In regarding the Irish Govt. decision to close the embassy : Most observers are also seeing it as a direct retaliation of the Irish government against the Church for the Church's many years of allegedly lax supervision in dozens of cases of child abuse and sexual abuse.
Likewise,
In India particularly in the Tamil Region (Madras Region-South India) all the catholic hierarchies are running a parallel government nobody questions them. The bishops of Tamilnadu (South India) are running
after money, cheap popularity/publicity mania, casteism and politically
motivated. The lay Catholics or the parishioners are divided by as two
groups by the parish priests, one group to support the parish priest
and the other groups raise any voice or rightly protest against the
bishop or any priest, then they with the aid of police and civil
officials are harassed and are unjustly the people and are deprived of
the sacraments likes baptism, confirmation, Holy Communion and holy matrimony.
Some catholic churches are closed for years together. The
catholic hierarchy in Tamilnadu (Madras Region) doesn’t have the basic
Christian quality of love and tolerance but they are continuously
harassing the lay Catholics till they surrender. Individual catholic
or the group of Catholics or any catholic association wrote to the Holy See of
the catholic hierarchies concerned in Vatican, but, all in vain not even
an acknowledgment was received. For the aforesaid reasons, a good
number of Catholics have left the Church and joined other Christian
denominations. No bishops or priests bother about it. In a civil
society the people can get their relief from courts or other grievance
cell. But nothing is available to a layman in the Catholic Church. Especially
the Bishop of Kottar Diocese (South most tip of India), he is a most
powerful bishop than any other bishop in the world. The lay Catholics
are pathetic at the hands of the postors of Kottar Diocese.
The same accusation like Irish will mount against the Holy See in near future in relates to the Catholic Bishops of Tamilnadu.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Requisition for the grant of Indult for celebrating TLM- Mass
From July 16, 2007
1. G. Alex Benziger, Advocate,
St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Broadway Parish.
2. Michael Amalraj Edward, Advocate,
Our Lady of Good Health Church, Little Mount Parish.
3. S. Parisutham, Advocate,
St. Mark’s Church, Adambakkam Parish.
4. Dr. S. Leonard Vasanth, Advocate,
St. Fatima Church, Kodambakkam Parish
5. A. Arokiadoss, Advocate,
Holy Cross Church, T. Nagar Parish
6. D.Irudhaya Nathan, Advocate,
St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Broadway Parish.
7. Conscious Fernando, Advocate,
St. Luke’s Church, Anna Nagar Parish,
8. A. Amalraj, Advocate,
St. Andrew’s Church, Choolai Parish.
9. Antony Jesu Rajan, Advocate,
St. Anne’s Church, Nesappakkam Parish.
(All of us are Roman Catholic Advocates, Practising in the Madras High Court, Madras, South India)
To
HIS GRACE Dr.A.M. CHINNAPPA. D.D.,
Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore,
Archbishop’s House,
Santhome, Madras-600 004.
May it please Your Grace,
Sub: Our request for the grant of Indult for celebrating Tridentine Latin Mass on Sundays in St. Mary’s Church, Co-Cathedral, Parrys, Madras-600 001- Regarding.
*****
Greeting in our Lord Jesus Christ
May we place before Your Grace a kind request of permission of Indult for providing us the Tridentine Latin Mass in the Parish Church St.Mary’s Co-Catherdral Shrine at Parrys, Madras-600 001 on every Sunday at 5.30 P.M.
1. The Liturgy of Mass is the greatest ‘Action’ where Our Lord Jesus Christ is brought down on earth in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, by the anointed hands of the specially consecrated persons of priesthood. It is certainly an extension of incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Savior and His Crucifixion, manifested for the redemption of our Soul of all the sacraments of the Church. The Sacrament of Eucharistic Liturgy is the heart-beat and the richest wealth of the Holy Mother Church.
2. Tridentine Latin Mass has been too evident a testimony to the sacrificial basis of the Roman Catholic Church, based on the great “Action of Christ” for centuries where the consecrated priest becomes “Alter Christus”. This Mass has, no doubt produced all the Holy Saints and Martyrs in the Church.
3. With the vernacular presentation of the Mass and with no one rubric, each priest has his own style of celebrating the Mass. No two priest celebrate the Mass in the same manner, so much so, the general comment of the faithful is always that ‘Fr. ‘X’s’ Mass is much better than Fr.Y’s’ Mass or is not as good as the other.
4. Pope John Paul II in his Encyclical, ‘Dominicae Cenae’ dated 24.02.1980 states as,
“I would like to ask forgiveness in my own name and in the name of all of your venerable and dear brothers in the episcopate-for everything which, for whatever reason, through whatever human weakness, impatience or negligence, and also through at the time partial, one-side and erroneous application of the directives of Second Vatican Council, may have caused scandal and disturbance concerning the interpretation of the doctrine and the veneration due to this great sacrament. And I pray to Lord Jesus that in the future we may avoid in our manner of dealing with this sacred mystery anything which could weaken or disorient in any way the sense of reverence and love that exists in our faithful people”.
5. As rightly pointed out by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger-the present Pope Benedict XVI-on 24.10.1998 to the 3000 traditionalist faithful in the Eternal City who are coming from as far away as Australia and New Zealand has said,
“the differences in the liturgy according to the new rite, as it is actually practiced in many places, are often greater than the difference between the new and the old liturgy, when both are celebrated according to the prescribed liturgical books” (the journal-“Inside the Vatican”, December 1998 issue).
6. Pope John Paul II in his Encyclical, “Dominicae Cenae” dated 24.02.1980 further states
“Nevertheless, there are also those people who, having been educated on the basis of the old liturgy in Latin, experience the lack of this “one language”, which in all the world was an expression of the Unity of the Church and through its dignified character elicited a profound sense of the Eucharistic Mystery. It is therefore necessary to show not only understanding but also full respect towards these sentiments and desires are to be accommodated, as is moreover provided for in the new dispositions. The Roman Church has special obligations towards Latin, the splendid language of ancient Rome, and she must manifest them whenever the occasion presents itself”.
7. Further Pope John Paul II in his Encyclical “Ecclesia Dei” dated 02.07.1988 states as….
“To all the Catholic Faithful who feel attached to some previous liturgical and disciplinary forms of the Latin tradition I wish to manifest my will to facilitate their ecclesial communion by means of the necessary measures to guarantee respect for their rightful aspirations. In this matter I ask for the support of the bishops and of all those engaged in the pastoral ministry in the Church”……… “moreover, respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition, by a wide and generous application of the directives already issued some time ago by the Apostolic See for the use of the Roman Missal according to the typical edition of 1962”.
8. Further we wish to state that the Holy Father Benedict XVI in his “Post Synodal, Apostolic Exhortation” “Sacramentum Caritatis” dated 22.02.2007 states as follows:
“…………… I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, that, with the exception of the readings the homily and the prayer of the faithful, such liturgies could be celebrated in Latin. Similarly, the better known prayers of the Church’s tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung. Speaking more generally, I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian Chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the Liturgy to Gregorian chant”.
9. There is a great depth of reasoning in having the dead language in the liturgy, so that the words are not misconstrued, misinterpreted or mistranslated with all exaggerations to suit the individuals and consequently, they are not being misconceived by the congregation. This should be the main reason why the other religions too, Hinduism, Islamism, Buddhism etc., have their religious prayers of worship and chantings in the dead language.
10. Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum” be considered as “established and decreed” by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on 07.07.2007 and to be observed from September 14, 2007 is as follows:-
“Art 1. The Roman Missal promulgated by Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the “ Lex orandi’ (Law of Prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite. Nonetheless, the Roman Missal promulgated by St. Pius V and reissued by Bl. John XXIII is to be considered as an extraordinary expression of the same ‘Lex orandi,’ and must be given due honour for its venerable and ancient usage. These two expressions of the Church’s Lex orandi will in no any way lead to a division in the Church’s ‘Lex credendi’ (Law of belief). They are, in fact two usages of the one Roman rite.
“It is, therefore, permissible to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Bl.John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the Church”.
and some norms of law, issued in this regard and we are eagerly awaiting your Grace’s necessary directions.
Under these circumstances, we, the undersigned Catholics and on behalf of quite a good section of Catholics, in the City of Madras humbly make our submission to Your Grace and request your Grace to grant necessary Indult for providing us the Sacred Tridentine Latin Mass in St. Mary’s Co-cathedral Shrine on every Sunday evening 5.30 p.m. which will go a long way for the salvation of our souls in search of our Eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
Thank you and pray for your Grace’s Blessings.
Yours most Obedient Children in
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Copy to :-
His Eminence Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos
President
Commission Ecclesia Dei,
Plaza del Sant’ Uffizio 11,
00120 Vatican City,
Italy, Europe.
All Communication and Correspondence to
G. Alex Benziger,
Advocate,
18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Chennai -600 001.
e.mail:- alexbenziger@aol.com
Name & Address of the Catholics 1. G. Alex Benziger,
2. Michael Amalraj Edward,
3. S. Parisutham,
4. Dr. S. Leonard Vasanth,
5. A. Arokiadoss,
6. D.Irudhaya Nathan,
7. Conscious Fernando,
8. A. Amalraj,
9. Antony Jesu Rajan,
NOTE :
Whoever read the contents of this Blog, please write something on comments or please E-mail me at : alexbenziger@aol.com ; or :alexbenziger@gmail.com
1. G. Alex Benziger, Advocate,
St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Broadway Parish.
2. Michael Amalraj Edward, Advocate,
Our Lady of Good Health Church, Little Mount Parish.
3. S. Parisutham, Advocate,
St. Mark’s Church, Adambakkam Parish.
4. Dr. S. Leonard Vasanth, Advocate,
St. Fatima Church, Kodambakkam Parish
5. A. Arokiadoss, Advocate,
Holy Cross Church, T. Nagar Parish
6. D.Irudhaya Nathan, Advocate,
St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Broadway Parish.
7. Conscious Fernando, Advocate,
St. Luke’s Church, Anna Nagar Parish,
8. A. Amalraj, Advocate,
St. Andrew’s Church, Choolai Parish.
9. Antony Jesu Rajan, Advocate,
St. Anne’s Church, Nesappakkam Parish.
(All of us are Roman Catholic Advocates, Practising in the Madras High Court, Madras, South India)
To
HIS GRACE Dr.A.M. CHINNAPPA. D.D.,
Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore,
Archbishop’s House,
Santhome, Madras-600 004.
May it please Your Grace,
Sub: Our request for the grant of Indult for celebrating Tridentine Latin Mass on Sundays in St. Mary’s Church, Co-Cathedral, Parrys, Madras-600 001- Regarding.
