Translate

Monday, August 22, 2011

Congratulations to Elamkulam CSI Christ Church members.


As many of you know for the last seventeen months the Choir, Sunday school, Youth Fellowship and Women’s Fellowship members of the C.S.I.Church were not allowed to participate in any of the activities of the North Kerala Diocese. In spite of the intervention of the Moderator the pastorate committee and diocesan council members were not approved by Bishop Kuruvilla. The district council and diocesan council met recently without representation from the C.S.I.Church, Elamkulam. Bishop Kuruvilla has restrained the retired Bishops and pastors from extending their ministry to Elamkulam church.
The congregation at Elamkulam was silently suffering the torture of the Bishop for no fault of theirs. On one Sunday morning Bishop Kuruvilla broke open the doors of the chapel at the CEZM L.P.School, Tripunithra an outstation of CSI Christ church in the presence of large crowd of locals, who were non-Christians, and the local police. He was accompanied by notorious rowdies of both the sexes, in the diocese. He went back home immensely happy in dividing the congregation and later appointed a gentleman as the vicar of the church. He has never seen any theological college in his life. He belongs to another Christian denomination and hardly wears his cassock outside Kochi Corporation area and never in his native place. The success of attack forced Bishop Kuruvilla to repeat the same show in Elamkulam church on another Sunday accompanied by the spineless Trichur district president etc. The God fearing and innocent congregation at Elamkulam continued their silence and Bishop returned as if he won the battle for ever. But his expectations were short lived and he was forced to come on a third time.
There is limit for patience and finally the sleeping congregation reacted in a very exemplary manner boycotting both the services on the fateful third Sunday. Nowhere in the world, has a Bishop met such a shameful treatment from his followers. Since then Bishop Kuruvilla is trying to close down the church, but so far has not succeeded in his attempts. The fight continues and Bishop revenging mentality is also on increase. Since Bishop does not recognize them, they also react in the same measure in a silent, but dignified manner.
Most painful is the fact that the young ones, who completed the confirmation classes a few months back, could not be confirmed due to the adamant attitude of the Bishop. Out of 38 students who completed the course, five have already left the parish on getting admission to the professional course. The parents of the remaining children also equally agitated over the attitude of the Bishop and they finally decided not to arrange blessing their children by Bishop Kuruvilla as his hands are stained not only in financial matters, but also............The approach of the Bishop towards the newly appointed working committee and other bodies in the diocese has also strengthened their doubt about the eligibility of Bishop to bless their children. With the silent approval of the Synod, the confirmation service was conducted on Sunday the 21st August, 2011 by Ex. Moderator and Bishop K.J.Samuel, Rev.P.J.Jacob, Chairman of the Church and Rev.Thomas John, the officiating pastor took the initiative in conducting the confirmation classes /arrangements on the request of the parents and children. Rev.M.C.Varkey of the East Kerala Diocese was also present in the service apart from the above Achens. The pastorate Committee also supported the wholeheartedly in the issue. It is learnt that the pastorate committee appraised the position to the former Moderator and on verifying the facts; Bishop Samuel came to the conclusion that there is denial of justice to the innocent children of Elamkulam. He was very much pained on hearing over the present state of affairs in the diocese. We, in the Laity association salute the ex- Moderator for his bold decision and solid support to the congregation in the fight against the diocese and corrupt Bishop. God has appointed Kuruvilla as Bishop, but his ego has kept him from obeying the Lord, but Lord carried out the assignment through another Bishop. Praise the Lord.
The entire service extending to three hours was conducted in a touching manner and the message and prayers of Bishop Samuel were also spirit filled. Even the critics and staunch supporters of the Bishop also agreed that such a spirit filled confirmation service was never conducted in the 20 years history of the church. Apart from the church members, the relatives of children, friends and members from other sister churches and CSI churches in the city were also present on the occasion.                                                                              The voice of the congregation has to be heard with all the seriousness it deserves to avoid further damage. The silent congregation of the Christ church Elamkulam deserves our congratulations .This is a warning signal to the diocesan leaders, that if the present attitude continued, matters will go from bad to worse finally leading to the disintegration of the North Kerala Diocese .Pray, let it not happen.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

THE SILENCE OF ELAMKULAM MEMBERS WERE MISUNDERSTOOD AS THEIR WEAKNESS AND INTERNAL DISUNITY BY THE DIOCESAN AUTHORITIES, BUT IT WAS REALLY THEIR INTERNAL STRENGTH, DERIVED OUT OF CHRISTIAN LOVE ANF FORGIVENESS.OUR PRAYERS AND GOOD WISHES WILL BE ALWAYS WITH YOU DEAR ONES IN ELAMKULAM.

jacobreginald said...

I Congratulate the Elamkulam church believers for their unity in having the confirmation service with some one else other than the corrupt Bishop Kuruvilla. Bp. K.P.K. cannot be corrected at all. He is living in a fools paradise. He should have given a healing touch to such congregations and corrected himself at least after the diocese elections. If he continues to be adamant in his attitude and spoils the churches like this, the synod should not be silent spectator. This man should be sacked and synod should appoint a commissary to look after the affairs of the diocese. We should be ashamed to call him as a Bishop.

