Time for Change in the Church by Pratapananda Naik, S.J.

Time for changes in the Church

Pratapananda Naik, S.J.

01 July 2013

 

Catholic Church was instituted by Jesus Christ to spread his teaching of love, service and forgiveness. Church is neither fully autocratic nor democratic; it has a blending of both. It has its own structure and mode of governing. Hence Pope Francis alone cannot renew the Church. It is the joint responsibility of the authorities of the Church and the laity. Pope Francis from day one has begun well by showing in concrete actions that he wants to renew the Church based on Jesus’ values. In my humble opinion the Church should focus its attention on the following areas.

 

Jesus Christ is the head and centre of the Church. Hence, faithfulness to Jesus, His teaching and His way is the need of the hour. Power and authority which the Church has received from Him must be used to serve, to build bridges where there is discord and not for domination and manipulation. Jesus came to serve and not be served. It is not sufficient to say “We are the servants of the people”, all those who are in power should show it in their day to day lives what they believe and preach. Unfortunately, over the centuries upward mobility, promotion, pomp and show have entered and taken deep roots in the Church of Christ. If these and other worldly elements which Jesus did not intended are not uprooted from the Church, can we honestly say that the present-day Church is according to the mind and heart of Jesus? The present-day Church needs a radical paradigm shift among its officials’ thinking and acting. Simplicity of life style, humility, transparency, authenticity, and accountability should be the norm and not an exception among the Church officials. Collegiality, dialogue and consultation are required for efficient administration. Church today needs leaders who are ever ready to lead by their authentic example and not by their mere rhetoric and sermons. 

 

The Second Vatican Council which was held in 1963-1965 was a landmark in the history of the Church. The teachings of the Church should go beyond the documents of Second Vatican Council.  The role of women in the Church, compulsory celibacy for diocesan priests, issues concerning moral theology, priestly training, Church administration, relationship with other churches, the role of laity, Catholics leaving the Church, positive attitude and dialogue with people of other religions are some of the topics need renewed reflection and action.

 

Unfortunately, the image of the Church is tainted by various scandals and scams everywhere including Goa. Sex scandals, financial scams, power struggle among the clergy and the authorities of the Church need immediate attention. It is better to address the issues and try to find solutions to the problems, rather than to try to hide them under the carpet and pretend as if nothing has happened.

 

Latin is a rich language, but it is a dead language. Church documents, liturgical texts and other official literature should be compiled in modern languages with modern expressions and not mere translation from Latin. The recent Roman Missal and its English translation to put it mildly is abominable. In the previous Missal when the priest said “The Lord be with you”, the congregation replied, “And also with you”. This expression was far more meaningful and sensible than the current response “And with your spirit”. I do not know how it will be translated in Konknni. If one insists faithfulness to the Latin text, then the Konknni translation will be a meaningless horrible expression like “Ani tujea bhuta/atmea sovem asum”!  Liturgy, para liturgical services, Mass vestments, and religious objects too need a change according to the cultural conditions of the region. If Catholic faith is the content, then the local culture is the container. Church should acknowledge that there is difference between the content and the container.

 

At present the election of Pope is limited to cardinals who are below 80 years. Most of the cardinals are from Europe. This system too needs a change. Europe is no more the centre of the Catholic world. Latin America, Africa and Asia have greater Catholic population. Hence in the election of Pope these continents and conferences of Bishops must be given the greater importance. The age of those who are eligible to elect the Pope should be reduced from 80 to 70. ‘Cardinal’, ‘Monsignor’ ‘Patriarch’, ‘Canon’ are honorary titles in the Church and they have absolutely no place according to the mind and heart of Jesus. Hence, they have to be scrapped in the Church. Instead Bishops’ Conferences must be given greater role and power in the Church. Similarly certain expressions like ‘His Holiness’, ‘Your Grace’, ‘His Eminence’, ‘Your Lordship’, ‘Most Reverend’, ‘Very Reverend’, ‘Reverend’ should be discouraged and common terms like ‘Pope’, ‘Archbishop’, ‘Bishop’, ‘Fr. (Father)’, ‘Br. (Brother)’, ‘Sr. (Sister)’ to be encouraged.

 

It is not only the Church leaders have to undergo a change but also the laity. For example, in Goa our Catholic laity is fixated to outdated ritualism of processions, exposition, traditions and ‘pas’ during Lenten season which were relevant in sixteenth century when Latin rite Catholicism was introduced in Goa.  Goan Catholic laity is modern in many ways. But in the domain of religious traditions it is very conservative, archaic and outdated. It refuses to accept any change based on the recent teachings of the Church. The story of “Black cat and priest” is quite applicable to Goan Catholic laity. Unfortunately, in Goa Christianity has associated with ritualism and religiosity and not with spirituality of Jesus.

 

“Unity in diversity” is the principle of God. Jesus came into this world to establish God’s Kingdom based on this principle. In the name of uniformity if the Church promotes uniformity, then static and dead Church will survive. However, if the Church promotes diversity, then a dynamic and vibrant Church of Jesus will bloom. In a broken, wounded, fragmented world the Church should strive to become the light, salt, and yeast of Jesus.

 

(Published in Goa Today monthly August 2013)