An amendment

An appeal to all Laity Associations in the Dioceses

An amendment  for closure of all Laity Associations is proposed

Existing Clause: CSI Constitution Chapter VIII – 5c

The Council shall encourage the formation and functioning within the diocese, of ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LAITY ASSOCIATION, Youth Movement, Women’s Fellowship, Socio-economic institutions, Centres for study and dialogue and Movements for Justice, Peace and ecological concerns.

Proposed amendment

The Council shall encourage the formation and functioning within the diocese, of fellowships like Men’s Fellowship, Youth Fellowship, Women’s Fellowship, Senior Citizen’s Fellowship, Christian Education, and Socio-economic institutions, Centers for study and dialogue and Movements for Justice, Peace and ecological concerns.

It is a direct and daring attack on the Laity by the Moderator & Bishops. who attempt to snatch away the rights and privileges of the laity which are already provided in the CSI Constitution. The General Secretary and the Treasurer of Synod  too joined the group in silencing 'Laity Voice'.

When the Church compulsorily collects subscription from the members for membership, the members have every right to have their own Associations/Unions within the Organization to protect their membership right and their properties vested in CSITA for their benefit. Indian Constitution too provides for formation of such Associations/Unions.

While the provision that “the Council shall encourage the formation and functioning within the diocese, of ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LAITY ASSOCIATION” is still in force, instead of encouraging the functioning, the Krishna Godavari Diocesan Council in which the Moderator is the Bishop, has passed a Resolution to withhold the membership of a person for operating Laity Association in the diocese for the welfare of the worshipping members of the diocese. The affected brave person is said to be sacked since he has raised questions against the Moderator. How a Moderator can morally continue to be a Bishop while nearly six FIRs have been registered against him in the Police Stations including on charges of misbehaving with a Pastor’s wife and how a Bishop can run an Educational Society in the name of Krishna Godavari Diocesan Educational Society using the name of CSI Diocese without approval of the Synod and whether the income derived from the society and foreign donations  received are credited in the Diocesan accounts and  incorporated in the consolidated statement of CSITA. Whether such income is declared before the IT authorities and Registrar of Companies?. Money collected for construction of shopping complex has not been credited to the church account and why unauthorized persons are allowed to indulge in such criminal activities with the knowledge of the Bishop.

Any proposal seeking amendment in the existing provision of the constitution shall be supported by proper and agreeable reasons for the amendment. No reason is put forth that the Laity Associations are Anti-Church or disturbing the peace of the church. Of course, these Associations expose the perpetrators’ corruption and kickbacks received from illegal sale/lease of church lands by land Mafia.  These Associations fight against the immoral activities of Bishops. It is the reason that the Bishops want to pluck the rights and privileges provided in the constitution for laity.

Therefore, all the Office bearers of Laity Associations in the Dioceses are kindly requested to participate in the proposed meeting of People’s Synod on Saturday the 28^th March, 2015 at Chennai to discuss and pass a unanimous Resolution against the proposed amendment which shall be sent to all the members of Synod with a request to vote against the “Anti Laity Move by the Synod”.

I request all of our members, Coordinators and  laity association members  in the dioceses to forward this mail to the local Laity Associations/office bearers WITH THEIR COMMENTS on the subject.

Dr. John S. Dorai

General Secretary

CSITA Beneficiaries Association®