The newly built Hyderabad church attacked –opposed by local villagers yet built without permission from the Government – why accuse Hindus? (2)

The newly built Hyderabad church attacked –opposed by local villagers yet built without permission from the Government – why accuse Hindus? (2)

Why local people should have objected to the building of Church?[1]: “The Special Correspondent” always not named of “The Hindu” characteristically reported as follows: “The church consecrated on May 13 by the Archbishop of Hyderabad Reverend Thumma Bala came under attack after a mob of locals reportedly entered it….. The miscreants, it was understood, had earlier gathered at the gram panchayat office, where a meeting was held opposing the continuation of the church……. The mob was led by the village sarpanch, said the police. “The irate villagers claimed that the owner of the land had illegally built the church. We have booked them for rioting,” Inspector M. Surender said, adding that they were yet to name people in the case[2]. The inspector also said George Reddy, the owner of the land who had allocated about 1,000 square yards for the church, had applied for permission for constructing a church with the district administration but had not received approval yet”[3]. So why, they did not answer the issues connected?:

1. Who are the miscreants not named?
2. Why they opposed the building of Church?
3. The opposition started immediately, yet, the Christians have been adamant enough to continue to violate the law and wishes of the local people.
4. “The miscreants, it was understood, had earlier gathered at the gram panchayat office, where a meeting was held opposing the continuation of the church…….”., thus, it is revealed through the Hindu report.
5. “…….The mob was led by the village sarpanch, said the police. “The irate villagers claimed that the owner of the land had illegally built the church.” Then, how and why the Bishop came there consecrate?
6. Do all these Christians from Bishop to the nominated MLA in Telangana Assembly Elvis Stephenson and national coordinator of the Disaster Management wing of the All India Catholic Union Roydin Roach, want to legitimatize their illegal acts under the guise of Christianity, minority or some other reason?
7. “The irate villagers claimed that the owner of the land had illegally built the church. We have booked them for rioting,” Inspector M.”- good, but, what about the violators of the law of this land? How they are superior to the villagers? Why no action was taken agaist George Reddy or the Bishop who wanted to justify the illegal acts?

 

Elvis Stephenson connected with Church and political activities: Though, one is not interested in the affairs of others, but, when they try to poke their noses with vested interests, naturally, the other would try to probe why they are poking their noses. When started verifying with the persons involved in the church building affairs, there have been a lot of controversies, accusations and arrested involving politics and Christian religious leaders. The reported in 2015: “Police are verifying the reported statement of Telangana nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson made before the Magistrate in the cash-for-vote case, that Bishop Harry Sebastian had connected him to A.P. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu over mobile phone[4]. The statement indicated that Sebastian had called up Stephenson three to four times assuring to put him through Mr. Naidu over phone. Around 4 p.m. on May 30, 2015 he Bishop rang up on mobile phone No. 9949054322 of the nominated MLA and connected him to Naidu. Five hours later, Sebastian gave a ring to him and passed on his new mobile phone number, sources said. The next morning, he rang up again and conveyed that he (Sebastian) along with TDP MLA A. Revanth Reddy would come to his house and hand over Rs. 50 lakh out of the Rs. 5 crore assured to be paid to cast vote to the TDP MLC nominee. But Sebastian later decided to change the place of meeting. Then the nominated MLA approached his friend Malcolm Taylor stating that he wanted to meet some people at the latter’s house. However, the meeting was arranged at the house of Taylor’s mother. The ACB officials had set up audio and video recording equipment in the house. Elvis Stephenson had told the Magistrate that Bishop Harry Sebastian had connected him to Naidu over phone”[5].  So, one should not not involved in such controversies, if he has been truly religious and worried about God! But, the events show that they have been more interested in other affairs and activities also.

Bishop Sebastian Harry arrested in cash-for-vote scandal involving Elvis Stephenson[6]: It appears that the Christian MLA was involved in controversies also. The Hyderabad High Court on Friday [03-06-2016] quashed an FIR filed against Jerusalem Mathaiah, an accused in the cash-for-vote scandal involving TDP MLA in Telangana A Revanth Reddy. Mathaiah, whose name figures as the fourth accused in the case registered on May 31, 2015, by Telangana’s Anti-Corruption Bureau, had moved the court seeking quashing of the FIR. On May 31 last year, TDP’s deputy floor leader in Telangana Assembly Revanth Reddy and two others Bishop Sebastian Harry and Uday Simha were arrested by ACB while allegedly paying a bribe of Rs 50 lakh to Elvis Stephenson, a nominated MLA, for supporting TDP nominee Vem Narendar Reddy in Legislative Council elections on June 1, 2016. TDP MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah was also arrested later. All of them were subsequently granted bail. Mathaiah had secured a High Court order staying his arrest. He had sought quashing of the FIR on the ground that at no point he had had any conversation with Stephenson and the link was not established between him and Revanth Reddy[7]. Justice B Siva Sankara Rao allowed his application and quashed the FIR against him. In spite of all these happenings, KCR samctioned Rs. 5 crores for building church buildings and Elvis Stephenson thanked him appreciating[8]. These are mentioned not for raking up old issues or settled matter among the involved Christian leaders and politicians, but, as they accuse Hindus of “extremism” and all, then, their nature has also to be subjected to scrutiny.

