To, The Editor Navhind Times Panjim-Goa
Dear Editor, Arun Sinha Kindly publish this article in your edit column page. Regards Stephen Dias D.Paula Mob: 9422443110 Date 11.3.2014 Ref: Your news report in Navhind Times dated 9th March, 2014 entitled "Church attendance is proportional to priest's credibility": Study Those - 'who can do - and those who cannot preach' reflecting on the subject is very important for me as a scientist to live by example and a teacher which practices concept of education will always command respect, unfortunately a teacher or a priest which often ventures to demand respect without credible ground work would always loose credibility of the students or the community of parishioners as the case may be. The reason while Pope Francis touches cord with the faithful at large, because he practices what he preaches which is absent in religious figures today by and large. Holy father, Pope Francis also said that we have to have priest who are merciful, we have treat the pastoral work as "field hospital" as well as the Pope's project of the reform of the curia; when will the sterile, legalistic and scandal laden curia in Goa will see a reform? It appears to me, that sterile priests in our country in general and in Goa in particular, are a main cause of degradation of moral standard. Very often we find priests who hunt with the hound and run with the hare, thus confusing parishioners by and large. Needless to mention while preaching poverty, priest involve themselves in needless political activities and submerging themselves in commercial pursuits for personal gains is very common. For Fr. Peter Raposo' thesis who hails from Caranzalem, touches the cord of the scientific community by and large who are victims of the growth of "sterile priests" which are assuming malignant proportion in the world of today.In fact these kind of priests needs a training programme addressing instructional communication practices. We know that the flock is as good as the Shepard. Unfortunately in India, we have Bishops who do not live by example while occupying decorative positions, they neither do any good, for society nor allow some committed priests to tender to the deeds and aspirations of the society. Stephen Dias Retd Scientist of NIO H.No. C-22/113 Bay View D.Paula Mob: 9422443110