*****
Greeting in our Lord Jesus Christ
May we place before Your Grace a kind request of permission of Indult for providing us the Tridentine Latin Mass in the Parish Church St.Mary’s Co-Catherdral Shrine at Parrys, Madras-600 001 on every Sunday at 5.30 P.M.
1. The Liturgy of Mass is the greatest ‘Action’ where Our Lord Jesus Christ is brought down on earth in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, by the anointed hands of the specially consecrated persons of priesthood. It is certainly an extension of incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Savior and His Crucifixion, manifested for the redemption of our Soul of all the sacraments of the Church. The Sacrament of Eucharistic Liturgy is the heart-beat and the richest wealth of the Holy Mother Church.
2. Tridentine Latin Mass has been too evident a testimony to the sacrificial basis of the Roman Catholic Church, based on the great “Action of Christ” for centuries where the consecrated priest becomes “Alter Christus”. This Mass has, no doubt produced all the Holy Saints and Martyrs in the Church.
3. With the vernacular presentation of the Mass and with no one rubric, each priest has his own style of celebrating the Mass. No two priest celebrate the Mass in the same manner, so much so, the general comment of the faithful is always that ‘Fr. ‘X’s’ Mass is much better than Fr.Y’s’ Mass or is not as good as the other.
4. Pope John Paul II in his Encyclical, ‘Dominicae Cenae’ dated 24.02.1980 states as,
“I would like to ask forgiveness in my own name and in the name of all of your venerable and dear brothers in the episcopate-for everything which, for whatever reason, through whatever human weakness, impatience or negligence, and also through at the time partial, one-side and erroneous application of the directives of Second Vatican Council, may have caused scandal and disturbance concerning the interpretation of the doctrine and the veneration due to this great sacrament. And I pray to Lord Jesus that in the future we may avoid in our manner of dealing with this sacred mystery anything which could weaken or disorient in any way the sense of reverence and love that exists in our faithful people”.
5. As rightly pointed out by the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger-the present Pope Benedict XVI-on 24.10.1998 to the 3000 traditionalist faithful in the Eternal City who are coming from as far away as Australia and New Zealand has said,
“the differences in the liturgy according to the new rite, as it is actually practiced in many places, are often greater than the difference between the new and the old liturgy, when both are celebrated according to the prescribed liturgical books” (the journal-“Inside the Vatican”, December 1998 issue).
6. Pope John Paul II in his Encyclical, “Dominicae Cenae” dated 24.02.1980 further states
“Nevertheless, there are also those people who, having been educated on the basis of the old liturgy in Latin, experience the lack of this “one language”, which in all the world was an expression of the Unity of the Church and through its dignified character elicited a profound sense of the Eucharistic Mystery. It is therefore necessary to show not only understanding but also full respect towards these sentiments and desires are to be accommodated, as is moreover provided for in the new dispositions. The Roman Church has special obligations towards Latin, the splendid language of ancient Rome, and she must manifest them whenever the occasion presents itself”.
7. Further Pope John Paul II in his Encyclical “Ecclesia Dei” dated 02.07.1988 states as….
“To all the Catholic Faithful who feel attached to some previous liturgical and disciplinary forms of the Latin tradition I wish to manifest my will to facilitate their ecclesial communion by means of the necessary measures to guarantee respect for their rightful aspirations. In this matter I ask for the support of the bishops and of all those engaged in the pastoral ministry in the Church”……… “moreover, respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition, by a wide and generous application of the directives already issued some time ago by the Apostolic See for the use of the Roman Missal according to the typical edition of 1962”.
8. Further we wish to state that the Holy Father Benedict XVI in his “Post Synodal, Apostolic Exhortation” “Sacramentum Caritatis” dated 22.02.2007 states as follows:
“…………… I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, that, with the exception of the readings the homily and the prayer of the faithful, such liturgies could be celebrated in Latin. Similarly, the better known prayers of the Church’s tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung. Speaking more generally, I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian Chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the Liturgy to Gregorian chant”.
9. There is a great depth of reasoning in having the dead language in the liturgy, so that the words are not misconstrued, misinterpreted or mistranslated with all exaggerations to suit the individuals and consequently, they are not being misconceived by the congregation. This should be the main reason why the other religions too, Hinduism, Islamism, Buddhism etc., have their religious prayers of worship and chantings in the dead language.
10. Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum” be considered as “established and decreed” by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on 07.07.2007 and to be observed from September 14, 2007 is as follows:-
“Art 1. The Roman Missal promulgated by Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the “ Lex orandi’ (Law of Prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite. Nonetheless, the Roman Missal promulgated by St. Pius V and reissued by Bl. John XXIII is to be considered as an extraordinary expression of the same ‘Lex orandi,’ and must be given due honour for its venerable and ancient usage. These two expressions of the Church’s Lex orandi will in no any way lead to a division in the Church’s ‘Lex credendi’ (Law of belief). They are, in fact two usages of the one Roman rite.
“It is, therefore, permissible to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Bl.John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the Church”.
and some norms of law, issued in this regard and we are eagerly awaiting your Grace’s necessary directions.
Under these circumstances, we, the undersigned Catholics and on behalf of quite a good section of Catholics, in the City of Madras humbly make our submission to Your Grace and request your Grace to grant necessary Indult for providing us the Sacred Tridentine Latin Mass in St. Mary’s Co-cathedral Shrine on every Sunday evening 5.30 p.m. which will go a long way for the salvation of our souls in search of our Eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
Thank you and pray for your Grace’s Blessings.
Yours most Obedient Children in
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Copy to :-
His Eminence Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos
President
Commission Ecclesia Dei,
Plaza del Sant’ Uffizio 11,
00120 Vatican City,
Italy, Europe.
All Communication and Correspondence to
G. Alex Benziger,
Advocate,
18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Chennai -600 001.
e.mail:- alexbenziger@aol.com
Name & Address of the Catholics 1. G. Alex Benziger,
2. Michael Amalraj Edward,
3. S. Parisutham,
4. Dr. S. Leonard Vasanth,
5. A. Arokiadoss,
6. D.Irudhaya Nathan,
7. Conscious Fernando,
8. A. Amalraj,
9. Antony Jesu Rajan,
NOTE :
Whoever read the contents of this Blog, please write something on comments or please E-mail me at : alexbenziger@aol.com ; or :alexbenziger@gmail.com
Sunday, January 8, 2012
to appoint suitable candidates as Archbishop and bishop in Tamilnadu
January 27, 2011
From
G.Alex Benziger,
Advocate,
No.18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Chennai – 600 001.
E-mail: alexbenziger@aol.com
To
His Eminence Marc Cardinal Quellet,
Prefect
Congregation of Bishops,
Palazzo della Congregazioni,
00193, Roma
Piazza Pio XII, 10.
THROUGH
His Grace Dr.Salvatore Pennacchio
Apostolic Nuncio to India
50-C, Niti Marg
Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi – 110 021.
May it please Your Eminence,
1. On June 30, 2010 Your Eminence had been nominated to the “Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops” by Our Holy Father His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. It is considered one of the Vatican’s top three positions. Ninety-nine percent of the handling of daily affairs for the Catholic Church is done by this Congregation.
2. Your Eminence have been well aware that Our Holy Father Benedict XVI is a Pope of the great tradition of the liturgy with the Eucharist at the centre. It is in accordance with the tradition of liturgical texts, rituals, and music and symbolic places and hence he has already begun “the Reform of the Reform”. In this regard many transfers have been effected in Vatican and in particular the Master of Ceremony Msgr.Piero Marini replaced by Msgr. Guido Marini.
3. Following the Reform of the Reform Your Eminence in May 2010, you described “abortion as a moral crime even when it’s being performed on rape victims”. This comment was condemned by the Harper government, provincial politicians and feminist groups throughout Quebec. But Your Eminence has the courage to stand up and speak the truth. When it’s necessary and you have said the changes reflect the fact that the Church is in “a time of crisis, and so it’s a time of decision: decision in favour of the gospel, in favour of Christ. A new decision”. Hence you are the proper personality to guide and implement the Reform of the Reform. That is why Our Holy Father has chosen Your Eminence to lead the Congregation. May Our Lord Jesus Christ shower His graces through the Blessed Mary, Ever Virgin, Mother of God to guide the Congregation.
4. On July 1, 2010, Your Eminence has given first press conference, wherein Your Eminence spoke of the appointment of bishops as, “There’s a long tradition I will follow, the tradition of the Church, and look for the best bishops possible”. Further Your Eminence replied to the journalists “in the life of the Church the role of the bishop” is a key role because he is in charge of the unity of the diocese and so of the communion of the Church. So he has to be very clever and at the same time prudent and patient and work for the best he can with the people, with priest, deacons and all the personnel that is committed to the life of the Church. He’s a man of communion, so when you choose from Rome, taking into account all the information, you prepare a very important decision for the Holy Father and the Holy Father needs to be well informed and with clarity, with authenticity, in order to make a good decision. So it is a difficult task”.
5. On February 23, 2009, the then Secretary to the Congregation for Divine Worship Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith wrote that the flawed understanding of Vatican II teachings and the influence of secular ideologies are allowed into the liturgy, which Sacrosanctum Concilium had never even contemplated, like Mass versus populum, Holy Communion in the hand, altogether giving up on the Latin and Gregorian Chant in favour of the Vernacular and songs and hymns without much space for God, and extension beyond any reasonable limits of the faculty to concelebrate at Holy Mass and makes a new plea for “Reform of the Reform”.
6. In India the people are still living as conservatives and Church goers. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has issued the Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum” dated 07.07.2007 concerning the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the reform 1970. Myself and many other catholic laymen jointly requested the Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore to grant the Indult for celebrating Tridentine Latin Mass on Sunday in a catholic church, and for this purpose myself and the Archbishop exchanged many letters but in vain.
7. In western countries the culture and life style is almost one and the same. But in India every village has a independent culture, and caste. To quote an example: in Tamilnadu (Madras State), the Revenue Districts and Government Transport Corporations were named after the communal leaders of different castes (for the shear advantage of the politicians to build up their vote – bank); but in due course, it has created antagonism among the local communities, that has resulted in disastrous revolts and murders. The Government had to ultimately realize their own mistake and amend it by totally scrapping the names of the communal leaders from the above said Revenue Districts and Transport Corporations owned by the Government by passing a suitable Government Order duly gazetted (G.O. Ms. No.618/97 (Finance) dated July 7, 1997). Though it is a very rare case of such amendment, yet the Government had to take this action, looking into the gravity of caste system in spite of their very survival and existence that depends on the caste-based votes.
