Catholic Associations (CAs) seem to have something of the “underdog” status in the Church in India. They are gravely misunderstood by the hierarchy, and apathetically looked at by the laity. The role of CAs is often confused with that of parish councils (PCs). It is understandable that the unlettered and ignorant laity is not aware of the significance and role of the CAs. What is tragic is that our spiritual mentors feign ignorance of the role of the laity in general, and CAs in particular. This, despite clear-cut guidelines in Canon Law and Vatican II teachings.
One of the path breaking changes in post-conciliar (after Vatican II) ecclesiology is the status and role of the laity. We are aware of the pre-Vatican II pyramidical structure of the Church, with the Pope at the top, followed by the Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Monsignors (in diminishing shades of red and purple paraphernalia) clergy and religious. The ignorant and voiceless laity was at the bottom of the heap. Vatican II changed this, at least on paper.
The triumphant, paternalistic, omniscient, pyramidical Church was replaced by a pilgrim, conciliar, fraternal, participatory, searching and serving Church. However, those accustomed to the fixity, rigidity and power of the earlier order, were loath to change. Sadly, those who have had theological formation after Vatican II have not changed either. They may have a theoretical knowledge of the changed ecclesiology, but their mindset is still largely determined by pre-Vatican thinking.
We Indians are doubly subservient, submissive and docile. We remain in awe of those who are perceived as “superior “ to us. How else do we explain a boat load of unarmed Englishmen travelling thousands of miles over many months, coming to our country to trade; and we ending up bartering away our sovereignty? We Indians stood in awe of the white skin (evident even today in matrimonial ads). As a spin-off, we Indian Christians were equally enamoured of the foreign missionaries – their zeal, their stamina and their resources. We also suffer from the Brahmin-Dalit syndrome. The Brahmin is all knowing, and the Dalit is a “use and throw” disposable and dispensable commodity. Hold on to the feet of the Brahmin and you will attain eternal bliss; with or without your own personal effort.
It is 54 years since Independence. The Gora Sahibs have been replaced by the “Brown Babus” who have retained all the trappings of Westminster and McCaulay, and continue to rule the people in the name of democracy. Gandhiji’s dream of swa-raj (self-rule) has been sealed away in red tape somewhere between North and South Blocks in Delhi. A similar situation vests in the Indian Church. The “foreign missionaries” have gone, replaced by the “brown clergy”, who have all the trappings of their foreign mentors; minus some of their zeal and sacrifice.
The Indian Catholic laity is highly subservient. We are slaves to history, false ecclesiology, theology and ideology. We have a dalit mindset – allowing ourselves to be ruled, choosing to remain ignorant and dependent. The trickle down effect is a fallacy. If the top is blocked or choked, nothing can trickle down or permeate the lower layers. It is like a flash flood that runs off into the ocean, without repletion of sub-terrainean water levels. The Church in India has had a plethora of meetings, conventions, seminars, etc. But like the flash floods, the benefit has been minimal. The laity remains largely ignorant, docile and submissive. Worst of all, they are exceedingly comfortable in this passive slumbering role.
We shout ourselves hoarse that the Church is under attack, education is being saffronised, society is being polarised along caste and religious lines etc. Because of rampant corruption and appalling insanitation neither foreign investors nor visitors want to touch our country with a barge pole. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has tripled its membership in the last year. Yet we choose to sleep, blissfully ignorant.
The laity crib about not being consulted on matters of vital importance. We criticise the educational institutions for being high-handed and insensitive. Armchair criticism is easy. Actual involvement is difficult. I have always held that those who do nothing themselves have no right to criticise or complain. Ask fellow laity to help and you get a standard reply – No time, I’m too busy! This is rubbish. It is my experience that it is the busiest people who invariably make time for just causes.
It is high time that the laity in India awoke from its deep slumber, and assumed an active role in both church and society. It is no use bemoaning ones fate and pleading helplessness or ignorance. Legal jurisprudence teaches us, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it.” So too, perceived ignorance of the post-conciliar ecclesiology is no excuse for our apathy.
The transfer of power and authority never takes place voluntarily. There is always a compulsion. The impulse and impetus for this must come from the laity. Vatican II teachings were like good seed that were throttled by the weeds of power, pelf, and prestige; still more than evident in the hierarchical and institutional church. These elements have to be weeded out, if we are to reap a hundred fold. For this the laity must rise, en masse.
