NEW WEBSITE: www.ephesians511.net MARCH 29, 2007
KIND ATTENTION: MOST REV.__________________________________ ARCHBISHOP / BISHOP OF________________________
Your Grace, Since the year 1982, 25 years ago, I have been engaged in Catholic ministry, parttime in Delhi where I was employed and in business till 1992, and thereafter fulltime in Chennai. As active members of the parish of St. Michael’s Church, Prasad Nagar, my wife Angela and I served in the choir, Sunday school, Legion of Mary, Catholic Association, and Parish Council. I also happen to be a foundermember of the parish charismatic prayer group [June 1982] and, later, the first Delhi Service Team of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Among the priests who guided us were the late Fr. Iraneus dos Santos and Fr. Victor D’Souza, parish priests and later VicarsGeneral of Delhi, and Fr. Susai Sebastian who was appointed by the late Archbishop Most Rev. Angelo Fernandes who knew me personally to be the first spiritual director of the Renewal in Delhi. Most Rev. Anil Couto, Bishop of Jalandhar, was our assistant parish priest and a dear friend. We were also involved in planting prayer groups in other parishes and in organising the first ever charismatic rallies, retreats and night vigils. My wife was in the praise and worship ministry. After coming to Chennai, we have not been officially associated with charismatic renewal activity, though we had, at the invitation of the Vicar General, Fr. Antony Devotta now the Bishop of Tiruchirapalli started a prayer group which met weekly at the parish premises of the St. Thomas Cathedral, Santhome, and shared the Word of God in the ‘Hands of Jesus’ prayer group that met Sundays on the premises of our parish of Our Lady of Guidance [and a couple of others]. Since 1997, I have been privileged to attend a number of intensive Catholic training programmes –all conducted by priests in apologetics, Bible study, counseling, and evangelisation. I have also had the opportunity to speak at a number of seminars and retreats. I have written my exams for the first year of M.A. degree in Christian Studies [Madras University] but discontinued after having paid the entire fees. I also completed the M.A. in Religion and Philosophy [correspondence] from Madurai Kamaraj University. Since 1999, I have been led deeper into a ministry that is inspired by Ephesians 5:11. Apologetics especially the Catholic positions on prolife issues is a major concern, especially in the situation where many are migrating to Pentecostal churches. This ministry has identified the excesses of liturgical experimentation, aberrations in ‘inculturation’, and the widespread adoption of New Age holistic health healing, psychospiritual techniques and eastern meditations by priests and nuns as major contributors to this phenomenon. Accordingly, relying on Vatican documents and encyclicals, Apostolic exhortations from the Holy See, and statements by Church leaders, this ministry has sought to expose errors such as those referred to above. The intensively researched and thoroughly documented information is distributed in hardcopy and is also available at the website which I invite you to please visit. I ask for your blessing & prayers, and will be greatly encouraged by your suggestions and advice. [Sent by email to the Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Rev. Father Executive Secretaries of the Commissions of the CBCI, etc.; sent by post to all the above [around 175, (1st lot of 65), commencing March 30 th].
[Sent by email and by post to the Apostolic Nuncio to India, 2 Cardinals, 27 Archbishops, Bishops, 12 Rev. Father Executive Secretaries of the 13 Commissions of the CBCI, etc., Bishop of Nepal, FABC Hong Kong; around 185 in all].