8. Such being the case, in spite of the dirty Indian politicking it is surprising to be plain words, it is a ‘shame’ – that our Indian Churchmen, of the Roman Catholic Church have totally gone into this dirty communal group system based on caste to gain personal stature and financial status – certainly not for the glory of God though done in “God’s Name”. It is evident that Vatican is aware of the exact cause for the resignation of the Bishop of Trichinopoly Rt.Rev.Dr.Gabriel in 1997.
9. The catholic priests, nuns and bishops corner the grants obtained by them from foreign countries. These aids are not given to the needy but they are diverted by the priests for their families or their favourites. Thus the priests, nuns and bishops amass wealth, leading to the practice of worldly life and to a publicity mania. The situation is the same as in 1073 A.D. in the Pontificate of St.Gregory VII wherein “the two most flagrant visible evils that affected religious life were simony and clerical immortality including concubinage. The King or the prince was demanding money for clerical appointment. The bishop or the abbot also had a share in the income of the parish from the man who had received appointment as parish priest. Many bishops lived away from their Sees”. The great Pope St.Gregory VII enacted a decree in 1074. There was a great opposition from German and in Paris the priests burnt the decrees, but the saintly Pope stood firm, and consequently the church lost a few bishops and priests but his reforms effected a change in the life of the clergy.
10. In western countries i.e., Europe, USA, Canada and Australia the Church properties are sold for purposes in particular to meet out the legal liabilities of the church and to pay damages ordered by the courts. In India no such said western atmosphere exists. There is no paucity of funds for the church purposes and their administration. In fact the church authorities do not suffer from any financial church at any point of time. In spite of that the Bishops and priests are colluded in Tamilnadu and have sold away huge number of prime properties for throw away prices or no price at all. The church properties allowed to be lost, wasted or frittered away. In fact the sale of church properties are made secretly without any publicity with the object of siphoning funds and securing unjust enrichment at the cost of the Mission.
11. Likewise, here, the bishops also had a share from the parish priest of the plum parish. The priests in their turn collect money from their parish in one way or the other. Some bishops often away from their diocese. If any one of the catholic parishioners raised any voice or protested against bishop or any priest, then the laymen or the parishioners are deprived of the sacraments. It could be illustrated if I may be asked for.
12. Within one year, the Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore and the Bishop of Dharmapuri will reach their age and hence they will retire. This is the time the Reform of the Reform could be introduced in our region. So Your Eminence please keep all the above said in your mind before selection of bishops these places.
13. May I humbly request Your Eminence to appoint suitable candidates as Archbishop and bishop in Tamilnadu to withstand and uphold the Reform of the Reform, as rightly pointed out by your Eminence that “the tradition of the Church, look for the best bishops possible”.
Yours Most Obediently in our
Lord Jesus Christ
(G. Alex Benziger)
Copy to:
His Grace Manuel Monteiro de Castro,
Secretary, Congregation of Bishops,
Palazzo della Congregazioni,
00193, Roma
Piazza Pio XII, 10.
From
G.Alex Benziger,
Advocate,
No.18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Chennai – 600 001.
E-mail: alexbenziger@aol.com
To
His Eminence Marc Cardinal Quellet,
Prefect
Congregation of Bishops,
Palazzo della Congregazioni,
00193, Roma
Piazza Pio XII, 10.
THROUGH
His Grace Dr.Salvatore Pennacchio
Apostolic Nuncio to India
50-C, Niti Marg
Chanakyapuri,
New Delhi – 110 021.
May it please Your Eminence,
1. On June 30, 2010 Your Eminence had been nominated to the “Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops” by Our Holy Father His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. It is considered one of the Vatican’s top three positions. Ninety-nine percent of the handling of daily affairs for the Catholic Church is done by this Congregation.
2. Your Eminence have been well aware that Our Holy Father Benedict XVI is a Pope of the great tradition of the liturgy with the Eucharist at the centre. It is in accordance with the tradition of liturgical texts, rituals, and music and symbolic places and hence he has already begun “the Reform of the Reform”. In this regard many transfers have been effected in Vatican and in particular the Master of Ceremony Msgr.Piero Marini replaced by Msgr. Guido Marini.
3. Following the Reform of the Reform Your Eminence in May 2010, you described “abortion as a moral crime even when it’s being performed on rape victims”. This comment was condemned by the Harper government, provincial politicians and feminist groups throughout Quebec. But Your Eminence has the courage to stand up and speak the truth. When it’s necessary and you have said the changes reflect the fact that the Church is in “a time of crisis, and so it’s a time of decision: decision in favour of the gospel, in favour of Christ. A new decision”. Hence you are the proper personality to guide and implement the Reform of the Reform. That is why Our Holy Father has chosen Your Eminence to lead the Congregation. May Our Lord Jesus Christ shower His graces through the Blessed Mary, Ever Virgin, Mother of God to guide the Congregation.
4. On July 1, 2010, Your Eminence has given first press conference, wherein Your Eminence spoke of the appointment of bishops as, “There’s a long tradition I will follow, the tradition of the Church, and look for the best bishops possible”. Further Your Eminence replied to the journalists “in the life of the Church the role of the bishop” is a key role because he is in charge of the unity of the diocese and so of the communion of the Church. So he has to be very clever and at the same time prudent and patient and work for the best he can with the people, with priest, deacons and all the personnel that is committed to the life of the Church. He’s a man of communion, so when you choose from Rome, taking into account all the information, you prepare a very important decision for the Holy Father and the Holy Father needs to be well informed and with clarity, with authenticity, in order to make a good decision. So it is a difficult task”.
5. On February 23, 2009, the then Secretary to the Congregation for Divine Worship Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith wrote that the flawed understanding of Vatican II teachings and the influence of secular ideologies are allowed into the liturgy, which Sacrosanctum Concilium had never even contemplated, like Mass versus populum, Holy Communion in the hand, altogether giving up on the Latin and Gregorian Chant in favour of the Vernacular and songs and hymns without much space for God, and extension beyond any reasonable limits of the faculty to concelebrate at Holy Mass and makes a new plea for “Reform of the Reform”.
6. In India the people are still living as conservatives and Church goers. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has issued the Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum” dated 07.07.2007 concerning the use of the Roman liturgy prior to the reform 1970. Myself and many other catholic laymen jointly requested the Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore to grant the Indult for celebrating Tridentine Latin Mass on Sunday in a catholic church, and for this purpose myself and the Archbishop exchanged many letters but in vain.
7. In western countries the culture and life style is almost one and the same. But in India every village has a independent culture, and caste. To quote an example: in Tamilnadu (Madras State), the Revenue Districts and Government Transport Corporations were named after the communal leaders of different castes (for the shear advantage of the politicians to build up their vote – bank); but in due course, it has created antagonism among the local communities, that has resulted in disastrous revolts and murders. The Government had to ultimately realize their own mistake and amend it by totally scrapping the names of the communal leaders from the above said Revenue Districts and Transport Corporations owned by the Government by passing a suitable Government Order duly gazetted (G.O. Ms. No.618/97 (Finance) dated July 7, 1997). Though it is a very rare case of such amendment, yet the Government had to take this action, looking into the gravity of caste system in spite of their very survival and existence that depends on the caste-based votes.
8. Such being the case, in spite of the dirty Indian politicking it is surprising to be plain words, it is a ‘shame’ – that our Indian Churchmen, of the Roman Catholic Church have totally gone into this dirty communal group system based on caste to gain personal stature and financial status – certainly not for the glory of God though done in “God’s Name”. It is evident that Vatican is aware of the exact cause for the resignation of the Bishop of Trichinopoly Rt.Rev.Dr.Gabriel in 1997.
9. The catholic priests, nuns and bishops corner the grants obtained by them from foreign countries. These aids are not given to the needy but they are diverted by the priests for their families or their favourites. Thus the priests, nuns and bishops amass wealth, leading to the practice of worldly life and to a publicity mania. The situation is the same as in 1073 A.D. in the Pontificate of St.Gregory VII wherein “the two most flagrant visible evils that affected religious life were simony and clerical immortality including concubinage. The King or the prince was demanding money for clerical appointment. The bishop or the abbot also had a share in the income of the parish from the man who had received appointment as parish priest. Many bishops lived away from their Sees”. The great Pope St.Gregory VII enacted a decree in 1074. There was a great opposition from German and in Paris the priests burnt the decrees, but the saintly Pope stood firm, and consequently the church lost a few bishops and priests but his reforms effected a change in the life of the clergy.
10. In western countries i.e., Europe, USA, Canada and Australia the Church properties are sold for purposes in particular to meet out the legal liabilities of the church and to pay damages ordered by the courts. In India no such said western atmosphere exists. There is no paucity of funds for the church purposes and their administration. In fact the church authorities do not suffer from any financial church at any point of time. In spite of that the Bishops and priests are colluded in Tamilnadu and have sold away huge number of prime properties for throw away prices or no price at all. The church properties allowed to be lost, wasted or frittered away. In fact the sale of church properties are made secretly without any publicity with the object of siphoning funds and securing unjust enrichment at the cost of the Mission.
11. Likewise, here, the bishops also had a share from the parish priest of the plum parish. The priests in their turn collect money from their parish in one way or the other. Some bishops often away from their diocese. If any one of the catholic parishioners raised any voice or protested against bishop or any priest, then the laymen or the parishioners are deprived of the sacraments. It could be illustrated if I may be asked for.
12. Within one year, the Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore and the Bishop of Dharmapuri will reach their age and hence they will retire. This is the time the Reform of the Reform could be introduced in our region. So Your Eminence please keep all the above said in your mind before selection of bishops these places.
13. May I humbly request Your Eminence to appoint suitable candidates as Archbishop and bishop in Tamilnadu to withstand and uphold the Reform of the Reform, as rightly pointed out by your Eminence that “the tradition of the Church, look for the best bishops possible”.
Yours Most Obediently in our
Lord Jesus Christ
(G. Alex Benziger)
Copy to:
His Grace Manuel Monteiro de Castro,
Secretary, Congregation of Bishops,
Palazzo della Congregazioni,
00193, Roma
Piazza Pio XII, 10.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
To raise the voice against the Gay culture
From August 2, 2011
G.Alex Benziger,
Advocate
No. 18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Chennai-600 001.
South India
E-mail : alexbenziger@aol.com
To
HIS EMINENCE OSWALD CARDINAL GRACIAS,
President,
Catholic Bishops Conference of India.
No.1, Ashok Place,
Near Gole Dakkhana,
New Delhi-110 001
May it please Your Eminence,
Sub: Requesting Your Eminence to raise the voice against the gay culture in India.