I see the All India Catholic Union and its affiliated Catholic Associations as the vehicle for this process of cleansing and renewal. There are many factors that can contribute to the renewal and transformation of the Church. However, in this article I shall limit myself to some of the factors that contribute towards effective CAs.
1. Knowledge: Knowledge is a liberating power. For centuries we Catholics were dissuaded from even reading the Bible. Even now it is not the institutional Church that makes serious efforts to promote the understanding of the sacred scriptures. It is people’s movements like the Charismatic Renewal that have been in the forefront of promoting a love for God’s word. Centres like NBCLC in Bangalore did make a serious attempt to proclaim the teachings of the Vatican Council. But how many parishes have given regular catechesis through their Sunday homilies, on Vatican II? Have you ever heard them preach about the various provisions of Canon Law, Papal Synods or Encyclicals? The sad truth is that there are just a handful of laywomen and men in India who can hold their own on matters of scripture, theology or ecclesiology. Ask them and they will, in all probability, tell you that they have had no formal training. It is a burning desire within them that has led them in the pursuit of knowledge. We need many more laity who are well versed in both scripture and post-conciliar Church teachings.
2. Leadership: George Menezes, National President Emeritus of AICU, used the phrase “Effective Christian Leadership”. We need a combination of all these three elements. An artisan may be very effective in his work, but he may be lacking in leadership skills or in Christian values. A Christian may be very pious, honest and god-fearing, but again is unable to lead or influence others. Finally we may have leaders who know how to lead to their own advantage, or who lead people up the wrong path, and are devoid of Christian virtue.
It is imperative that we have Effective Christian Leaders. The old saying goes that leaders are born not made. I tend to agree with this adage. However, basic leadership skills can be honed and “Christianised” to good effect. A true Christian leader must lead by example. Such a person should be able to rise above all vested and personal interests, biases, prejudices or preferences. A true Christian leader must be prepared to make great personal sacrifices.
I always give the analogy of a car and a driver. I believe that the driver is more important than the car. A good and experienced driver can take an ordinary car places; whereas a bad driver will crash up the best of cars. So too a good leader can transform a mediocre organisation into a highly effective one.
3. Organisational Skills: A good leader must be able to build up an organisation. I again recall the words of George Menezes that a good leader is one whose absence is not felt. Such a person sets the organisation on a firm footing, and makes it self-reliant. A good leader knows the importance of records, minutes, correspondence, communication, data banks, etc, and is able to draw on them as and when required. Scatter brained and disorganised persons can seriously hamper the smooth functioning of an organisation.
4. Resources: Talking of cars, what is the use of a car without petrol. So too for an organisation without resources. They could be financial, personnel, or infrastructural. One cannot run an organisation on telepathy! One needs a telephone, an office, transport and, in today’s situation, and Email address. Unfortunately, for too long the laity has been dependent on foreign funds or doles routed through the clergy. This is shameful. We have not yet grown up into an adult church. CAs must be self-reliant, and organise their own fund raising drives.
5. Accountability: This is an absolute necessity. Just as finances are important for effective functioning, so too financial irregularities are the death knell of an organisation.
6. Communication: David Lobo, former AICU Treasurer, used to say that communication is the lifeline of an organisation! Communications must be both clear and brief. They should also be periodic, and unambiguous. The members of an organisation should not feel that a surprise has been sprung on them, or that they were not informed of developments. Timely communication builds up trust and confidence. Lack of communication is what George Menezes calls the stubbornness of an immature, sulking spouse!
7. Representative Character: We have a profusion of “letterhead organisations”, whose only claim to fame is their letterhead, and the letters that they write on it. It takes them places, but not for long. Sooner or later the bubble bursts. CAs cannot be mere letterhead organisations. They should have a solid membership base and mobilising powers. I recall leading an AICU delegation to meet several ministers. When I was introduced to the then Prime Minister, Sri V.P. Singh, by the then Welfare Minister, Sri Ram Vilas Paswan, he said: “This is the AICU President. They are a force to reckon with”.
I reckon that I have written forcefully enough. I am sure that if our CAs takes these points seriously then their work will be truly forceful, effective and transforming.
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