Andhra, Telengana, Church building and Communalization of society: When Samuel Rajasekhara Reddy was there, he was openly accused of helping Christians to build churches all over AP. Incidentally, the AP people openly told that he was punished by the God Venkateswara, as he allowed Christians even to encroach Titupati and Tirumala by building Church and distributing propagandist materials denigrating Hindu religion. Now, Telengana state has been created much against wishes of Telugu speaking people, but, just to satisfy the personal interests of KCR and his associates. As he has been communalizing Telengana, he has been hobnobbing with the fundamentalist Muslims and Christians going on granting funds and other facilities officially. Thus, these fundamental groups have been emboldened to engage themselves in communal agenda. In doing so, naturally, they have started rubbing the feelings of Hindus. Here also one can carefully note the tone and tenor of the Christian leaders speaking against Hindus. They have been allowing SC converted Christians to continue as Hinds only, as otherwise, they would loose the reservation benefits. At the same time, when the Christians get benefits, they are not percolated to the converted Christians. With a lot of misappropriation of funds, sex scandals involving Bishops, pastors etc., they have been perhaps indulged in this type of mudslinging, creating controversies and inciting violence through illegal activities. Therefore, it is better to check these vested groups, instead of accusing “ordinary people” and so on!

© Vedaprakash

28-05-2017

[1] http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/newly-built-church-vandalised/article18521075.ece

[2] Ucanindia.in, Newly built Catholic church in Hyderabad vandalised, : MAY 22, 2017

[3] http://www.ucanindia.in/news/newly-built-catholic-church-in-hyderabad-vandalised/34833/daily

[4] The Hindu, Police verifying statement of Elvis Stephenson, HYDERABAD:, JUNE 21, 2015 00:00 IST;  UPDATED: JUNE 21, 2015 05:48 IST

[5] http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/police-verifying-statement-of-elvis-stephenson/article7338841.ece

[6] TheNewsMinute, Hyderabad HC quashes FIR against an accused in cash-for-vote scandal, Saturday, June 04, 2016. 06.47.

[7] http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/hyderabad-hc-quashes-fir-against-accused-cash-vote-scandal-44326

[8]  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGGuOPzJ2dY

 

Why Vatican thrust “miracles”, “beautification”, “canonization”, “sainthood” etc., on India?

Why Vatican thrust “miracles”, “beautification”, “canonization”, “sainthood” etc., on India?

 

Vedaprakash

 

Two to be canonized 2014

India has seen many-many saints, teachers, gurus etc, for the last thousands of years and therefore none need to certify them. To endorse that she is “the first Indian woman” to get “sainthood” etc., are meaningless in Indian context. Yet, Indians are surprised to note that she / he has been beautified; canonized; given “sainthood” etc., as if it is a man or woman is getting that status, that too, at the charity of Vatican they are given as if to to some beggars. And these details are dumped on them through media, as if they do not have saints etc. It is ridiculous, as no man can get certificate from others for his / her status of anything, as he / she is responsible for his / her actions. Indians never implore others to help. In fact, all came to India in search of wisdom, wealth, health, spirituality and so on. As such news is forced on them again and again, Indians have to understand such motivated propagation. Now, it has started with two Chavara Kuriakose Elias and Mother Euphrasia. Definitely, 99& of Indians do not know them. Yet, they are pushed on them.

 

Canonization and myth making machinery 2014

The processes of identifying “miracles”, beautification and canonization:  The news is coming like this – Pope Francis I approved the miracles attributed to Chavara Kuriakose Elias (1805-1871) and Mother Euphrasia (1877-1952) are the members of the Syro-Malabar community in the state. and they would be canonized by October 2014. But the so-called sensational miracles are supposedly observed by individuals, as the stories go about narrating them. As could be noted in the Catholic sensational legends, they are observed only by few but certified by many or acceptable to the Pope. Many times, one-to-one miracles are declared as “public” one and even the priests who do not see or know ready to endorse. Thus, the sensational hierarchies go on attesting and the attested are confirmed in the order. Then the confirmed are officially stated, declared and canonized.

 

Beautification or the readiness to enter heaven: Indians generally know beautification courses offered nowadays and beauticians setting up parlours following LPG. However, here Beatificationas usual derived from Latinbeatus, but “blessed” thus, it is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Churchof a dead person’s entrance into Heaven. It also testifies the capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name understood as “intercession of saints”. Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonizationprocess, as explained above. A person who is beatified is in English given the title “Blessed”. Till beautification, it is not known what the dead would be doing without entering heaven.

