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Friday, November 7, 2014

Dear Bps. Please Listen to Pope Francis





4 comments:

  1. One of the most picturesque and vivid description of our dignitaries. Great conceptual language, Dr. James!

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    1. How correct of DrJames Kottor and Theresia Mayanath. In fact Gandhiji said something similar. On being asked about Christianity Gandhiji said he respects Christ and Christianity but he does not like his Bishops who dress and behave like Princes.

      Talking of clothes and behaving like Peacocks, here is an except:

      Clothing new cardinals was an expensive business

      ROME, 22 Nov 2010, UCAN, (C.M. Paul) — Weeks prior to the latest consistory at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, several blogs had speculated on the cost of the custom-made paraphernalia that the new cardinals would wear.

      Watch out, they said, for the best dressed cardinal back in their diocese for their official reception. The well-dressed new cardinal could have the following ready made items bought in Rome with a modest price tag. If custom made, it will cost far more.

      With prices given ineuros, the Chasuble would cost 9,000, alb = 550, amice = 40, cassock = 550, sash = 175, socks = 20, shoes = 800, buskins = 320, tunic = 500, dalmatic = 500, ornate ceremonial gloves = 1,000, zucchetto = 125, biretta = 250, pectoral cross = 1800, cord for cross = 250, miter = 6,000. A new cardinal could have a ready-made outfit bought in Rome with a modest price tag totaling 21,880euros or 30,011 in US dollars or 1,333,618 Indian rupees.

      An Indian bishop who participated in the recent Synod of Bishops for the Middle East could not afford a black cassock with scarlet border, so he decided to borrow one for the occasion.

      The same bishop went to buy a ring and told the shopkeeper that he wanted a simple and affordable one.

      Your choice is very impressive, unlike other bishops who look for more expensive rings, the Roman shopkeeper complimented the bishop.

      There are several Asian bishops, especially Indian, who have adopted a simple style even during official and liturgical functions, says Professor Peter Gonsalves, author of Clothing for Liberation.

      The revolutionary precursor of Christ, John the Baptist, was dressed in camel skin. Jesus of Nazareth had only a seamless tunic, with no exceptional sartorial cut.

      More recently, Blessed Teresa of Kolkata put away her religious habit and wore a sweeper woman’s home-spun cotton saree when she started her ministry to help the poorest of the poor.

      Isaac Harold Gomes
      Kolkata

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  2. I think Dr James is preparing for a cane charge.Peacocks are protected species Jamesji. Any hurt is punishable. The imagery is excellent....each feather here will fetch a good price in the market. Feathers only live long.

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  3. It is nothing but ridiculous that the ministers of the church go about like eternal bridegrooms, clad in the best available cloths. That they themselves don't take note of this funny behavior can only be explained by the lack of ability to see things properly. First of all they are supposed to be ministers and not lords. As ministers they should never make themselves appear in externals that the served themselves are unused to. In other countries even bishops go about in civil dress using public transport facilities, unnoticed by anyone. But in India we almost never see a church dignitary without the elegant paraphernalia that mark them out as some special creatures belonging to some other world. There's something seriously wrong with these guys. And to say the least, it doesn't befit the disciples of Christ at all to behave always like peacocks that spread themselves into full glory of their beauty in form and color only when they want to impress their mates or when the weather urges them to get attuned with it to show the harmony and beauty of different exemplars of God's artful mind. Our bishops' only intention seems to be to impress others. This nauseating vanity of the lot is a real shame to the society as a whole, and especially to the Christians.

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