By George Mathew
A Christian diocese
in central Kerala, India, is rolling in money. They buy rubber estates, run
medical stores, dairy business and diagnostic labs. All for money.
They have no time for
the spiritual rejuvenation or nourishment of the laity. They are busy with
running colleges, schools, dairy farm and pathology lab. They are constantly on the lookout for new
business opportunities. They care two hoots about the well-being of laity.
This diocese recently received crores of rupees by chopping the trees in its rubber estate. Nobody knows where its income from rubber estate, dairy business, pathology labs and other businesses is going. Anyway believers are not getting any benefit from its income.
Behind all this
money-making exercise, black money is also rolling. This is the case with most
dioceses in Kerala.
Church in Kerala has
fallen into the money trap. A large section of Church and clergy are running
after money, power and position. Dioceses and parishes are rolling in money.
They are buying land, renovating buildings and constructing multi-crore churches.
Middlemen and brokers are calling the shots in bishop’s houses. The craze for
mammon has brought church to a perilous state. Believers are perplexed and
stumped, watching the spectacle with consternation and trepidation. Real estate
brokers and middlemen are calling the shots in the church.
Bishops and priests –
including independent congregations -- want to control the accumulated money,
land and institutions. They are not ready to give up their claims. On the
contrary, they want more power and live a life king size. Each diocese is a
kingdom where the bishop acts like a king. Bishop and the curia
(administration) do whatever they want with the money collected from the
believers who always remain in the dark.
Money is diverted.
Taxes are not paid properly. Duty evasion is rampant, especially in land
transfer. Permissions and approvals from government authorities are taken by
doling out kickbacks. Politicians are taken care of.
Church is going the
European way. Satan has tightened the grip.
Church needs to undergo glasnost and perestroika – that too
asap. Otherwise, we will witness an outflow of believers from the church.
1. Church should cut down the financial powers of bishops
and priests. Let a body of clergy and laity take decisions on financial matters.
2. A committee comprising experts, including clergy, should
take decisions on financial matters. There should be complete transparency in
decision making. Laity should be informed of the decisions.
3. Dioceses and parishes should put a ban on building
multi-crore opulent church edifices, five-star hospitals, engineering colleges
and medical colleges. Use this money to build houses for the poor and help
children from poor families or fund their healthcare needs.
4. Bishops and priests should only concentrate on spiritual
matters… not on buying land, accumulating bank balances and building palatial
churches and institutions. They should come down from their ivory towers and
walk with the poor and downtrodden. In short, clericalism must end.
5. Diocese should stop dealing in black money and start
paying taxes properly.
We are all supposed
to follow the law of the land. Church, which holds vast real estate, buildings
and institutions, is no exception.
Church, like any
other citizen, must pay the taxes properly… sincerely hoping they are doing it.
We’re not supposed to undervalue property to evade tax or launder black money.
Whether this (evasion) has happened in the controversial Kochi church land deal
is still not clear.
Church must
discourage black money and money laundering. When unaccounted cash transactions
are illegal, why are some church institutions – especially educational
institutions -- entertaining black money?
Let there be good
governance and transparency in the church. Caesar's wife must be above
suspicion. This is applicable to everyone in India, including the church
whether it's Protestant or Catholic or Jacobite or Orthodox.
Only God knows why
the Church and sister organisations keep on accumulating land, institutions and
new businesses.
Church in Europe was
once vibrant and contributed maximum to its growth nearly 100 years ago. They
later digressed, constructed huge church edifices in every nook and corner
across the continent and started “celebrations” instead of evangelization and
mission work. The fall was faster and steeper. European churches started
declining in the middle of last century and they are in a pathetic stage now
with huge edifices abandoned and believers deserting them.
Jesus Christ, who was
born and died a Jew, went to the synagogues to teach -- not to build new
synagogues. But the new thinking in the Church curia and powerful moneybags who
help the clergy in controlling church administration is: let there be
magnificent and luxurious church buildings, engineering and medical colleges,
rubber estates, dairy business and diagnostic labs.
Unfortunately,
there’s no transparency in the administration of Church as clergy has full
control over everything. Believers are powerless and ignorant about the
decisions of the clergy. Laity has no idea about the accounts of dioceses.
The phenomenon of amassing of wealth is visible in all the
religions. Even churches and various Christian denominations work hard to amass
wealth. They build palatial buildings, institutions and roll in money. Baby
Jesus Christ in the manger is conveniently forgotten. The world has become too
commercial and a throw-away consumer culture has gripped the people.
Yes, money is
everything. Mammon rules the world. We want to make more and more money. Buy
houses, properties and material things. Kingdom of God is far away.
Clergy in Kerala must
stop running after land, buildings, expensive cars, luxurious life, buildings
and bickering over liturgy. It should not remain a toll-house. Church should
not end up as a museum.
Church needs good
governance and transparency. This is sorely lacking now.