1. I introduce myself as a practicing Advocate in the High Court of Judicature at Madras and I have a legal standing of about 25 years in the Bar.
2. On July 4, 2011 Indian Health Minister Hon’ble Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, has derided “homosexuality as an unnatural “Disease” from the West, unfortunately this disease has come to our country too…. where a man has sex with another man, which is completely unnatural and should not happen but does”. The minister said this during a conference held at New Delhi on HIV/AIDS, wherein Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh, Congress Party President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and some of the Government Ministers were also present at the conference.
3. In the conservative India the gay people are very microscopic. But, on the next day, July 5, 2011 the gay activists strongly condemned and demanded that the minister “should publicly apologize”, and in Chennai one NGO-LGBT rainbow coalition staged a protest, demanding a apology from the minister. It is unfortunate that the protesting people are not gays, then what do they want? For what purpose? The NGO run by whose money? But they want publicity under the name and the banner a NGO.
4. On July 26, 2011 India’s first married lesbian couple has been given police protection and moved to a safe house amid fears that the two women were married by a court in Haryana. This situation now is imported from perverted Western disease. Under Section 377 of IPC it is an offence. How the Court could grant such permission?
5. Jesus answered “Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them “male and female” and that He said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body” (Mt.19:4) Pope Benedict XIV in an audience with social workers in Fatima (Portugal) on May 12, 2011 urged them to apply the wisdom of the Church’s teachings to their causes. Further He said “I express my deep appreciation for all those social and pastoral initiatives aimed at combating the Socio-economic and cultural mechanisms which lead to abortion and are openly concerned to defend life and to promote the reconciliation and healing of those harmed by the tragedy of abortion. Initiatives aimed at protecting the essential and primary values of life, beginning at conception, and of the family based on the indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman, help to respond to some of today’s most insidious and dangerous threats to the common good. Such initiatives represent, alongside numerous other forms of commitment and essential elements in the building of the civilization of love”.
6. “Mexican Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez said: “allowing same sex marriage and adoption by homosexual couples are contrary to the natural order and to democracy. The legislature cannot legislate either against the natural law or against the will of God. If it is allowed, it will seriously damage the life of the civilized society and the institution of marriage. The natural law which we all have imprinted in our hearts is inscribed in nature”.
7. Two persons of the opposite sex living together and to bear children is marriage. It is natural. Two opposite living cells are joined in a womb and form a new being, whether it is human person or animal kingdom or botanical world. Civil union is a friendship, but same sex persons living together is not a family, any time they may be separated and go alone. It is like a partnership firm, it an understanding until they leave at their will.
8. But the natural family there is a father, a mother and children. Here they may be separated, but the children can’t call somebody else as father or mother. People should go with the nature, to go with the human behavior, to go with civilized society, even in the animal kingdom they never go against the nature. The people must allow the world to go as it is.
9. Thousands of children in the world do not have both a father and a mother. However, the greatest assistance children can be given is precisely that of a family founded upon the marriage between a man and a woman. Thousands of children are not able to enjoy this right and to deny them of it through the law is an aberration, it is foolishness.
10. Children have a right to be born and have a right to a mother and a father. Homosexual union provides neither life nor a father/mother relationship, and should never be allowed to raise children. Children need consistent appropriate boundaries and secure expressions of emotional intimacy that are not sexualized in the home and community.
11. Homosexuality is a private affair. Legalizing gay marriage would leave “society destroyed” because the family is the basic cell of human society.
12. The West has been pushing for the approval of abnormal deviant sexual practices as alternative lifestyle. The Western World, allows civil unions, providing state–level spousal right to same sex couples. Homosexuality is a sexual perversion and in no way natural. The psychological community had once recognized homosexuality as a psychiatric disorder and it was documented as such in the official U.S. psychology handbook. It’s scary that degenerating values in our society can cause a reclassification of something shameful into something to be proud of.
13. Italian Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco, who has received death threats in April 2011, over his public opposition to same-sex marriage. Over the weekend, the Archbishop received a live bullet in the mail along with photo of himself with a swastika cut into the photo paper. Pope Benedict XVI expressed solidarity with the archbishop in his call and charged him “to continue working for human and religious rights without which it was impossible to build a free and stable democracy”.
14. New York’s Archbishop Timothy Dolan who worries that legalizing same-sex marriage will lead to accepting polygamy in the future. After marriage was redefined to include same-sex couples in New York, there could be pressure for further redefinition that accepts multiple partners and infidelity. Lastly, the Archbishop wrote that faithful Catholics remain ready to face even the fate of St. Thomas More who was executed by King Henry VIII for defending the truth about marriage. Further he added that we are willing to take the heat and even lose our head from following a conscience properly formed by God’s revelation.
15. The Catholic Church finally believes that human life, even when weak or suffering is a splendid gift from God. And the pessimism and selfishness blinds the world.
16. Everybody talking about global warming and to preserve natural resources to enhance our life securely as well as satisfactorily in future. But, in the human society, somebody goes against nature and compels everybody to follow that way. It is shame on the legislature who was responsible to enact the same-sex marriage law against natural order.
17. A microscopic community is boldly raising voice against the Hon’ble Health minister to achieve their illegal, unnatural end. It is very unfortunate that no religious body, no association, no institution, no political leader or no religious leader raising the voice in support of the Hon’ble Health Minister Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad.
18. Hence ,I earnestly request Your Eminence to raise the voice against the gay culture from the diocese level, pious associations level, parishes level and village level communities, and thus uphold the natural family from all evils, from some the forces systematically denigrating the natural order and family.
Thanking Your Eminence and praying for Your Eminence’s apostolic blessings, I remain.
Yours obediently in Our Lord Jesus Christ
(G.ALEX BENZIGER)
Copy to:-
1. HON’BLE MR.GHULAM NABI AZAD,
Minister of Health & Family Welfare,
Room No. 150-A, Nirman Bhavan,,
New Delhi-110 003.
2. DR.PRAVEEN TOGADIA,
President,
Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir Asharam
R.K.Puram Sector -6
New Delhi-110022
3. MR.SYED YAHYA BUKHARI,
President
Jama Masjid United Forum
Gate No.4,
Dar-Us.Salaam,
Jama Masjid Complex,
Delhi-6
4. HIS GRACE MOST REV.FERNANDO FILONI,
Prefect
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples,
Palazzo di Propaganda Fide,
00187, Roma
Piazza di Spagn, 48
Italy.
5. MOST REV DR.SALVATORE PENNACCHIO,
Apostolic Nuncio to India
50-c, Niti Marg
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi-110 021
6. MOST REV.DR.ALBERT D’ SOUZA
Secretary General, C.B.C.I.,
Archbishop of Agra
Archbishop's House
Wasirpura Road,
Agra-282 003.
7. MOST REV.DR.A.M.CHINNAPPA,
President
Tamilnadu Catholic Bishop’s Conference
Archbishop of Madras -Mylapore
Archbishop’s House,
Santhome High Road,
Chennai-600 004
G.Alex Benziger,
Advocate
No. 18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Chennai-600 001.
South India
E-mail : alexbenziger@aol.com
To
HIS EMINENCE OSWALD CARDINAL GRACIAS,
President,
Catholic Bishops Conference of India.
No.1, Ashok Place,
Near Gole Dakkhana,
New Delhi-110 001
May it please Your Eminence,
Sub: Requesting Your Eminence to raise the voice against the gay culture in India.
1. I introduce myself as a practicing Advocate in the High Court of Judicature at Madras and I have a legal standing of about 25 years in the Bar.
2. On July 4, 2011 Indian Health Minister Hon’ble Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, has derided “homosexuality as an unnatural “Disease” from the West, unfortunately this disease has come to our country too…. where a man has sex with another man, which is completely unnatural and should not happen but does”. The minister said this during a conference held at New Delhi on HIV/AIDS, wherein Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh, Congress Party President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and some of the Government Ministers were also present at the conference.
3. In the conservative India the gay people are very microscopic. But, on the next day, July 5, 2011 the gay activists strongly condemned and demanded that the minister “should publicly apologize”, and in Chennai one NGO-LGBT rainbow coalition staged a protest, demanding a apology from the minister. It is unfortunate that the protesting people are not gays, then what do they want? For what purpose? The NGO run by whose money? But they want publicity under the name and the banner a NGO.
4. On July 26, 2011 India’s first married lesbian couple has been given police protection and moved to a safe house amid fears that the two women were married by a court in Haryana. This situation now is imported from perverted Western disease. Under Section 377 of IPC it is an offence. How the Court could grant such permission?
5. Jesus answered “Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them “male and female” and that He said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body” (Mt.19:4) Pope Benedict XIV in an audience with social workers in Fatima (Portugal) on May 12, 2011 urged them to apply the wisdom of the Church’s teachings to their causes. Further He said “I express my deep appreciation for all those social and pastoral initiatives aimed at combating the Socio-economic and cultural mechanisms which lead to abortion and are openly concerned to defend life and to promote the reconciliation and healing of those harmed by the tragedy of abortion. Initiatives aimed at protecting the essential and primary values of life, beginning at conception, and of the family based on the indissoluble marriage between a man and a woman, help to respond to some of today’s most insidious and dangerous threats to the common good. Such initiatives represent, alongside numerous other forms of commitment and essential elements in the building of the civilization of love”.
6. “Mexican Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez said: “allowing same sex marriage and adoption by homosexual couples are contrary to the natural order and to democracy. The legislature cannot legislate either against the natural law or against the will of God. If it is allowed, it will seriously damage the life of the civilized society and the institution of marriage. The natural law which we all have imprinted in our hearts is inscribed in nature”.
7. Two persons of the opposite sex living together and to bear children is marriage. It is natural. Two opposite living cells are joined in a womb and form a new being, whether it is human person or animal kingdom or botanical world. Civil union is a friendship, but same sex persons living together is not a family, any time they may be separated and go alone. It is like a partnership firm, it an understanding until they leave at their will.
8. But the natural family there is a father, a mother and children. Here they may be separated, but the children can’t call somebody else as father or mother. People should go with the nature, to go with the human behavior, to go with civilized society, even in the animal kingdom they never go against the nature. The people must allow the world to go as it is.
9. Thousands of children in the world do not have both a father and a mother. However, the greatest assistance children can be given is precisely that of a family founded upon the marriage between a man and a woman. Thousands of children are not able to enjoy this right and to deny them of it through the law is an aberration, it is foolishness.
10. Children have a right to be born and have a right to a mother and a father. Homosexual union provides neither life nor a father/mother relationship, and should never be allowed to raise children. Children need consistent appropriate boundaries and secure expressions of emotional intimacy that are not sexualized in the home and community.
