| I am from Melpadom near Parumala. I am presently
at Madras working for State Bank of India. I am one of those who delighted
to see to see Fr. Paul Varghese and was rather a "silent disciple". Many like me expected a lot of good to come about in the church during the the period that can be rightfully called "the age of PMG". Unfortunately that was not to be. May be the Church was not magnanimous to him. May be his colleagues and contemporary bishops were not magnanimous. May be PMG himself became so frustrated that he had to announce his resignation from the Synod. If only we had given him the opportunity to lead this church. That day was never to be. And even today the Church is groping in the darkness..of all kind. I still recollect with lots of nostalgia the English Qurbana and talks of Fr. P.V. that we used to arrange in the old Student Center of MGOCSM at TVM, how we read with pride his speech on being elected by the Niranam Assn. quoting Ps. 37, how we used to go to other public meetings in TVM such as that of ISCUS where Fr. P.V. would be speaking with lot of pride such "look, this is our Achen, we belong to the same church". I could also listen to his reply to the felicitation on his first visit to TVM after ordination where a glimpse of his deep spirituality was felt by me. We had gone to the very tense Ordination at Niranam to enjoy the great occasion of the Church and to relive our pride in belonging to the church of PMG. The powerful speech of PMG at the ordination of Vattakunnel Bava cannot be forgotten by any who were there. I am still unable to know the exact nature of my relationship with PMG. Was it just that of a 'silent disciple' ..or was it my strong love for my Church and concern for its future. I shed a lot of tears at the Qurbana at Ernakulam church before PMG's mortal remains arrived from Delhi .Very few people only were there for the service. I still cannot forgive the priest who cracked a joke with a friend as we were waiting for the body to arrive from the airport. I shed a lot more tears. I proceeded to Kottayam to have the last glimse of PMG. But I did not kiss the holy robes. I don't know why. Was it that such handsome person was dark and dry like firewood in the mortal remains, or was it the pain at the loss? Coincidentally I was at Delhi OSC at PMG's first death anniversary. Even at 40+ why am I shedding a lot of tears? At Delhi OSC I found first 3 vicks of the lamp was burning. The fan put off one. Now only 2 were burning. Nobody seemed bothered. I was worried for I knew that as per our tradition vicks were lighted only in odd numbers. I knew that the soul of PMG would not be happy at this. I recollected how again at the tense ordination of Vattakunnel Bava PMG went about quietly pulling down the upper veil (whatever its name, the one on top of the Masnapsa) of fellow bishops while the Gospel was read as is our tradition. Soon one of the vicks went off making the number of vicks to one as per our tradition. Yes, I should think of organizing a unit of GSC at Madras. Could GSC get the unpublished speeches of PMG from the net and elsewhere at one place. I feel a lot happier after sharing my feelings. |