 

“Miracles” personalized – need not be more than one to be tested: As per the Christian sources, it is claimed that since the Catholic Church reform of 1983, one miracle must be believed to have taken place through the intercession of the person to be beatified, though the medical investigations of the Church are privately conducted and therefore subject to speculation about their methods. That is no second or third miracle is required to be reported, seen by others and testified, just one is enough. The miracle, phenomenon or vision is tested only by the Church appointed persons and the results are accepted and test certificates are duly given. So, like Sircar and other magicians, they need not show or prove their skills before the audience or public. If any two persons come together and certify the claim each other mutually, they could prove their miraculous power of amazing visions, astounding apparition and unbelievable images, none could question them, but only agree, endorse and certify.

 

For “martyrdom”, “miracle” need be reported, but can be testified straight away: Suppose, some people may not be capable of doing such things, then, they are given some sort of concession, exemption. That is you could not make miracle, do not worry, get killed, you would become “martyr”! Thus, there is another category of “martyrdom” and none could question, if somebody is declared as “martyr” i.e, died for the religion or sacrificed himself for cause of Mary or the Jesus Christ.  The requirement of a miracle is not necessary for those who have died a martyr, as their sanctity is already evident because they were killed distinctly out of hatred for the faith (“odium fidei”). Thus, the so-called “Church-historians” infuse hatred here, as the “martyr” is created, whether such persons was there or not or he / she ever actually did anything for Christianity or the person is Christian him/herself! Generally, the so-called “martyrs” have been sinners, cruel persons, criminals, and all other categories.

 

Christian myth can be localized and local history can be mythified to suit Christianity: The feast day for a Blessed person is not universal, but is celebrated only in regions where the person receives particular veneration. In other words, this is also very much localized or not noticed or known to others. Cultus confirmation is a somewhat different procedure, where the church recognizes a local cult of a person, asserting that veneration of that person is acceptable. In other words, to create myth, the church simply misappropriates, takes over and manufactures such localized myths. Such a confirmation is more an official sanctioning of folk Catholicismthan an active step in a canonization procedure, but the object of the cult may equally be addressed as “Blessed.” As “Christ-myth” has been useful to Christianity, everything would be blessed only as long as it serves for the purpose.

 

The story of Chavara Kuriakose Elias (1805-1871): Coming to these two now in Indian context, the brief about them are as follows – Chavara Kuriakose Elias was born near Alappuzha in 1805 and he founded the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate  – CMI on May 11, 1831, and the Mother of Carmel – CMC on February 13, 1866. He died at Koonammavu, near here, in 1871. They usually claim, “Scores of miraculous favours” were reported by the intercession of Kuriakose Elias. Sister Alphonsa (1910-46), who later became the “first saint of India” (Saint Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, F.C.C.), has herself testified in 1936 that Father Kuriakose had appeared to her twice during her illness and relieved her suffering. That is the man who died in 1871 appeared before her and this is claim or miracle and none can vouchsafe this! As the correspondence was created in determination to beautify and canonize, In 1955, Mar Mathew Kavukattu, arch-bishop of Changanacherry, received instructions from Rome to start diocese-level procedure towards the canonisation. On April 7, 1984, Pope John Paul II approved the Servant of God, Kuriakose Elias Chavara’s practice of heroic virtues and declared him “Venerable”. He was beautified with Alphonsa[1] naturally. Six years after the canonization of Sister Alphonsa as India’s first woman saint by the Vatican, Fr Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Sister Euphrasia Eluvathingal moved closer to the sainthood with Pope Francis approving miracles attributed to them[2].

 

The story of Mother Euphrasia (1877-1952): Mother Euphrasia was a member of the order of the Sisters of the Congregation of Mother of Carmel, founded by Blessed Chavara Kuriakose Elias. She was beatified by Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil at a public function in Ollur, near Thrissur, in 2006[3]. A miracle attributed to her intercession and approved by the Vatican in June 2006 concerned the apparent healing of a carpenter from bone cancer. On December 3, 2006, she was beatified in St. Anthony’s Forane Church, Ollur, Thrissur, with the declaration of the Major Archbishop, Varkey Vithayathil on behalf of the Pope Benedict XVI. Apostolic nuncio to India Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana and Archbishop Jacob Thoomkuzhy of Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissurjoined 30 prelates and 500 priests for the beatification events. Ollur parish belongs to Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Thrissur, part of the Syro-Malabar Church, one of the two Catholic Oriental-rites based in Kerala. The Vatican document says[4], “Pope John Paul II approved the Decree of the heroic virtues of the Servant of God in 2002, proclaiming her Venerable. On Sunday, 3 December 2006, she became the fifth Blessed of Kerala, India, and the sixth of the Nation of India.” Pope Francis has signed the reports sent by the Diocese of Pala and Irinjalakkuda, confirming  Vatican’s acceptance of the miracles[5].

