The hierarchy must humble itself to actively encourage the leadership of the laity.

2. We need many more Catholic historians. As it is said, those who are ignorant of history are bound to repeat its mistakes. Those who know history, including Church history, can be conscience keepers, to guard against repetition of the same.

3. We need many more journalists in the print and electronic media, and especially in the vernacular press.

4. We need parish priests who are selected & elected by local catholic parishioners and not by the Bishops house. Only those parish priests should be selected & elected who have indepth knowledge of Bible, current affairs, environment who are good, humble & honest who will disclose how church funds are utilized in parish bulletins who will disclose the vacant church properties in possession of the church in parish bulletins who will utilize vacant church properties for the housing needs of poor christians who will not refuse admission to children of poor christians in parish schools who will be prepared to lead from the front who will be prepared to take up the problems faced by the lay christians with the goverment, muncipality, etc.

5. We need reservations in central/state government undertakings, municipality, banks, etc.

6. We need nomination of special representatives from the catholic community in the Indian Parliament & State Legislative Assemblies.

7. We need to put up our people to contest Lok sabha, Assembly and Muncipal/Corporator elections. Ofcourse winning elections is not possible because of our small numbers but that is not the issue the issue is to make catholics politically active.

8. We need 50% seats in catholic institutions including convent/catholic schools reserved for catholics.

9. We need to encourage the Catholic youth to work towards becoming IAS-IPS officers, Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, etc and not just call center workers or hotel workers.

10. We need to provide some of our people who are addicted to alcohol with free anti-alcohol medicines.

11. We need to utilize the parish halls not just for some wedding functions or parties but also for political meetings.

Heart wrenching poverty, potholed roads, traffic jams, overcrowded trains, encroachment of mangroves-openspaces-saltpanlands, inadequate water supply, overflowing gutters, garbage, an all pervading stink, increasing slums, stress & frustration due to poor management. Who is to be blamed ????? Ofcourse the Politicians in rural & backward districts of India who neither care about strictly enforcing the two child policy and who neither care about improving infrastructure, electricity, water network, road network, telecommunications, industries & job opportunities as a result the people from the rural & backward districts of India are left with no option but to migrate into Bombay & other cities of India for job opportunities and to improve their standard of living but in the process they end up crowding the cities and not only make their lives miserable but also the lives of others.

Corruption breeds crime in India. Recently a Politician in Maharashtra has demanded from the Central govt. to pass law giving death penalty to those who are involved in milk adulteration. Can this Politician also demand death penalty to those politicians & sarkari babus who are involved in corrupt activities ????

People come...People go...Life goes on. Amen.

Gabriel D'souza
Bombay.

IFF KUWAIT SOCCER LEAGUE REPORT.

FAHAHEEL BROS JR, BIG BOYS AND AVC – KUWAIT PROGRESS AHEAD IN IFFK LEAGUE 2011 AT DAYA GROUNDS.

Once again on a tranquil Friday morning the cream of Indian expatriate football community gathered on 25th March 2011 at the picturesque Daya Football Stadium to witness yet another day of compact expatriate football on the magnificent astro turf pitch, in the ongoing IFFK league for the unique and customised IFFK Rolling Trophy. Moving away from sand and worn out grass pitches, fans and players have simply adored this playing surface made available to IFFK by the concerted efforts of its members.

Experienced Veterans United kicked off the proceedings against Fahaheel Bros Jr in the first match of the day. Fahaheel Bros Jr. constantly attacked the Veterans citadel which fell in the 8th minute of the first half through Liyakkath Ali. Veterans were finding it difficult to handle the fleet footed Fahaheel Bros Jr., but somehow managed possession and displayed brilliant ball control in the midfield by Benny, Merwyn and Steven. Merwyn almost equalised for Veterans, but saw his shot ballooning over the cross bar with only the goalkeeper at his mercy. The second half was again dominated by Fahaheel Bros Jr who had the lion share of the spoils as Veterans players started to tire out and Liayakatt completed his brace. Veterans tried their best to come back in the game with Merwyn trying his best to wriggle out from the opposition strangle hold by pushing forward, but their forward line just faded away when Jayan C scored the third goal for Fahaheel Bros Jr. to end the game 3-0 in favour Fahaheel Bros Jr.

The second match pitted Indians against Big Boys. Indians with young new faces this season stunned Big Boys in quick succession with a brace from Scott Gomes. The first goal by Scott was a gem to watch as he collected a long hop from Remy in the midfield and placed coolly in the net beating the rival goalkeeper. Before Big Boys could get in to the rhythm Scott scored again and suddenly Indians were flying high and Big Boys in disarray. Expecting a backlash from the opponents Indians tightened their defence, but cracked under sustained pressure from Big Boys with Shaheer Usman reducing the margin before the breather. In the second half the flamboyant and animated manager of Big Boys changed his strategy and his team were quick off the blocks and stunned Indians with a quick equaliser from Ajmal Kareem. Goaded by this success Big Boys put relentless pressure on the opposition and surged ahead through Shaheer who scored the third goal and thereafter Niaz Ummer made it four for Big Boys to end the match 4-2 in their favour. By far this was the best performance by Indians in the ongoing league with their young and new faces shining bright. Big Boys displayed terrific performance to come back from two goals down to score four and win the match.

