Catholic Angamaly in News for wrong Reasons!
James Kottoor
“Woman uses webcam to trap politician, the Kerala legislator represents Angamaly, a Catholic stronghold in Ernakulam district,(June 24, 2013)” roars UCAnews, Asia’s most trusted independent Catholic News service. The legislator in question Jose Thettayil had been a former minister of transport in the LDF government.
The tragic comedy is that this is happening in a most literate state projected and proclaimed as “God’s Own Country” by its tourist promotion lobby to the outside secular world. On religious front, what is worse, Ernakulam-Angamaly is rated as the Catholic capital of India. Recently it was crowned with the glory of the new Cardinal in the person of the simple, humble Rudrksha flaunting Archbishop, Mar George Alancherry. Hence the description of Angamaly as “Catholic Stronghold” by the UCAnews.
Shockingly, no shocking reaction has come from the Catholic hierarchy in the State. The state is known all over the world for its centuries old Christian tradition dating back to the arrival of St.Thomas and its close-knit exemplary prayerful Catholic family life. This is said to be the secret behind the abundance of priests and sisters whom the Syromalabar Church in Kerala sends all over the world to become renowned as the front running missionary church in the world.
United in Wrong-doing?
In any case the close-knit family bond (father-son agreement) shines bright even in the present despicable sex acts projected on TV screens for three minutes from the webcam which recorded it. The names of the dramatis personae are Jose Thettayil 63, the father figure and Adarsh Thettayail 25, the son and the 30-year old unnamed girl victim. The name Jose reminds one of St.Joseph revered by Catholics for being the protector and defender of family values, and the name Adarsh literally means embodiment of Idealism.
Unfortunately what is projected on TV screen happens to be just the trampling underfoot of these moral values and idealism. Even when a hue and cry of revulsion is made by the common folk, what is abnormal is that nobody among the church’s hierarchy, seem to be shocked out of their wits. Perhaps they must be thinking and comforting themselves saying: After all if the world could survive comfortably the rain of fire and brim stones over a rotten city called Sodom and Gomorra, and even the epic flood submerging the whole world during the time of Nova, why should one be upset about this stray incident which some see as ominous and dastardly aberration in God’s own country!
Police in Ernakulam have registered a case of sexual abuse against father and son following a complaint from the victim.“If the offence is proved, the accused could face a minimum term of seven years imprisonment,” said police official Joby George.It is the first instance of using a webcam to trap a criminal politician according to B Sandya, additional director general of police who heads a special unit investigating the case.
Adarsh without Adarsh!
The story is as follows according to a 15 page complaint from the victim. She had been in relationship with the Legislator’s son Adarsh for many years. It all started when Adarsh promised to marry her and started having sex with her. Since the marriage was being postponed the girl complained to the Father who in turn promised to get his son marry her. After such a promise the father too started having sex with her, from January 2012 for the first time in her room. But when it became clear to the girl that both father and son were just using her and were secretly planning to get the son married to a different girl, she decided to trap both the son and father. Since the lady happened to be a computer applications graduate, she could take this precaution not get cheated by both the father and son.
Hectic discussion is going on in political circles even after a day, whether the minister caught on camera for immoral conduct should resign or not, while the churches which claims to the conscience keeper of society have not opened their mouths either. Internet flashing news across the globe without fear or favor is a wake up call to leaders both in Church and society to be up and doing to stem this fast declining trend of moral values under their watch.
ReplyDeleteEquality Defines Church: Pope
Equality should be the defining character of the church, said Pope Francis on June 26th at his weekly public audience. “No one is secondary. No one is more important in the Church… Yes, I am like each one of you… We are all equal; we are brothers and sisters.”
Pope Francis could not have been more explicit. How then can we any more tolerate the present graded, pyramidal, hierarchical structure and appellations like, Your Holiness, Your Eminence, Your Grace, Your Excellency, Very Rev. Most Rev. Rt. Rev.etc. All wrong Reverends, aren’t they?
Shouldn’t all these be wiped out at one strock and replaced by: Dear Brother, Dear Sister, with qualifications, may be like: elder, younger etc? Please correct me if I am wrong because I am a know-nothing in this as in many other things.
jameskottoor@gmail.com
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In that case, a small correction, my brother James. Pope Francis could have been more explicit. He could have worded his statement so: “No one is secondary. No one is more important in the Church… Yes, each and every one of you is like me. We are all equal; we are brothers and sisters.”
ReplyDeleteIn his actual words the "I" was still standing out.
Besides, he could have immediately added these words, too, thereto: "So from now on let's do away with all such qualifications like Your Holiness, Your Eminence, Your Grace, Your Excellency, Very Rev. Most Rev. Rt. Rev.etc." That would have wiped out at one stroke the aforesaid anomalies.
I agree with zacharia's comments: "So from now on let's do away with all such qualifications like Your Holiness,...............Rt.Rev. etc." That would have wiped out at one stroke the aforesaid anomalies.
ReplyDelete