Sub: A lay man's view on the role of the Screening Committee

Today we have very able candidates to become bishops. Unfortunately a
few of the most talented ones are married and are busy 'serving' our
Church in U.S and educating and enlightening the faithful around the
world through their tabloids and Journals.

Their latest enlightenment regarding the Screening Committee (SC) for
the Bishops Candidates is that they have floated the Kalpana of His
Holiness by not selecting 14 candidates and the selected candidates
are not worthy. They propagate as if the SC's role was that of an
inwards clerk to just look into the age and qualification and to take
14 out of the applications and give it to the Managing committee.

The norms clearly state the role of the SC. In Section B-5(2) it
states that the SC after detailed discussion, study and assessment of
the candidates, will have to come out with a list of eligible
candidates from which it has to elect double the number of candidates
required for the church. The first thing is "eligible candidates after
detailed discussion, study and assessment of the candidates' and then
comes the required number. Let us emphasize on this aspect. If they
don't get the required number of eligible candidates are they suppose
to 'manage' the numbers by giving some 'moderation' marks on the basis
of the 'credentials' of the candidates who couldn't make it. What luck
we didn't get more than the required number of candidates.

Now the members of the SC. I feel they are learned, wise and sensible.
They are in that position because of their experience, knowledge,
dedication and commitment to the Church. Moreover God has selected
them for that role. Our Saint Gregorius of Parumala when he lived in
this world was not short of critics and we his faithful still keep the
low cast people separate from us and seek the blessings of St.Gregorious.

I appreciate the SC that they have not even made a remark saying that
'there were other candidates but only because of the norms they
couldn't find a place'. Infact they must have definitely conveyed it
to the Holy Synod in confidence. This shows their professionalism. If
they have to deviate from it then we can say that they discarded the
Kalpana of His Holiness. They went ahead and short listed candidates
on the basis of the norms fixed by the Holy Synod and the Managing
Committee. Individually if you take members of the SC they are not as
perfect as their critics are. But collectively, I can say they are
near to a perfect lot. In today's free world any one can say anything
with regard to the confidential report the SC got in finalizing the
candidates. May be we can make a fool of few people, but to make fool
of all the SC members is no simple task. If you have a tabloid that
would like to encourage schism for increasing their circulation may
write any nonsense. After all they are like the fox who say the
'grapes are sour '. How many of the so called tabloids highlight the
mission work of our church. But when it comes to creating schism they
compete.

It is indeed true there were a few talented candidates who missed the
bus due to the age restriction. This can always be put forth in the
forthcoming Managing Committee and necessary amends can be made in the
norms with the approval of the Holy Synod and implemented in future.
However the fans of a few candidates who feel that they have been
'born to become bishop' and couldn't find a place in the candidates
list are comparing themselves with Late H.G Paul Gregorious Thirumeni
& H.G. Osthathios Thirumeni when they were not made Bishops inspite of
the Association electing them during their time. Both these Bishops
when they were Priests had proven track record and known to most of
the people in the church without the help of any mass media and self
glorifying editorials. Today's few ousted candidates have the support
of a handful of managing committee members who has the policy of 'you
scratch my back and I scratch yours'. The moment you stop scratching
that is the end of the relation.

Now another issue our democratic clad in the Managing Committee has
put forth is that the present norms is against the democracy of the
Church. Is it true? Inspite of the Screening Committee selecting and
Managing Committee approving the candidates the Malankara Suriyani
Christiani Association has to vote for these candidates and they
should get more that 50% votes from both the priests and the clergy
individually. When such is the case what are they talking about we are
floating democracy. Remember the last Association could elect only 4
candidates out of the 7. Our Church didn't follow the Puthencruz model.

If we want to simply elect candidates on the basis of 30 MSCA members
signing a form and campaigning like in Politics and the candidates who
loose complaining and working against the candidates who won the
election for the rest of their life then it is a different story. But
if we need a systematic approach to the functioning of our Church then
we have to listen and follow the procedures.

We saw a few Managing Committee members approaching His Holiness with
a complaint against the SC when His Holiness himself has appreciated
the work of the SC through his Kalpana of 28 July 2008 to the MSCA
members. Since they did not expect a favorable answer from His
Holiness they have now approached the Court. Do we need their
candidates as Bishops to serve our Church? Behold! Is not the one who
have implanted the ears and eyes is listening and seeing! We have
recently seen the commitment of a 'democratically' elected Bishop and
his remark to his faithful with regard to the poor contribution of
Catholcate day donation from his Diocese.

We all believe in Prayer and Holy intervention. Each and every meeting
in our Church be it Holy Synod or Parish Managing Committee starts
with a prayer and ends with it. Most of it goes this way....... O God,
be amongst us and send us your Holy Spirit to prevail upon us so that
whatever we talk and decide be it to Glorify your name". If we believe
in this let us be hopeful that whatever is happening is with the
knowledge of God. Let us leave it to God. Because His knowledge
surpasses every ones.

Let us take the example of our Finance Minister & Railway Minister. We
all considered the Finance Minister as an intelligent person and the
very name of the Railway Minister made many of us laugh when the Union
Cabinet was formed. But if we make an appraisal of both of them today,
it has been proved that the Railway Minister has done a great job as
compared to all his predecessors and his contemporaries and is more
intelligent and shrewder than the Prime Minister forget about the
Finance Minister. Isn't it true! This shows we can expect best from
the worst and worst from the best. May be not always but we can expect.

Meanwhile, let us not have the slightest hope that H.H Zakka's
forthcoming visit is for Peace. Unfortunately we misinterpret His
Holiness 'piece' as "Peace". That is never going to take place, it is
high time we move out from the fools' paradise and live in mutual
understanding. It is not because I don't like it. It is only because
of making the divine word 'Peace' a mockery as it happened in the
past. The Church will only be saved when our Church gets dedicated
clergy to lead the faithful in the right way. It is said that
"Politics is the last refuge of a Scoundrel. Today are the scoundrels
having another choice.

As we know the Church is the bride of the Lord, let us have faith that
He will take care of it. Let us be humble and pray to the Lord to send
the Holy Spirit to lead us through.

Philip Ayyamplackal, Auckland