11. Homosexuality is a private affair. Legalizing gay marriage would leave “society destroyed” because the family is the basic cell of human society.
12. The West has been pushing for the approval of abnormal deviant sexual practices as alternative lifestyle. The Western World, allows civil unions, providing state–level spousal right to same sex couples. Homosexuality is a sexual perversion and in no way natural. The psychological community had once recognized homosexuality as a psychiatric disorder and it was documented as such in the official U.S. psychology handbook. It’s scary that degenerating values in our society can cause a reclassification of something shameful into something to be proud of.
13. Italian Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco, who has received death threats in April 2011, over his public opposition to same-sex marriage. Over the weekend, the Archbishop received a live bullet in the mail along with photo of himself with a swastika cut into the photo paper. Pope Benedict XVI expressed solidarity with the archbishop in his call and charged him “to continue working for human and religious rights without which it was impossible to build a free and stable democracy”.
14. New York’s Archbishop Timothy Dolan who worries that legalizing same-sex marriage will lead to accepting polygamy in the future. After marriage was redefined to include same-sex couples in New York, there could be pressure for further redefinition that accepts multiple partners and infidelity. Lastly, the Archbishop wrote that faithful Catholics remain ready to face even the fate of St. Thomas More who was executed by King Henry VIII for defending the truth about marriage. Further he added that we are willing to take the heat and even lose our head from following a conscience properly formed by God’s revelation.
15. The Catholic Church finally believes that human life, even when weak or suffering is a splendid gift from God. And the pessimism and selfishness blinds the world.
16. Everybody talking about global warming and to preserve natural resources to enhance our life securely as well as satisfactorily in future. But, in the human society, somebody goes against nature and compels everybody to follow that way. It is shame on the legislature who was responsible to enact the same-sex marriage law against natural order.
17. A microscopic community is boldly raising voice against the Hon’ble Health minister to achieve their illegal, unnatural end. It is very unfortunate that no religious body, no association, no institution, no political leader or no religious leader raising the voice in support of the Hon’ble Health Minister Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad.
18. Hence ,I earnestly request Your Eminence to raise the voice against the gay culture from the diocese level, pious associations level, parishes level and village level communities, and thus uphold the natural family from all evils, from some the forces systematically denigrating the natural order and family.
Thanking Your Eminence and praying for Your Eminence’s apostolic blessings, I remain.
Yours obediently in Our Lord Jesus Christ
(G.ALEX BENZIGER)
Copy to:-
1. HON’BLE MR.GHULAM NABI AZAD,
Minister of Health & Family Welfare,
Room No. 150-A, Nirman Bhavan,,
New Delhi-110 003.
2. DR.PRAVEEN TOGADIA,
President,
Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir Asharam
R.K.Puram Sector -6
New Delhi-110022
3. MR.SYED YAHYA BUKHARI,
President
Jama Masjid United Forum
Gate No.4,
Dar-Us.Salaam,
Jama Masjid Complex,
Delhi-6
4. HIS GRACE MOST REV.FERNANDO FILONI,
Prefect
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples,
Palazzo di Propaganda Fide,
00187, Roma
Piazza di Spagn, 48
Italy.
5. MOST REV DR.SALVATORE PENNACCHIO,
Apostolic Nuncio to India
50-c, Niti Marg
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi-110 021
6. MOST REV.DR.ALBERT D’ SOUZA
Secretary General, C.B.C.I.,
Archbishop of Agra
Archbishop's House
Wasirpura Road,
Agra-282 003.
7. MOST REV.DR.A.M.CHINNAPPA,
President
Tamilnadu Catholic Bishop’s Conference
Archbishop of Madras -Mylapore
Archbishop’s House,
Santhome High Road,
Chennai-600 004
Friday, November 18, 2011
Memorandum Submitted to the Catholic Bishop's of Tamil Nadu
Date: 16.11.2010
From
G. Alex Benziger,
Advocate,
No. 18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Madras-600 001.
alexbenziger@aol.com
To
His Grace Dr. A.M. Chinnappa,
Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore,
President,
Tamil Nadu Catholic Bishops Council,
Archbishop’s House,
No. 21, Santhome High Road,
Chennai -600 004.
May it please Your Grace,
1. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has appointed 24 new cardinals on 20.10.2010. The new cardinals will be installed in a special consistory to be held at the Sistine Chapel, Vatican on the feast of Christ the King on 28.11.2010. Among the new cardinals one is from Colombo, our neighboring country. But none has been selected from Tamil Nadu. After Cardinal Lourdusamy, no Tamilian has been appointed as cardinal. The Tamilnadu Catholic Bishops have to project their ability in the International Level.
2. Nowadays very rarely bishops and priests are preaching about faith, moral values and doctrines of the Catholic Church in their Sermons and Catechism to the laity.
3. In Tamilnadu, Bishops are preaching or teaching not in the line of Vatican or Magisteriam of the Catholic Church. But the bishops are indifferently giving sermon like the cheap politicians. The bishops have forgotten their duty cast upon them according to canon law 386 (i).
4. I hereby quote some of the bishops in the international community of their preaching and some important issues facing the Catholic Church as follows:-
5. On 09.05.2007, present Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI in Brazil stated that “ legislators who support laws allowing abortions should be excommunicated“. During his press conference on 10.05.2007 on his flight to Sao Paulo, he was asked whether the supported Mexican Church leaders threatening to excommunicate leftist parliamentarians who voted to legalise abortion in Mexico City in April 2007. Pope Benedict replied “Yes” this excommunication was not an arbitrary one but is allowed by the Church Law that is canon law 1398, which says that “ A person who actually procures an abortion incurs automatic excommunication”.
6. During the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States on 28.04.2008 at Yankee Stadium, he spoke of the “inalienable dignity and rights of the most defenseless of all human beings, the unborn child in the mothers’ womb”.
7. On 14.07.2008 Archbishop Jesus Armamento Dosado of Ozamis, Philippines has announced that “ politicians who support legal abortion will not be allowed to receive communion”.
8. On 17.03.2009, Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church’s opposition to use of condoms in the fight against AIDS, in “Yaounde”, the capital of Cameroon, Africa. He said “AIDS cannot be overcome by the distribution of condoms, on the contrary, they increase the problem”. Further he said, “the only solution is two fold ; the first is a humanization of sexuality, a human, spiritual renewal which brings with it a new way of behaving among people and, secondly, a true friendship, especially for those who are suffering a willingness to make personal sacrifices”.
9. On 15.10.2010, Denver Archbishop Most Rev.Charles Chaput, addressing a conference in British Columbia “Faith in the Public Square” seminar sponsored by the Diocese of Victoria asserted that “Catholics today have failed to transmit the faith to the next generation, which has resulted in young people losing their moral vocabulary”.
10. On 19.10.2010 Cardinal Odilo Scherer of Sao Paulo, Brazil spoke out “in defence of human life, stressing that abortion must not be legalized in the country. He will soon celebrate pro life week in order to warm Brazilian of the threats to human life”.
11. On 20.10.2010, Archbishop Hector Aguer of La Plata, Argentina has criticized “the United Nations for spreading ideologies that fall to respect fundamental human rights and the family”.
12. On 20.10.2010 Bishop Mario Grech of Valetta, Malta cited Jesus response in Mathew 19, said “divorce contradicts the value of marriage and changes its very nature”. The Archbishop of Malta Paul Cremon have said “noting the failed promises of divorce advocates they emphasized that Christians must be accountable to Jesus in matters of marriage and divorce”.
13. The Pope Benedict XVI and many bishops are talking about abortion and contraception. But in Tamilnadu bishops and priests till date are not talking about abortion and contraception. Why the Tamilnadu Bishops are shy about to speak on the above subject. Our Lord Jesus Christ said; “And that which you hear in the ear preach ye from the housetops”. (Mathew 10:27).
14. Further the auxiliary Bishop of Karaganda the remote place of Kazakhstan, Most. Rev. Athanasius Schneider, who has written a little gem of a book on the subject, entitled “Dominus est – It is the lord”. That is a faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist that was so strong as to be willing to die for it as shedding light on the origin an reinforcement of his adoring manner of receiving communion kneeling and on the tongue.
15. Further the Archbishop of Colombo Most Rev.Dr.Malcolm Ranjith, addressing the faithful at the solemn Jubilee of Eucharistic Celebration of St. Michaels’ Church on 29.09.2010, have said “ the angels are messengers of God assigned different tasks in His Mission. As we heard the 2nd reading today (20.09.2010) St. Michael the Archangel fought the battle safeguard us against the wickedness and snares of the devil. Unfortunately we have abandoned some of the prayers we use to say to the Archangels”. Further he said, How often you go to confession? Even without making confession, people have the habit of just coming and receiving Holy Communion. Further, the Archbishop issued a pastoral letter to the diocese wherein he said by celebrating the mass “facing the Lord by receiving communion on the tongue instead of receiving it in the hand, and by kneeling to receive it.
16. But, in Tamilnadu, the Mass and the liturgy has no common rubric, each priest has his own style of celebrating the Mass. No two priests celebrate the mass in the same manner, so much so, the general comment of the faithful is always the Fr.’X’s Mass is so much better than Fr. ‘Y’s Mass or is not as good as the other. It is a very sorrowful state of affair because the liturgy of the Holy Mass is the greatest ‘Action’ where Our Lord Jesus Christ is brought down on earth in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity by the anointed hands of the specially consecrated persons of priest hood. The sacrament of Eucharistic Liturgy is the heart – beat and the richest wealth of the Holy Mother Church.
17. On 31.10.2010 gunmen linked to Al-Qaida took over 120 faithful hostage at the Chaldean Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation, Iraq, during Mass and held lay Catholics in an unprecedented attack that left more than 50 dead and over 70 wounded.
18. Usually in Tamilnadu bishops in many occasions to raise over the issues and organized meetings / prayers or in any form of a protest in all the dioceses. But in the said brutal attack on Catholic Christians in Iraq incident, no bishops raised his voice in protest against it.
19. The Tamilnadu Catholic Bishops of their activities are just like cheap politicians and to gain rapport with the politicians and want to please the politicians in all respects. Due to this mix up with politics the clergy are forced to toe the line of politicians. The politicians in turn have their say in the Church much to the chagrin of opposition politicians.