The third match between AVC - Kuwait and MAC was awarded to AVC- Kuwait as once again MAC played truant.

The matches were officiated by Indian Football Referees Association (IFRA) Kuwait.
IFFK notifies all its affiliates and fans that the next round of IFFK League matches to be held on 1st April 2011 will be held at the Salmiya Baladiya Stadium as the renovated football pitch is ready for action.

Following are the league fixture scheduled on 1st April 2010 to be held on Salmiya Baladiya Stadium.

At 7.00am Big Boys v/s Fahaheel Bros Jr.
At 8.30am Don Bosco Oratory v/s Fahaheel Bros Sr.

NEXT IFFK LEAGUE FIXTURE AT SALMIYA BALADIYA GROUND ON 21ST APRIL 2011

IS INDIA A GOAT??

In the recently passed UN resolution mandating UN to implement No Fly Zone over Libya, India along with Brazil, China, Russia abstained from voting in the resolution thereby converting India’s status as that of a dumb Goat. Abstaining from voicing its opinion either for or against is a job of a Dumb. Is India such a mighty power so impotent to voice its opinion on such an important and crucial issue? If tomorrow India gets a Seat in UN as permanent Member wielding even a Veto power then what will be India’s position? How the weak nations and weak people attacked and massacred by the brute powers and dictatorial governments will get help from India which is on record to support the human rights all over the World?


Ghaddafi is killing his own people in the East of Libya, these Libyans are demanding democracy and other liberties from Ghaddafi who is ruling Libya for the last 41 years as if he is the master of Libyans and Libyan citizens are his slaves. Holding power for such a long period has gone to his head and made him absolutely corrupt. When East Pakistani Bengalis started demanding liberties and democratic rights for them from West Pakistan, Gen. Yaha Khan the president of Pakistan instructed his military in East Pakistan to commit rapes and genocide on Bengali people. Because of this there was turmoil in East Pakistan forcing people there to flee to India. Bengali refugees started pouring into India forcing India to raise its voice against the catastrophic calamity taking place in East Pakistan finally provoking India to wage a deadly war against Pakistan in East Pakistan till East Pakistan was liberated from the West. When India is on record to wage a war against neighbouring country to stop it from brutalising its own citizens then why not India openly side with the suppressed people of Libya who are asking democratic rights for them? Moreover, huge number of suppressed Libyans are fleeing to Italy as refugees to avoid persecution of Ghaddafi in their own land just like East Pakistani Bengalis were doing under the persecution of Gen. Yaha Khan.


India is looked upon by the suppressed people all around the globe as protector of their rights and privileges and suppressed Libyan people were expecting India not only to support their cause openly but also to condemn Ghaddafi and his dictatorial regime. By keeping its neutrality India put itself into a shame in the eyes of the democratic World. This was never expected from India that is championing democracy and the cause of suppressed people all around the world.


On behalf of all the suppressed people demanding democratic rights for them I condemn India’s stand on Libya. India showed its acceptance of Ghaddafi’s brutalising of his own Arab Muslim people in its Eastern sector. India professes to be the champion of democracy but in Libyan case India proved its campaign for democracy is nothing but a big Hoax. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in his masterpiece “If I Am Assassinated” written from the prison cell where he was confined before facing the gallows said that India remained united after its independence only because of its shout of democracy which is nothing but a big Hoax. If India remained as India till now it is only because of its democratic slogan thru which it kept itself as a homogeneous entity, otherwise India is not a true democracy, people are fooled in India in the name of the “Mantra” called democracy.


According to me India is not the supporter of democracy, for its selfish benefits it supports even anti-democratic and undemocratic regimes and dictators. During the invasion of Kuwait India also played its dirty dual role of Dr. Jackyl and Mr. Hyde by showing its neutrality instead of condemning Saddam Hussein for illegally invading Kuwait. Moreover, it sent its Foreign Minister Gujral to Baghdad to embrace Saddam Hussein and to kiss his hand thereby approving Saddam Hussein as a hero for invading Kuwait? India is governed by a few people having love for dictatorship in the name of democracy. With the Lollipop of democracy in its hand India is fooling the poor Indian masses who do not understand democracy. India is ruled by a group of dictators against the wishes of the people at the Centre as well as in the States.


I applaud the coalition partners mainly USA, France, Britain and other countries for stopping Ghaddafi and his soldiers from killing and raping his own people in Libya I also applaud NATO for taking full control of stopping Ghaddafi from doing any further harm to civilian Libyans. By this action of theirs, it is once again proved that World will be better protected only by the democratic West and NOT by India, China, Russia and their impotent partners who like to watch as silent spectators when Ghaddafis kill and maim their own people for asking democracy and more democratic rights in their own countries. All the Ghaddafis in the world especially in the Middle East must go either peacefully or forcefully. Then only there will be peace in this region.


A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.