Anonymous said...

Salute to both Elamkulam congrigation and Ex. Moderator.
COnfirmation service is most important service in our lives.So,
that should not be conducted by the hands of a devil. Parents are appriciated in their firm decision. WE can not change Bishop Kuruvilla but can aviod kurivilla bishop and his ministry easily like this.
with best wishes
Aby Kuruvilla
Ernakulam

Jose K.P said...

Only the time will prove Whether the Stand taken by the Congregation to support the single Priesthood is a blunder or something worthily

calicut.

Anonymous said...

Sir,I saw one statement of an advocate in another blog.It was stated that Rev.Jacob and Rev.Prays taiparambil were instructed by the courts that they are not allowed to conduct services,enter into church land,conduct cottage prayers and so many conditions.The Thirumeni filed suits and received the injunction orders.But when I visited elamkulam church I was shocked to note that all the church members are supporting and praising these presbyters.These two presbyters are conducting services and discharging all other duties without any problem.
Why this disparity.Can you show light. Mathew John,ERNAKULAM.

csipass puthiyara said...

Dear Mr.Mathew John,Ernakulam.
We had a long talk with the concerned persons.There are '4500' baptized members in two of these churches.Near about two years what is happening there is nothing but a 'WAR' between the Bishop and the believers.
The above said vicars were transfered from the respective churches by the bishop violating the norms of transfer of pastors adopted by the executive committee of our diocese.Both of them had served the churches just for 'one' year.As per the norms adopted by the executive committee the period of a vicar in a church is minimum 'THREE' years and the maximum is 'FIVE' years.This was decided by the executive committee for the smooth administration of the churches.
But here also the satanic force interfered in the form of 'VENGEANCE'.Both the vicars were against the unconstituitional actions as well as the fraudulant deals done by the leadership.
Both of them were transfered to distant places.
The representations and needs of the common members of the church gone to oblivion.Finally the church members approached the courts and obtained stay orders against the illegal order of the bishop.
Both of them are still serving the respective churches for about two years with the whole hearted support of the whole congregations.
Now it is said that there are court injunctions against these vicars preventing them to enter into the churches,cemetry,houses,shops etc.etc.It is there for so many months.It is ex-parte injunction without hearing them.One day the bishop simply filed the petition and obtained the same.Is it a christian way? Imposing an illegal order against the wish of the congregation and when it is failed pulling the vicars into litigations. But they never tried to vacate the injunctions.
Still they are taking services,giving Holy communion,burying bodies and rendering all other services to the churchmen.
This type of a situation is happened for the first time in the history of world churches.
The vicars say that they are prepared to go the jail for rendering spiritual services to the people like sundat services,giving Holy Communion,burying bodies,giving baptizm etc.etc.They also added that they are prepared to die if the court passes an order
to 'Hang'them.
What a situation.The igo of the bishop spoiled the peace and goodwill of the churches.
We salute these two brave vicars and the whole congreagation members who stood with them in the fight against the 'ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUITIONAL ORDERS OF AN ERRED BISHOP.NO NEED TO OBEY AN ILLEGAL ORDER.

Jose K. P said...

"This type of rebellion is happened for the first time in the history of world churches"
The above perhaps the best suited quote.The practice of transferring Presbyters after 3 years period is not strictly followed in North kerala in any period of time.
This is the reality.I also learned that the controversial Priests Stayed the Bishop's Order arguing that the Bishop Violated Labor Laws.(Later the stay Lifted)
To these Priests Priesthood is an employment.
Please publish this Comment to allow the ordinary believers to judge what is "ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUITIONAL"

Calicut

csipass puthiyara said...

They never approached labour court and no case was given asking for any labour relief.
They are not controversial priests but priests with commitment towards the believers and not with an erred bishop.
It is a lesson to all the bishops those who give disregard to the Laws of the Church.

Anonymous said...

Dear Puthiyara PASS
"They never approached labour court and no case was given asking for any labour relief" The above argument is
childish.Every one know the priests can not go to Court against Bishop directly.On behalf of these Miscreants somebody else went to court and stayed the Bishop's Transfer Order.

csipass puthiyara said...

Dear Mr.Jose, nO Nobody has told that the vicars never approached the courts.The vicars have approached the court only to defend themselves.When somebody files cases against you, you have to respond. They can not take a step like the bishop who did not respond to a case filed against his own 'official' order.The vicars never gone to any labor courts which they can not.Read a statement with some sense.We operate this blog to convince the people and not to confuse them like some other 'anonymous' and 'FAKE' blogs are doing.we are responsible to the public also.we are not going to stop this blog immediately after the tenure of the present Bishop which please note.Further,you can send any number of comments but only comments with some common sense and human language will be published.WE ASSURE YOU.WE REMAIN. President,csipass,puthiyara.