And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded to you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (RSV –Mt. 28/18-20).
Some bishops have forgotten their mission. They engage in politics. Call to oppose CAA is a political decision. It was wrong for Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta and Bishop Paul Antony Mullassery of Kollam to ask Catholics to read the Preamble after mass on Sunday 26 January 2020.
The Preamble has the words SOCIALST SECULAR which were not there when Constitution was adopted on 26/11/1949. They were inserted by 42nd Amendment which came into effect on 3/1/1977. Strange that bishops want India to be a secular country instead of a Christian country. CAA is not against Christians of India or abroad. It is not against Indian Muslims.
Some bishops want to please Muslims and for that they will do anything. Professor T. J. Joseph’s hand was cut off by some Muslim criminals on 4/7/2010. Bishop Mar George Punnakottil of Kothamangalam did not condemn the attack on Joseph. He was sacked from Newman College and was not reinstated despite his acquittal in a case of causing communal hatred. His wife Salomy committed suicide. After that Joseph was reinstated when one day was left to retire. This is a dark chapter in church history.
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are Islamic states. One has to be a Muslim to be a President or Prime Minister or hold many offices in these countries. In Afghanistan some years back a Christian became a Muslim. He was condemned to death. Due to opposition by some countries he was declared insane and allowed to go abroad. In Pakistan, Christians face persecution. Many are falsely accused of blasphemy and are in jail. When Asia Bibi’s life was in danger no bishop said she should be given asylum in India.
Christians and Muslims have long history of wars. Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Turkey and Albania were Christian territories which Muslims conquered. Christians fought Crusades with Muslims. Battle of Tours in 732, Battle of Lepanto in 1571 and Battle of Vienna in 1683 halted Muslims advances in Europe. Daesh and Boko Haram persecute Christians.
In West Bengal it is TMC Government headed by Mamata Banerjee. In Kerala it is Left Front Government headed by Pinarayi Vijayan. When political situation changes there can be trouble for Christians in West Bengal and Kerala.