20. The attitude in supporting one political party by clergy leads to enactment of laws to stifle Christianity by the opposite camp when the other party comes to power. This could be illustrated by the law “Anti Conversion Act, 2003” by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
21. If any one Catholic layman or a group or parishioner raised any voice or protest against any bishop or any priest it will be severely countered and victimized with help of police and politicians. In particular the lay Catholics are deprived of Sunday Masses and other Sacraments, like baptism, confirmation, Holy Communion, extreme unction and Holy Matrimony. Against the authoritarian activities of the bishops or priests there is no forum to express the lay Catholics’ grievances against the bishops / priests, and there is no otherway than to be surrendered. And hence many Catholics left the Catholic Church and joined other Christian denominations.
22. Recently, His Holiness Pope Benedict is requesting “all diocesan bishops (and their equivalent) of every particular church preside in analogous celebrations involving the faithful in their respective parishes, religious communities, associations and movements to call on all Catholics to join in a vigil for “All Nascent Human life to be celebrated on Nov. 27, the eve of the First Sunday of Advent.
23. Based on this calling, the Secretariat of Divine Worship of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, many parishes have decided to offer evening prayers, Rosary, Marian Procession, and Benediction in this regard a rubric is also provided for priests and liturgy directors. But the Tamilnadu Catholic Bishops are mum on the said issue the reasons best known.
24. In July, 2005 (Prot. N.467/05/L of 9.7.2005) the Sacred Congregation for the Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, by agreement with the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote to all presidents of conferences of Bishops to ask their considered opinion regarding the translation into the various vernaculars of the expression “pro multis” in the formula for the consecration of the Precious Blood during the celebration of Holy Mass. In turn the replies received from the Bishops Conferences were studied by the two Congregations and a report was made to the Holy Father. At his direction, the said Congregation wrote to all the Catholic Bishops in Prot. N.467/05/L dated 17.10.2006 “the Bishops Conferences of those countries where the formula “for all” or its equivalent is currently in use are therefore requested to introduction of a precise vernacular translation of the formula “pro multis” (eg. For many, per moltis, etc) instead of “per tutti”, “pro omnibus” (for all).
25. The said direction further clarified that “Christ died on the cross for all men and women (John 11 : 52 ; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ; Titus 2 :11 ; 1 John 2 : 2). The Roman Rite in Latin has always said “pro multis” and never “pro omnibus” in the consecration of the chalice. Further the expression “for many”, which remaining open to the inclusion of each human person, is reflective also of the fact that this salvation is not brought about in some mechanistic way, without one’s willing or participation ; rather the believer is invited to accept in faith the gift that is being offered and to receive the supernatural life that is given to those who participate in this mystery, living it out in their lives as well so as to be numbered among the “many” to whom the text refers.
26. The said congregation’s direction in No. Prot.N.467 / 05 / L dated 17.10.2006, has been passed almost 4 years over. But in Tamilnadu no bishop or no priest is using the word “pro multis - for many” in the consecration of the Chalice, rather it is used as “pro omnibus – for all”.
27. Hence, I appeal all the Bishops of Tamilnadu to raise your voice to the level of International standard and uphold the teaching of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and in all respects teach the faith and morals and the Doctrines of the Catholic Church, and as a consequence a cardinal would emerge from Tamilnadu.
Yours
Most obedient children
in Our Lord Jesus Christ
(G.Alex Benziger)
Copy to
All the Catholic Archbishop/ Bishops of Tamil Nadu.
From
G. Alex Benziger,
Advocate,
No. 18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Madras-600 001.
alexbenziger@aol.com
To
His Grace Dr. A.M. Chinnappa,
Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore,
President,
Tamil Nadu Catholic Bishops Council,
Archbishop’s House,
No. 21, Santhome High Road,
Chennai -600 004.
May it please Your Grace,
1. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has appointed 24 new cardinals on 20.10.2010. The new cardinals will be installed in a special consistory to be held at the Sistine Chapel, Vatican on the feast of Christ the King on 28.11.2010. Among the new cardinals one is from Colombo, our neighboring country. But none has been selected from Tamil Nadu. After Cardinal Lourdusamy, no Tamilian has been appointed as cardinal. The Tamilnadu Catholic Bishops have to project their ability in the International Level.
2. Nowadays very rarely bishops and priests are preaching about faith, moral values and doctrines of the Catholic Church in their Sermons and Catechism to the laity.
3. In Tamilnadu, Bishops are preaching or teaching not in the line of Vatican or Magisteriam of the Catholic Church. But the bishops are indifferently giving sermon like the cheap politicians. The bishops have forgotten their duty cast upon them according to canon law 386 (i).
4. I hereby quote some of the bishops in the international community of their preaching and some important issues facing the Catholic Church as follows:-
5. On 09.05.2007, present Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI in Brazil stated that “ legislators who support laws allowing abortions should be excommunicated“. During his press conference on 10.05.2007 on his flight to Sao Paulo, he was asked whether the supported Mexican Church leaders threatening to excommunicate leftist parliamentarians who voted to legalise abortion in Mexico City in April 2007. Pope Benedict replied “Yes” this excommunication was not an arbitrary one but is allowed by the Church Law that is canon law 1398, which says that “ A person who actually procures an abortion incurs automatic excommunication”.
6. During the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States on 28.04.2008 at Yankee Stadium, he spoke of the “inalienable dignity and rights of the most defenseless of all human beings, the unborn child in the mothers’ womb”.
7. On 14.07.2008 Archbishop Jesus Armamento Dosado of Ozamis, Philippines has announced that “ politicians who support legal abortion will not be allowed to receive communion”.
8. On 17.03.2009, Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church’s opposition to use of condoms in the fight against AIDS, in “Yaounde”, the capital of Cameroon, Africa. He said “AIDS cannot be overcome by the distribution of condoms, on the contrary, they increase the problem”. Further he said, “the only solution is two fold ; the first is a humanization of sexuality, a human, spiritual renewal which brings with it a new way of behaving among people and, secondly, a true friendship, especially for those who are suffering a willingness to make personal sacrifices”.
9. On 15.10.2010, Denver Archbishop Most Rev.Charles Chaput, addressing a conference in British Columbia “Faith in the Public Square” seminar sponsored by the Diocese of Victoria asserted that “Catholics today have failed to transmit the faith to the next generation, which has resulted in young people losing their moral vocabulary”.
10. On 19.10.2010 Cardinal Odilo Scherer of Sao Paulo, Brazil spoke out “in defence of human life, stressing that abortion must not be legalized in the country. He will soon celebrate pro life week in order to warm Brazilian of the threats to human life”.
11. On 20.10.2010, Archbishop Hector Aguer of La Plata, Argentina has criticized “the United Nations for spreading ideologies that fall to respect fundamental human rights and the family”.
12. On 20.10.2010 Bishop Mario Grech of Valetta, Malta cited Jesus response in Mathew 19, said “divorce contradicts the value of marriage and changes its very nature”. The Archbishop of Malta Paul Cremon have said “noting the failed promises of divorce advocates they emphasized that Christians must be accountable to Jesus in matters of marriage and divorce”.
13. The Pope Benedict XVI and many bishops are talking about abortion and contraception. But in Tamilnadu bishops and priests till date are not talking about abortion and contraception. Why the Tamilnadu Bishops are shy about to speak on the above subject. Our Lord Jesus Christ said; “And that which you hear in the ear preach ye from the housetops”. (Mathew 10:27).
14. Further the auxiliary Bishop of Karaganda the remote place of Kazakhstan, Most. Rev. Athanasius Schneider, who has written a little gem of a book on the subject, entitled “Dominus est – It is the lord”. That is a faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist that was so strong as to be willing to die for it as shedding light on the origin an reinforcement of his adoring manner of receiving communion kneeling and on the tongue.
15. Further the Archbishop of Colombo Most Rev.Dr.Malcolm Ranjith, addressing the faithful at the solemn Jubilee of Eucharistic Celebration of St. Michaels’ Church on 29.09.2010, have said “ the angels are messengers of God assigned different tasks in His Mission. As we heard the 2nd reading today (20.09.2010) St. Michael the Archangel fought the battle safeguard us against the wickedness and snares of the devil. Unfortunately we have abandoned some of the prayers we use to say to the Archangels”. Further he said, How often you go to confession? Even without making confession, people have the habit of just coming and receiving Holy Communion. Further, the Archbishop issued a pastoral letter to the diocese wherein he said by celebrating the mass “facing the Lord by receiving communion on the tongue instead of receiving it in the hand, and by kneeling to receive it.
16. But, in Tamilnadu, the Mass and the liturgy has no common rubric, each priest has his own style of celebrating the Mass. No two priests celebrate the mass in the same manner, so much so, the general comment of the faithful is always the Fr.’X’s Mass is so much better than Fr. ‘Y’s Mass or is not as good as the other. It is a very sorrowful state of affair because the liturgy of the Holy Mass is the greatest ‘Action’ where Our Lord Jesus Christ is brought down on earth in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity by the anointed hands of the specially consecrated persons of priest hood. The sacrament of Eucharistic Liturgy is the heart – beat and the richest wealth of the Holy Mother Church.
17. On 31.10.2010 gunmen linked to Al-Qaida took over 120 faithful hostage at the Chaldean Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation, Iraq, during Mass and held lay Catholics in an unprecedented attack that left more than 50 dead and over 70 wounded.
18. Usually in Tamilnadu bishops in many occasions to raise over the issues and organized meetings / prayers or in any form of a protest in all the dioceses. But in the said brutal attack on Catholic Christians in Iraq incident, no bishops raised his voice in protest against it.
19. The Tamilnadu Catholic Bishops of their activities are just like cheap politicians and to gain rapport with the politicians and want to please the politicians in all respects. Due to this mix up with politics the clergy are forced to toe the line of politicians. The politicians in turn have their say in the Church much to the chagrin of opposition politicians.
20. The attitude in supporting one political party by clergy leads to enactment of laws to stifle Christianity by the opposite camp when the other party comes to power. This could be illustrated by the law “Anti Conversion Act, 2003” by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
21. If any one Catholic layman or a group or parishioner raised any voice or protest against any bishop or any priest it will be severely countered and victimized with help of police and politicians. In particular the lay Catholics are deprived of Sunday Masses and other Sacraments, like baptism, confirmation, Holy Communion, extreme unction and Holy Matrimony. Against the authoritarian activities of the bishops or priests there is no forum to express the lay Catholics’ grievances against the bishops / priests, and there is no otherway than to be surrendered. And hence many Catholics left the Catholic Church and joined other Christian denominations.
22. Recently, His Holiness Pope Benedict is requesting “all diocesan bishops (and their equivalent) of every particular church preside in analogous celebrations involving the faithful in their respective parishes, religious communities, associations and movements to call on all Catholics to join in a vigil for “All Nascent Human life to be celebrated on Nov. 27, the eve of the First Sunday of Advent.
