Mr. Pierre Bernard, a Frenchman was exploring the neighborhood of Belém in Lisbon (Portugal). While searching for a locally famous pastry shop, he noticed the architecturally magnificent Jerónimos Monastery. Taking a break, Pierre decided to explore the monastery, thus entering the associated church. Once inside, he noticed a well-carved tomb with a stone-figure lying on his back with hands folded in a prayer-fashion. The nearby marker identified the tomb as that of famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. A historian by profession, Pierre knew that da Gama was the first westerner who had sailed around African continent to land in southwest India near the end of fifteenth century. This day, Pierre learned that the initial burial had taken place in Kochi in Kerala (India), only to be re-interned here in later years.
Recently Pierre was attending an international conference in Trivandrum, Kerala. One day, he took a bus to Kochi, found the historic St. Francis Church, entered, and located a barricaded spot, covered with wooden planks. The nearby marker noted the area as the original burial-site of explorer Vasco da Gama, thus off-limit to the visitors. He gathered that the church had still been active. Pierre had noticed several churches co-existed with temples throughout the state. He learned that in past, the strict caste-system of country’s main religion forced many members from lower castes to find sanctuary to a foreign religion brought along by the early western colonial powers.
He came out of the church. The main road was impassable; a protest-march was taking place. To his surprise, he noticed that all the participants were nuns from various local churches. He asked the young lady wearing a silver cross and standing next to him: “What’s going on?” The youth replied: “A well-known bishop was in town for a holy communion. But the night before, he violated several nuns. But nobody would believe the sisters. So, in solidarity, they took to the street along with other sisterhoods.” Pierre remembered the scandals breaking out throughout the western world about years of abuses on helpless young children by these “Men of God”. Only now the similar untold abuses on the nuns also started to come to light.
At that very moment, the Highest Authority, thousands miles away opened a gathering of the hierarchy by lowering his head in shame and proclaiming: “We hear the cry of little ones asking for justice.”
Recently Pierre was attending an international conference in Trivandrum, Kerala. One day, he took a bus to Kochi, found the historic St. Francis Church, entered, and located a barricaded spot, covered with wooden planks. The nearby marker noted the area as the original burial-site of explorer Vasco da Gama, thus off-limit to the visitors. He gathered that the church had still been active. Pierre had noticed several churches co-existed with temples throughout the state. He learned that in past, the strict caste-system of country’s main religion forced many members from lower castes to find sanctuary to a foreign religion brought along by the early western colonial powers.
He came out of the church. The main road was impassable; a protest-march was taking place. To his surprise, he noticed that all the participants were nuns from various local churches. He asked the young lady wearing a silver cross and standing next to him: “What’s going on?” The youth replied: “A well-known bishop was in town for a holy communion. But the night before, he violated several nuns. But nobody would believe the sisters. So, in solidarity, they took to the street along with other sisterhoods.” Pierre remembered the scandals breaking out throughout the western world about years of abuses on helpless young children by these “Men of God”. Only now the similar untold abuses on the nuns also started to come to light.
At that very moment, the Highest Authority, thousands miles away opened a gathering of the hierarchy by lowering his head in shame and proclaiming: “We hear the cry of little ones asking for justice.”
