I agree in part and  disagree in part with the points raised in the posting of Mr Padanayakan regarding the women representation in the Church.

The women in our Church are our Mothers,Sisters,Daughters and our respective wives.If their presence in the Church bodies will contaminate the Church,the same applies to our homes as well.The present "political"powers that be in the general bodies of the church may be scared of the balance of power shifting in the event of women given the voting rights.

I do not understand how the clergy will be able to carry out  their secret unholy agenda with the support of women,against the wishes of the men in the same assembly.There is no dearth of men in our Church who are more loyal to their parish priest/Bishop than to the God!First let us change the attitude of such people before we can blame women in general.

 

Historically women had no place in the administration of the Church.In those days women were confined to their homes ,deprived of education,little knowledge of the world outside the four walls of their homes.Things have changed now.Women are omnipresent now.They can contribute to better administration of the church by their views.

In some of the Churches where women have participated in the parish assemblies,many members who were unruly in the earlier GBs have started behaving themselves and GBs are held more peacefully-which is certainly a positive happening.

I agree with Mr padanayakan to the extent that the powers that be in the Church hierarchy has accorded some privileges to females due to their influence on the family coffers.Especially in the outside Kerala Dioceses,and still more particularly in dioceses outside India,the chief wage earner of the family is the lady .Hence if they are not kept in good humour,the coffers of the church will suffer.

 

But my view is that our mothers,sisters,daughters,and respective wives should have their say in the administration of the Church.I would even go to the extent of suggesting that 33%reservationon should be given to women in the church decision making fora.There are many Panchayaths and Municipalities in Kerala which are better run by women than they were under malstewardshipip

 

Thomas Chandy