 

From John Brito to Devasahayam Pillai – concocted histories manufactured: The church-writers have themselves have given two versions of John Brito – one he was a womanizer, eyeing for the wife of Kizhavan Sethupathy and thus warned first, but he did not heed and his repeated violations led to his execution  but, the second story makes him “martyr”! That is John Brito was preaching the word of god, but the idiot heathens did not recognize, prevent him from spreading good news and thus hanged him! Anyway, none know all these stories, yet, they created another story with one character Devasahayam Pillai (1712–1752) Devasahayam Pillai’s name was nominated by the church in Kerala as he was reportedly imprisoned in 1752 by Travancore King Marthanda Varma who was upset about Pillai’s conversion from Hinduism[6].  But, historians exposed the myths turned spurious church history in propagating such lies.

 

Iculturation with canonization

2012 Devasahayam Pillai brought and beautified: As per the Chrian version, the details are as follows: In 2004, at the request of the diocese of Kottar, Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) recommended Devasahayam Pillai for the process of beatification to the Vatican. Characteristically, it notes that Some “Hindu groups” objected to this initiative on the grounds that there was no evidence of religious persecution in Travancore during that period, and that Pillai was executed for sedition[7]. However, documents dating back to the period of Devasahayam Pillai show that conversion of court officials to Christianity was not tolerated. On June 28, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate a decree regarding the martyrdom of Devasahayam Pillai and he was referred to as “Venerable”. On 2 December 2012, a ceremony of beatification and declaration of martyrdom was held in Nagercoil, in the Roman Catholic diocese of Kottar in Southern India, presided over by Angelo Cardinal Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, acting as papal delegate[8]. Devasahayam Pillai is the first lay man to be elevated to the rank of “Blessed” in India (the step preceding raising a person to Sainthood under the Canon Law of the Catholic Church).

 

New myths created to exploit the old ones

Picturization of the beautified ones, new myths floated around them: If all these processes and activities are confined to Christians and their faith, then, naturally, in secular India, others need not interfere with or in their miracles or myths. Moreover, the picturization of their saints in question prove that they exploit the inculturation process in India. In the case of Chavara Kuriakose Elias, the “chin-mudra” in one hand, “thanda” in another hand fire in front smacks any catholicity than the usual bastardization of mixing symbols. Some imaginary figures show that the new myths created would revolve around caste system, sudras, now mentioned as “dalits”, of course, the rejected “thomas myth”!  These prove that they have some ulterior motives, as they already played double-game with the so-called “Dalit-christians”, but failed miserably[9]. Pope accepted that Thomas never came to India! But, that does not prevent Kerala Christians from myth making. If old myth is not accepted, new one is spinned around the old one to create more myths that would be in circulation till they are declared myths by fraudulent ways or concocted etc[10].  The issues of stamps and coins have been strategically exploited to make appear that new myth floated get certified or as if approved by the Government of India!

 

Strategy of myth making

Conclusion: As more and more murders, sex scandals, nun-running and other related crimes came out from the Churches, seminaries and convents, during the last two decades in many parts of India, the Catholic Church with blessings of the Vatican now tries to whitewash such sins by the wonderful way of canonization of males and females dead. What is required is attribution of miracles performed by them and no secularist, atheist and other rationalists of the categories would question and such stuff would be flashed as national news. But, when those Christian sinners are alive, that is the Christian murderers, pedophiles, rapists and other criminals there, the Indian church and as well as Vatican should worry about them and clean their minds and bodies. In fact, they can be punished to get them liberated to become martyrs straight away.

 

Vedaprakash

© 04-04-2014

[1] http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/1986/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19860208_stadio-kattayam_en.html

[2] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Kochi/Fr-Chavara-Sr-Euphrasia-closer-to-sainthood/articleshow/33193955.cms

[3] http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/two-more-from-kerala-to-be-canonised/article5869003.ece

[4] http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20061203_eufrasia_en.html

[5] http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/Cup-of-Joy-Runneth-Over-for-Catholics/2014/04/04/article2148616.ece#.Uz5i8fQW1AI

[6] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/Three-more-Keralites-on-road-to-sainthood/articleshow/17408986.cms

[7] Historians like M.G.S. Narayanan point out that there was no such person penalized or executed during the reign of  Marthanda Varma.

[8] http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article1364366.ece

[9] Soosai vs UOI AIR 733 SC

[10] As “thomas-myth” protagonists work vigorously in Kerala, it is quite reasonable that they exploit this issue indirectly getting new areas for propagation.