23. Based on this calling, the Secretariat of Divine Worship of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, many parishes have decided to offer evening prayers, Rosary, Marian Procession, and Benediction in this regard a rubric is also provided for priests and liturgy directors. But the Tamilnadu Catholic Bishops are mum on the said issue the reasons best known.
24. In July, 2005 (Prot. N.467/05/L of 9.7.2005) the Sacred Congregation for the Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, by agreement with the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote to all presidents of conferences of Bishops to ask their considered opinion regarding the translation into the various vernaculars of the expression “pro multis” in the formula for the consecration of the Precious Blood during the celebration of Holy Mass. In turn the replies received from the Bishops Conferences were studied by the two Congregations and a report was made to the Holy Father. At his direction, the said Congregation wrote to all the Catholic Bishops in Prot. N.467/05/L dated 17.10.2006 “the Bishops Conferences of those countries where the formula “for all” or its equivalent is currently in use are therefore requested to introduction of a precise vernacular translation of the formula “pro multis” (eg. For many, per moltis, etc) instead of “per tutti”, “pro omnibus” (for all).
25. The said direction further clarified that “Christ died on the cross for all men and women (John 11 : 52 ; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ; Titus 2 :11 ; 1 John 2 : 2). The Roman Rite in Latin has always said “pro multis” and never “pro omnibus” in the consecration of the chalice. Further the expression “for many”, which remaining open to the inclusion of each human person, is reflective also of the fact that this salvation is not brought about in some mechanistic way, without one’s willing or participation ; rather the believer is invited to accept in faith the gift that is being offered and to receive the supernatural life that is given to those who participate in this mystery, living it out in their lives as well so as to be numbered among the “many” to whom the text refers.
26. The said congregation’s direction in No. Prot.N.467 / 05 / L dated 17.10.2006, has been passed almost 4 years over. But in Tamilnadu no bishop or no priest is using the word “pro multis - for many” in the consecration of the Chalice, rather it is used as “pro omnibus – for all”.
27. Hence, I appeal all the Bishops of Tamilnadu to raise your voice to the level of International standard and uphold the teaching of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and in all respects teach the faith and morals and the Doctrines of the Catholic Church, and as a consequence a cardinal would emerge from Tamilnadu.
Yours
Most obedient children
in Our Lord Jesus Christ
(G.Alex Benziger)
Copy to
All the Catholic Archbishop/ Bishops of Tamil Nadu.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Catholic Church properties are illegally sold for no necessity
August 23rd , 2007
From
1. G. Alex Benziger
Advocate
No.18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Chennai – 600 001.
St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Broadway Parish,
2. Michael Amalraj Edward
Advocate
5, 2nd Street, 3rd Main Road,
C.I.T. Nagar Extension,
Chennai – 600 035.
Church of Our Lady of Health, Little Mount Parish.
3. Dr. S.Leonard Vasanth Ph.D.,
Advocate,
23, F2, Moshin Regency
Wahab Street, Choolaimedu,
Chennai – 600 094.
St. Fatima Church, Kodambakkam Parish.
4. J. John Bosco
Advocate
64/38, Annai Sivakami Nagar,
Ennore, Chennai – 600 057.
Sahayamatha Church, Bharathiar Nagar Parish.
To
His Eminence Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, SDB.,
Secretariate of State
Palazzo Apostolico Vaticano
Citta del vaticano 00120
Vatican City,
Italy,
Fax 06.69.88.52.55
Through
His Grace Pedro Lopez Quintana
Apostolic Nunciature in India
50-C, Niti Marg,
Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110 021.
E-mail :nuntius@apostolicnunciatureindia.com
May it please Your Eminence,
Sub : Illegal alienation of immovable properties belonging to the Catholic Church - without any legal necessity and abusing the funds – immediate intervention to stop the illegal sales – requested – regarding.
- - - -
1. We are pious Roman Catholic lawyers, practicing in the Madras High Court, South India. We are engaged in the Social Service and keenly engaged in the Mission work of the Catholic Church. Mr. Alex Benziger had participated and actively involved in various Catholic Movements and had made many representations to the Holy See through His Grace George Zur, the then Apostolic Nunciature in India on issues concerning the Church.
2. In India, out of great sacrifice, dedication and hard earned savings, catholic lay people have dedicated a number of valuable properties to the Catholic Church with a specific vow to Charity and Religious activities of the church. Further very many Catholics have donated lot of properties to the Church and Diocese with a specific vow for religious and charitable purpose. The said properties are situated in the prime location of the heart of the City of Madras and under the administration of Church Authorities.
3. In Western Countries, i.e. Europe, U.S.A, and Canada, the Church properties are sold for purposes in particular to meet out the legal liabilities of the Church and to pay damages ordered by the courts.
4. In India, no such said Western atmosphere exists. It is pertinent to note the following aspects in the Catholic Church in Tamilnadu, South India.
a. Almost all the lay Catholics attend the Liturgy regularly.
b. All the Lay Catholics generously donate their offerings to the Church regularly.
c. Lot of income also accrue out of church properties periodically.
d. Any request made by the Church Authorities for the necessary commitment are immediately compensated by the Lay Catholics.
5. Hence there is no paucity of funds for the church purposes and their administration. In fact the church Authorities do not suffer from any financial crunch at any point of time.
6. Inspite of that the church authorities in India have sold away the following immovable properties for throw away prices or no price at all. Thus they have frittered away with the properties. The Church properties are allowed to be lost, wasted or frittered away as follows : -
Events of illegal sale :
A. Between 1950 and 1960 nearly 400 acres of immovable property in and around Thiruvanmiyur area of the Madras–Mylapore diocese has been sold away for no price and for no necessity. The present value of the said property is Rupees Ten Thousand crores – equivalent to 100 Billion U.S Dollars. This sale is against the intent of the gift of the said property.
B. Sir. John De Monte a Portuguese decendant who had settled down at Madras in 1790, in his last Will and Testament dated July 17, 1820 had bequeathed 105 acres of landed property with a specific vow to the Madras-Mylapore Archdiocese to administer the said properties to the benefit of the Charitable and Religious purposes, without alienating or parting out the same. But the said diocese had sold away almost all the said properties which were under the specific vow against alienation. The specific vow of Sir John De Monte has been defeated by the Madras – Mylapore Archdiocese. The total value of the said properties at present is Rupees Five Thousand Crores – equivalent to 50 Billion US Dollars.
C. The property belonging to Diocese coming under the Parish of Our Lady of Health, Little Mount church, Madras measuring 20 acres of invaluable landed property has been illegally sold by Church authorities during 1985 – 1995 for no necessity and nor for any purpose. The property sold out is worth about nearly Rupees 200 crores- equivalent to 2 Billion U.S. Dollars. It is pertinent to note that people of other faith are in occupation of the said properties It is ironical that a church (coming under Assemblies of God) is to be housed in a diocesan property. It is interesting to note that there is no room to bury the dead in this Parish.
D. In 1982, the famous immovable property by name “La Providence” of Kodaikanal, South India which belonged to Jesuit Society (comes under Thiruchirappalli Diocese) has been illegally sold away for meagre price. The value of the said immovable property is in Rupees 250 Crores – equivalent to 2.5. Billion U.S. Dollars.
E. In 1997 the famous Madras Loyola College, Staff Quarters, belonged to Jesuit society, situated at Nungambakkam, Madras about 2 acres of property situated in the heart of the city of Madras had been illegally sold away by the Jesuit Society for no necessity nor purpose. The worth of the immovable property is Rupees 100 Crores - equivalent to 1 Billion U.S. Dollars.
7. Your Eminence may be aware of the fact that it is mandatory that the sale of immovable properties, are to be registered with the Government. For any sale transaction Black money, namely, unaccounted money is involved. In almost all the sale considerations the market value of the property is three fold more than the guideline value (the value fixed by the Government). This is done to evade registration fee, Capital gain and Income Tax and partly to launch black money. In similar way the properties belonging to the diocese are registered at the guideline value which is very much lower than the market sale price. Where has the differential money gone? It is almost certain that the differential amount should be accounted in the diocesan accounts. But the same has not been accounted by the Authorities who had sold away the said property. Then who had siphoned the differential amount? This explains the reasons for the Priests slipping into Worldliness. The Diocese cannot fall in line with the corrupt ways of the world.
8. A right to administer does not include a right to mal administer
9. In fact the sales of the church properties are made secretly without any publicity with the object of siphoning funds and securing unjust enrichment at the cost of Mission. Corrupt practices in handling funds and illegal sale of church properties have pumped ill gotten money into the pockets of quite a number of clerics and the concerned bishops who naturally slip into Worldliness. Thus the mission of Church suffers.
10. To cap it, all the sale consideration amount received by the Church authorities are :
a. Not accounted
b. Not disclosed
c. Not used for the Church purpose
Then where does the said money go?
11. The reasons adduced for the said sale of Church properties would be possible either for :
a. Church need funds
b. Inability to administer the church properties
12. The said questions can be answered readily :
a. Any little request for money for the necessity of the church are readily meted out by the lay Catholics at any time and every time.
b. If the Church Authorities are not able to administer the properties, they can entrust the job to the lay Catholics to manage and administer the same on behalf of the Church.
Hence there cannot any reason available for selling out the Church immovable properties indiscriminately for no necessity nor purpose.
13. The Present situation now arises :
i) The remaining unsold piece of property of Benz Garden has been leased out for 50 years in 2002 by the Madras-Mylapore Archdiocese by entering into a deed in favour of
(a) Holy Satellite Town Ltd.,
(b) M.G.M. Diamond Bench resorts.
The value quoted in the said two agreement altogether was Rupees .50 Crores.
The said two agreements were placed before the High Court of Judicature at Madras and for approval and the Hon’ble High Court of Madras has dismissed the said two agreements as illegal unjust and against the interests of the Charitable and Religious and church and the specific vow of Sir John De Monte. In deference to the High Court order when the above said property was offered for 50 years lease by the church and again called for public tender, the offer was made by the public was Rupees 550 Crores in 2007. In reality the property worth is about - 10 Billion U.S. Dollars. The above said facts would prove the illegal underhand, black dealings of the sale of the Church properties by the Madras-Mylapore Diocesan Authorities.
ii) 3246 square metres immovable property situated at Santhome, Madras (opp. to Madras- Mylapore Archbishop’s house) belongs to Tanjore Diocese. Church Authorities are preparing to sell /Lease out the same for no necessity nor purpose. The property is worth about Rupees 150 Crores- equivalent to 1.5 Billion U.S. Dollars
14. No necessity for the church Authorities for accumulating such huge amounts. Then why the church properties are sold away secretly? If the Church Authorities are really in need of money, the same may be disclosed to the Lay Catholics / to us who are readily awaiting to dedicate / donate / mete out the same immediately.
