Christian Reforms Foundation attempts to reform church in India

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Nov 16, 2011: P. B. D’Sa, the chief trustee of the Christian Reforms Foundation, announced that the Reformation Sunday will be held on Dec 11 this year. He also said that awareness group meetings will be held in parishes such as Kulshekar, Milagres, Puttur, Udupi, Sastan, and Kundapur as part of the event. 

Speaking about the significance of Reformation Sunday, he said that, although religions were founded by noble people with ethical intentions, they become corrupt over time with the priestly classes amassing wealth in the form of fixed and movable assets. Stating that priests are living like princes and criminals, he said that laymen’s organizations have been formed to expose and curb corruption, misuse of power, and amassing of wealth on the part of priests who live by double standards. 

 

Recalling the claim that the Catholic Church is the largest landlord in India although its assets have been obtained from donations and contributions, he said that all these assets are owned by the bishop of the diocese. Although educated laymen demand democracy within the church and question Church Constitution and Canon Law, the clergy is not interested in giving up its power. 

Stating that the United Christian Association (UAC) has moved court questioning the validity of the Mangalore Diocesan Constitution, a case that is still pending in court, he said that associations in Goa, Bangalore, and Mumbai have launched a nationwide network to create awareness among lay people regarding the happenings within church administration. 

Stating that the Mangalore Christian Reforms Foundation has made a set of 10 resolutions and sent them to the pope and the bishop, he said that a response is still awaited. The clergy are also threatening people that they will not baptize children and bury the dead, owing to which a number of lay people gave up the idea of reformation and compromised with the clergy. He said that the reform groups will continue reasoning with the clergy and if their efforts fail, they would work for bringing churches under government control. 

Revealing the reason for the reformation, Mr. D’Sa said that Christian cemeteries allotted for burial of the dead are being leased or sold by priests. The bishop has deprived thousands of mulgeni tenants of their varga rights and has also opposed the government’s mulgeni bill.

Although schools, churches, halls, and hospitals are meant for the use of lay people, the clergy refuses to permit lay people’s organizations to use the same even when the priests conduct events free of cost in the same venues, he complained. 

Speaking about the lack of transparency regarding the funds collected in the form of rent, annual membership, and fees, which amount to around Rs. 48 crore, he said that the clergy has refused to listen to laymen’s demands to convert colleges, schools, halls, farms, and hospitals into cooperative societies. Since priests and nuns consider themselves to be “Brahmins,” they deny admission to Dalit children in schools in spite of the large amounts of money spent on conversion, he alleged.  

Walter Mascarenhas, Augustin, and Roshan Lobo, all members of the foundation, were present.