Congrats to Amaravathi Bishop

Bishop’s  Vicar writes to CCV Editor

dr. james  kottoor

                The following is a letter from Fr. Mario D’Souza, Episcopal Vicar of Amaravathi dated  June 26/15 to Church Citizens’ Voice (CCV) editor. Please read it

“Dear Sir,

         I saw a report in Matters India where you have pointed out that the bishops in India have not responded to the synod on the families with a questionnaire to the people.

       In my diocese here in Amravati, I wish to inform you that a questionarire was distributed and the responses collected and sent the the address given to us by CBCI.

       In case you want more information on this matter. Please contact me or my Bishop, Bishop Elias Gonsalves.Please make that correction in your publishing the news item.

sincerely,

Mario D'souza msfs,– Episcopal Vicar,

Maharasthra. Pin Code: 444.602, Mobile No. 9766324738”

We  wish not only thank him but also send our heartfelt congratulation  to Bishop Elias Consalves – thanks to Fr.Mario and Congrats to Bishop Elias  for setting a sterling example of conducting the survey ordered by Pope Francis to the rest of the bishops in India who may or may not have done anything. Why?

 Because we the Editors of Church Citizens Voice (www.almayasabdam.com ) have been urging our Indian Bishops to do this survey which they didn’t do last year. We  sent those articles to all Indian Bishops, through available CBCI emails, in case they don’t read our  Global Portal, CCV, functioning already from last November. We had even put this Portal at their disposal for national or regional survey through open discussion of Challenges affecting families.

                But unfortunately we were not lucky to receive a reply from any of the bishops on whether they conducted or planning to conduct any to this day. But there was one exception. One bishops responded, not on any survey, but on a disastrous disease eating into the vitals of Catholic families in India, namely “Pure blood promotion” in Kottayam Disease, never discussed in public by Catholic Bishops’ Conference to our knowledge.

    Kudos to 2 Bishops

So we had raised this issue several times  for the CBCI and sent articles written on the subject. “Who Distroys Catholic Families?” was the last one written  and published  in CCV and other outlets, and sent  to all bishops directly. One single bishop, who has also the title of Archbishop, was very gracious to react. That was: Archbishop Kuriacose Bharanikulamkara of Fradidabad, Delhi. We thanked and appreciated in public for his  gracious  gesture.

                 There was another instance last year when no bishop reportedly did any survey. So some well meaning laity were organizing on in Pune. To make doubly sure we contacted the bishops, but none replied. But on the basis of hearsay reports we sent a letter to the Archbishop of Kolkotta and I got a reply by return post, saying that he did ordered a survey and also enclosing the photo copy of his letter to all parishes. We thanked him and made it public among the participants of the Catholic Church Reform International (CCRInt’l) asking our fellow journalists to find out other bishops who may have done surveys.

? a Printer’s Devil?

                  Now about the report in Matters India.  Editors who work against deadline of time, in their hurry, make small and big mistakes, often through oversight, not purposely. In this case what may have happened was the omission of a question mark (?) in the headline.  The headline sent was: No Indian Bishop  Responded to Papal Call?   Omit  the question mark (?) and it will  appear: “No Indian Bishop responded to Papal Call.” This must have been, what happened in Matters India, to make a charitable judgment, although it distorts whole intent of the article See the same article in CCV with the question mark.

                Such mistakes sometimes turn out to be “Happy Mistakes” (or Felix Culpa, as it is said of the fault our first parents in Paradise Lost) So let no one shed tears anymore about this mistake.

                The undersigned would appreciate it very much if the Episcopal Vicar could tell us when the Bishop sent out the letter for survey, how many responded, in what age  and gender category they were and what was the final report sent since “transparency” of Jesus “I have spoken in public” (Palam locutus Sum) and the open discussion even on delicate issues like “gay unions” was the hall mark of the Extraordinary Synod, last year.

Once again the CCV extends its thanks as well as that of the undersigned, its editor.james kottoor to all concerned.