15. Therefore it is prayed that Your Eminence may :
i) Form an appropriate committee comprising of non Indian clergy who are sincere, honest, dedicated who command integrity and who uphold the mission of the Church. The said Committee may include lay Catholics to enquire into the irregularities in land dealings and to take appropriate measures to stop further alienation of the properties.
ii) The alarming situation requires the immediate intervention of Your Eminence to restrain the Archbishop/Bishops from alienating the Church properties under the names and styles of Sale, Lease, License, Promotion etc., etc.,
Thanking you,
Yours Most Obediently
IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
(G. Alex Benziger)
(Michael Amalraj Edward )
(Dr. S.Leonard Vasanth)
(J.John Bosco)
Copy to :
1. His Eminence Cardinal Attilio Nicora
President
Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See
Palazzo Apostolico
00120, Citta del Vaticano
Vatican City
Italy
Fax : 06.69.88.31.41
2. Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
Palazzo della Congregazioni
00193 Roma
Largo del Colonnato 3
Italy
Fax : 06.69.88.50.11
From
1. G. Alex Benziger
Advocate
No.18, Pidariyar Koil Lane,
Chennai – 600 001.
St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Broadway Parish,
2. Michael Amalraj Edward
Advocate
5, 2nd Street, 3rd Main Road,
C.I.T. Nagar Extension,
Chennai – 600 035.
Church of Our Lady of Health, Little Mount Parish.
3. Dr. S.Leonard Vasanth Ph.D.,
Advocate,
23, F2, Moshin Regency
Wahab Street, Choolaimedu,
Chennai – 600 094.
St. Fatima Church, Kodambakkam Parish.
4. J. John Bosco
Advocate
64/38, Annai Sivakami Nagar,
Ennore, Chennai – 600 057.
Sahayamatha Church, Bharathiar Nagar Parish.
To
His Eminence Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, SDB.,
Secretariate of State
Palazzo Apostolico Vaticano
Citta del vaticano 00120
Vatican City,
Italy,
Fax 06.69.88.52.55
Through
His Grace Pedro Lopez Quintana
Apostolic Nunciature in India
50-C, Niti Marg,
Chanakyapuri, New Delhi - 110 021.
E-mail :nuntius@apostolicnunciatureindia.com
May it please Your Eminence,
Sub : Illegal alienation of immovable properties belonging to the Catholic Church - without any legal necessity and abusing the funds – immediate intervention to stop the illegal sales – requested – regarding.
- - - -
1. We are pious Roman Catholic lawyers, practicing in the Madras High Court, South India. We are engaged in the Social Service and keenly engaged in the Mission work of the Catholic Church. Mr. Alex Benziger had participated and actively involved in various Catholic Movements and had made many representations to the Holy See through His Grace George Zur, the then Apostolic Nunciature in India on issues concerning the Church.
2. In India, out of great sacrifice, dedication and hard earned savings, catholic lay people have dedicated a number of valuable properties to the Catholic Church with a specific vow to Charity and Religious activities of the church. Further very many Catholics have donated lot of properties to the Church and Diocese with a specific vow for religious and charitable purpose. The said properties are situated in the prime location of the heart of the City of Madras and under the administration of Church Authorities.
3. In Western Countries, i.e. Europe, U.S.A, and Canada, the Church properties are sold for purposes in particular to meet out the legal liabilities of the Church and to pay damages ordered by the courts.
4. In India, no such said Western atmosphere exists. It is pertinent to note the following aspects in the Catholic Church in Tamilnadu, South India.
a. Almost all the lay Catholics attend the Liturgy regularly.
b. All the Lay Catholics generously donate their offerings to the Church regularly.
c. Lot of income also accrue out of church properties periodically.
d. Any request made by the Church Authorities for the necessary commitment are immediately compensated by the Lay Catholics.
5. Hence there is no paucity of funds for the church purposes and their administration. In fact the church Authorities do not suffer from any financial crunch at any point of time.
6. Inspite of that the church authorities in India have sold away the following immovable properties for throw away prices or no price at all. Thus they have frittered away with the properties. The Church properties are allowed to be lost, wasted or frittered away as follows : -
Events of illegal sale :
A. Between 1950 and 1960 nearly 400 acres of immovable property in and around Thiruvanmiyur area of the Madras–Mylapore diocese has been sold away for no price and for no necessity. The present value of the said property is Rupees Ten Thousand crores – equivalent to 100 Billion U.S Dollars. This sale is against the intent of the gift of the said property.
B. Sir. John De Monte a Portuguese decendant who had settled down at Madras in 1790, in his last Will and Testament dated July 17, 1820 had bequeathed 105 acres of landed property with a specific vow to the Madras-Mylapore Archdiocese to administer the said properties to the benefit of the Charitable and Religious purposes, without alienating or parting out the same. But the said diocese had sold away almost all the said properties which were under the specific vow against alienation. The specific vow of Sir John De Monte has been defeated by the Madras – Mylapore Archdiocese. The total value of the said properties at present is Rupees Five Thousand Crores – equivalent to 50 Billion US Dollars.
C. The property belonging to Diocese coming under the Parish of Our Lady of Health, Little Mount church, Madras measuring 20 acres of invaluable landed property has been illegally sold by Church authorities during 1985 – 1995 for no necessity and nor for any purpose. The property sold out is worth about nearly Rupees 200 crores- equivalent to 2 Billion U.S. Dollars. It is pertinent to note that people of other faith are in occupation of the said properties It is ironical that a church (coming under Assemblies of God) is to be housed in a diocesan property. It is interesting to note that there is no room to bury the dead in this Parish.
D. In 1982, the famous immovable property by name “La Providence” of Kodaikanal, South India which belonged to Jesuit Society (comes under Thiruchirappalli Diocese) has been illegally sold away for meagre price. The value of the said immovable property is in Rupees 250 Crores – equivalent to 2.5. Billion U.S. Dollars.
E. In 1997 the famous Madras Loyola College, Staff Quarters, belonged to Jesuit society, situated at Nungambakkam, Madras about 2 acres of property situated in the heart of the city of Madras had been illegally sold away by the Jesuit Society for no necessity nor purpose. The worth of the immovable property is Rupees 100 Crores - equivalent to 1 Billion U.S. Dollars.
7. Your Eminence may be aware of the fact that it is mandatory that the sale of immovable properties, are to be registered with the Government. For any sale transaction Black money, namely, unaccounted money is involved. In almost all the sale considerations the market value of the property is three fold more than the guideline value (the value fixed by the Government). This is done to evade registration fee, Capital gain and Income Tax and partly to launch black money. In similar way the properties belonging to the diocese are registered at the guideline value which is very much lower than the market sale price. Where has the differential money gone? It is almost certain that the differential amount should be accounted in the diocesan accounts. But the same has not been accounted by the Authorities who had sold away the said property. Then who had siphoned the differential amount? This explains the reasons for the Priests slipping into Worldliness. The Diocese cannot fall in line with the corrupt ways of the world.
8. A right to administer does not include a right to mal administer
9. In fact the sales of the church properties are made secretly without any publicity with the object of siphoning funds and securing unjust enrichment at the cost of Mission. Corrupt practices in handling funds and illegal sale of church properties have pumped ill gotten money into the pockets of quite a number of clerics and the concerned bishops who naturally slip into Worldliness. Thus the mission of Church suffers.
10. To cap it, all the sale consideration amount received by the Church authorities are :
a. Not accounted
b. Not disclosed
c. Not used for the Church purpose
Then where does the said money go?
11. The reasons adduced for the said sale of Church properties would be possible either for :
a. Church need funds
b. Inability to administer the church properties
12. The said questions can be answered readily :
a. Any little request for money for the necessity of the church are readily meted out by the lay Catholics at any time and every time.
b. If the Church Authorities are not able to administer the properties, they can entrust the job to the lay Catholics to manage and administer the same on behalf of the Church.
Hence there cannot any reason available for selling out the Church immovable properties indiscriminately for no necessity nor purpose.
13. The Present situation now arises :
i) The remaining unsold piece of property of Benz Garden has been leased out for 50 years in 2002 by the Madras-Mylapore Archdiocese by entering into a deed in favour of
(a) Holy Satellite Town Ltd.,
(b) M.G.M. Diamond Bench resorts.
The value quoted in the said two agreement altogether was Rupees .50 Crores.
The said two agreements were placed before the High Court of Judicature at Madras and for approval and the Hon’ble High Court of Madras has dismissed the said two agreements as illegal unjust and against the interests of the Charitable and Religious and church and the specific vow of Sir John De Monte. In deference to the High Court order when the above said property was offered for 50 years lease by the church and again called for public tender, the offer was made by the public was Rupees 550 Crores in 2007. In reality the property worth is about - 10 Billion U.S. Dollars. The above said facts would prove the illegal underhand, black dealings of the sale of the Church properties by the Madras-Mylapore Diocesan Authorities.
ii) 3246 square metres immovable property situated at Santhome, Madras (opp. to Madras- Mylapore Archbishop’s house) belongs to Tanjore Diocese. Church Authorities are preparing to sell /Lease out the same for no necessity nor purpose. The property is worth about Rupees 150 Crores- equivalent to 1.5 Billion U.S. Dollars
14. No necessity for the church Authorities for accumulating such huge amounts. Then why the church properties are sold away secretly? If the Church Authorities are really in need of money, the same may be disclosed to the Lay Catholics / to us who are readily awaiting to dedicate / donate / mete out the same immediately.
15. Therefore it is prayed that Your Eminence may :
i) Form an appropriate committee comprising of non Indian clergy who are sincere, honest, dedicated who command integrity and who uphold the mission of the Church. The said Committee may include lay Catholics to enquire into the irregularities in land dealings and to take appropriate measures to stop further alienation of the properties.
ii) The alarming situation requires the immediate intervention of Your Eminence to restrain the Archbishop/Bishops from alienating the Church properties under the names and styles of Sale, Lease, License, Promotion etc., etc.,
Thanking you,
Yours Most Obediently
IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
(G. Alex Benziger)
(Michael Amalraj Edward )
(Dr. S.Leonard Vasanth)
(J.John Bosco)
Copy to :
1. His Eminence Cardinal Attilio Nicora
President
Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See
Palazzo Apostolico
00120, Citta del Vaticano
Vatican City
Italy
Fax : 06.69.88.31.41
2. Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
Palazzo della Congregazioni
00193 Roma
Largo del Colonnato 3
Italy
Fax : 06.69.88.50.11
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
