Why did we loose the strength?

My Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church was the one of the strongest
community in Kerala as well as in India. We were having the
importance, dignity and respect from all sorts of other organizations
as well as from the political leaders, irrespective of political
parties.

When our physical Head of the Church needs to speak to anyone, they
came to H.H's station with respect and did the meetings. We lost it
now and that has been proved in many incidents. When the church
declared a march to TVM in last year, our respected Bishops were
walking from gates to gate to meet one of the ministers in the Kerala
Govt. and our Priests were beaten by the reserve police of Kerala in
the street. Did it happen any time in the history of my Malankara
Orthodox Syrian Church?

The Kerala Govt. made our Bishops, Priests and the faithful believers
as hostages in Thrikunnathu seminary and brought the rebel fraction
leaders with police escort to enter the place where the court order
banned them to enter and this is happening in second time. Why it
happens? How did we loose our strength?

These are happening because of the 1) Incapability of our capable
leaders, 2) Autocracy, 3) World lines and 4) Part time faith.

1) Incapability of our capable leaders.

Our Church is the one and only one that never recognize the laymen
leaders. We never support any of our members when they are
struggling in any political parties but we claim when they reach a
position with their own capability. This made the laymen of our
Church is away from the Church matters when they are capable to do
many things. Because they know that they will not get any support
from the Church when they required, but only try to tap their
utility. There are many examples for this. 1) When a chance came to
our Mr. Joseph M. Puthussery as was the only MLA in his party to
represent in the ministry, our leaders did not take enough initiative
to request his party leader to do so. If we request on that time it
is 100% sure that the leader of his party may do that, because his
party leader respected our Church and our H.H. Bava Thirumeny very
much and still it is continuing. 2) When B.J.P. proposed Mr. P.C.
Alexander for the post of the President of India, the Congress party
opposed it and our Church did not take any initiative to press our
recommendation. 3) Late Mr. E. John Jacob was a prominent leader to
our Church and he saved us in many crisis. When we faced opposition
to elevate 4 clergies as Bishops, his brave actions made it possible
and many other incidents. But our Church never did anything in his
memorial and it is ungrateful. If our leaders are not changing the
present attitude no capable laymen political leaders will involve in
Church matters. We will be ashamed in public like what is happening
now.

We are informed that we have the court order to not to allow to any
rebel fraction leader to the premises of the Thrikunnathu seminary.
If so we should have to approach the respective Court to provide
protection prior to this incident by noticing the previous incident
happened in last year. I am not sure that whether our Church
approached to the court to get a stay order against the forceful
entry of the rebel leaders to our premises. If we have a court order
then we should go to court against the police department as they
violated the court order.

2. Autocracy.

The superiority mentality of many clergies and few bishops divided
them away from the laymen. Many Churches are facing problems because
of the muzzle fight between the laymen and the clergy. Clergies are
approaching the laymen as a Master. That mentality is good because
they are Masters. But our Lord Jesus Christ taught that the Master
should serve and Jesus Christ came to this earth to serve. But the
followers of those teachings are serving by words only with
humbleness in "Shubakono Sushroosha" and at the time of the "Feet
washing" on Mondey Thursday.

Mending the relationship between both can solve the laymen also
teasing and ignoring the clergies in many places and it and the
respective diocesan Bishops can do it easily with the association of
the Parish members. Laymen should not make stories about the Bishops,
clergies and leaders of the Church without knowing the reality.
Everyone needs a stage to express their feelings and a strong public
relation department should be formed and they should perform
effectively.

Formation and nomination of committee should be on the basis of merit
and capabilities and should not be on the basis of caucus and
favorers.

The present negative attitude of the clergies and laymen should be
changed and relationship among the laymen and the clergy should be re-
instated and it needs a lot of effort to do so. That can be done if
the Bishops of the respective diocese stay within the diocese and
look after the matters of the Parishes instead of running after money
matters. Majority of the people are suspicious about the properties
and bank accounts of the Bishops and that should be cleared to the
public, otherwise the faithful church members are always doubtful
about the leadership. It breaks the relationship but none will
manifest it.
E.g. Once I was the Secretary of Church in Dubai and I heard that a
few people always spoke bad about one of our Bishops as they are
saying that bishop misuse the donation that they contributed. I
forced to take the decision in the Committee (all the members except
me were against the proposal) to invite that Bishop for the Passion
Week and I requested to Thirumany to clarify the position after the
Easter about this matter and solve that gimmick news. After the
Easter service Thirumeny explained everything and the people
convinced that their donations were not mishandled and they met
Thirumeny and thanked for the information and they felt sorry for
their misunderstanding.

3) Worldliness and 4) Part time faith.
Many of our Members of the Church are having many heartfelt
experiences when they approach the Church leaders in different
occasions. Instead of showing the serving mentality in words we need
to implement it in our daily practical life. All most all the
members are looking the Bishops and clergies with an eye that they
are only in moneymaking business. The political type election of the
Bishops, talking styles of some of the clergies with egos etc. making
the laymen to feel bad. Our Bishops should be away from the
moneymaking business and all their income should be accounted and it
should be under the church property instead of private property. In
olden days when anyone visits the Bishop house to see the bishop it
was usual to hear that he cannot see the Bishop now as the bishop is
in prayer, but nowadays also we can experience the same wording that
you cannot see the bishop now as the Bishop is talking with the
lawyers, Blade company manager or political party leaders. This
situation should be changed and our Church should have a spiritual re-
birth and that will solve all the problems of the Church and that
will be a blessed movement.

The Church should plan to accommodate the retired Bishops /un-married
clergies as there is no adequate arrangement at present except those
came from the monasteries.

We should construct a very good complex for the Bishops as well as
the un-married Priests (Married priests also if they have none to
take car.) to live in their retired life.
Greediness, selfishness, autocratic mentality, non-recognition to
laymen, pride of the leaders, tug of war for power, worldliness and
lack of prayer from the heart are the main reasons that downed us.
When we change, the laymen will firmly stand behind the leadership
and the leaders can lead with confidence and with power of strong
followers. Then no political leader will try to play with our
Church. The mistake is ours and the solution is also in our hand,
but wee need to open our eyes to find it.

May God bless us with a power of re-thinking and re-instate our
community as in the past and May the intercessory prayer of all our
Saints help us. Pray for our Church.

With regards,
Charly V. Padanilam.