The Madhya Kerala Diocese of the Church of South India (CSI) will open a ‘political desk’ for more effective response on socio-political issues.
According to Bishop Thomas Oommen, deputy moderator and head of the diocese, such a machinery is essential to respond more strongly and with better clarity on issues concerning social and political developments.
Speaking at a council meet of the diocese here on Tuesday, the bishop said contemporary party politics had been showing clear signs of decadence, which in turn had started affecting detrimentally the civic sense of the people. The Church has the responsibility to express its position on such issues with clarity. It needs specialised mechanism for the purpose and the political desk is expected to fulfil this lacuna that exists in the church administration, he said.
The details of the new mechanism will be discussed at the council meet on Wednesday.
The meeting extended its support to the ‘nilpu samaram’ (standing protest) of tribes, as part of the Church’s commitment to the movements of the Dalit-Adivasi sections of society in their struggle for their rights. It also reiterated its stance against the introduction of genetically modified vegetables and also for the implementation of the Madhav Gadgil report on Western Ghats conservation.
The bishop called upon the council members to intensify their struggle for temperance.
The council adopted a Rs.17-crore annual budget for the diocese for the financial year 2014-15. The budget focuses on education, projects for Dalits, social welfare schemes and those centred around poorer sections of society. As part of the bicentenary celebrations of the founding of the protestant church, the CSI is implementing programmes including scholarships for Dalit education, medical aid for the poor, palliative care programmes and construction of shelter for the homeless.
The council elected new office-bearers. Oommen George is the clergy secretary and Stephen J Daniel, lay secretary. Sabu K Cheiryan is the diocese treasurer and Simon T. John, the new registrar. The council meet will conclude on Wednesday.
