chhotebhai's Writings

  • CUSTODIANS OF WHAT TRADITION?

    The magician was dressed in .flowing robes. He had his back to the audience. He claimed to be an alchemist that could change lead into gold – transubstantiation. In between his secret mumbo-jumbo he would suddenly turn around to face his audience, raise his arms, with his index fingers touching the thumbs, as in a…

  • WEAPONIZING COMMUNION – DEMONIZING PEOPLE

    (A sequel to “Hello … Can you hear me?”) A middle aged man with a shock of dishevelled straw-yellow hair approached the altar of the cathedral in London, in wedding attire. He had been born a Catholic and subsequently joined the Anglican Church. He had been twice married and divorced, and now had a child…

  • HELLO … CAN YOU HEAR ME?

    “Ciao,questo e` Papa Francesco” (Hello, this is Pope Francis calling). “Aap jis number ko call kar rahe hain,vah kaphi samay se network coverage se bahar hai” (The number you are calling has been out of the network area for some time)! Pope Francis was desperately trying to get through to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of…

  • DECALOGUE SIX & BOOK SIX

    Lest one go into sixes and sevens over this title; it was occasioned by a recent headline in the Times of India that read “New Vatican Law criminalizes sexual abuse by priests, laity”. It was referring to Decalogue Six, the sixth commandment, “You shall not commit adultery” (Ex 20:14, Deut 5:18). It was also referring…

  • MURDER AT THE ALTAR

    This title could be shocking.  Is it some kind of Agatha Christie “who dunnit”?  But such an event did take place about 1000 years ago when St. Thomas Becket was murdered at the altar of Canterbury Cathedral, of which he was the Archbishop, on 29/12/1170.  This was at the behest of King Henry II, who…

  • FORTY EUROS FOR A RED HAT

    The red hat is synonymous with cardinals. I have no idea of the cost of such a hat in Rome; whether the cardinals have to purchase their own, or they are presented to them by the Pope. However, the tag of Forty Euros (E40) is the limit that Pope Francis has now put on the…

Latest Comments

  1. It was interesting how you connected the cockroaches and the current situation to one where as catholic we have to…

  3. I am glad for dipke and un employed youth Who have woken up and they will succeed in their venture…

  5. First of all we must deeply think before any comments.I am very sorry say that now -a- days Some responseble…