I am a born catholic. We are known as St. Xavier Christians. Thanks to him that the southern part of India has good number of Christians. And so I have inopportunity of being brought up in a strong catholic atmosphere. I have a greater opportunity of becoming a Jesuit in the province of Gujarat to work in the church which is just 105 years old. I have yet another grace to live in Europe. I am living in Spain.

And so if I speak of the Church I know what I am speaking of. I have witnessed the church in her full colour, her childhood and her aging moments (in Europe).

It is hard to see the beautiful churches, cathedrals and other pastoral buildings turning out to be museums and a place to rest and play by the youth of today. They are hungry for something else. It is a pity that they have either not been cultivated in the Christian climate or they have found other sources of growing and do not want anymore bread of the soul. They are not to blame, neither the past, nor their parents. Not even the church and the religious to blame.

Let us understand the change in this way. It is a climate or a modern weather where religiosity is forgotten. I am inspired and at times forced by the things I witness to write this article.
 

They think:

I had a great opportunity of learning Spanish in an academy in San Sebastian with students from France, England, Germany, Sweden, Bosnia, America, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, China, India, Africa, Australia...
Only I was a religious person to do this course. And I could see the intension of the young boys and girls. I went on asking them in the class about the situations of the church in their countries. I was surprised to learn from them that they are named after saints and even our Lady and on top of it on our Lord and never go to church.

"I have a God but I do not know how to name him."
I was shocked to know it form a friend of mine from Sweden. She went on to affect me by saying that she could attain peace even by not attending the mass.

"Well the Church in the past has done dirty things."
I was shocked to hear it from a Spaniard. And that is why he does not have respect for the religious persons and reverence for God.

"The Church is like an old lady" Surprised me a comment from another police friend of mine with whom I
used to take a walk. He meant to say that the church is not flexible to accept the modernity of the thoughts of the people. It is very strict in following the norms and dogmas. She does not pay heed to the problems of the youngsters.
 

I think:

That most of us priests and religious are only DO to build up the Church and to keep going the functioning of the Church. We do not BE what we are expected to be. Being is more than doing. Most of us are pastoral workers. We do not live up to the expectations of the faithful. We are only workers and are not saintly workers.
 

The Church today:

1. in the east the church is what it should be. In spite of all the atrocities it is growing with the blessings of the Lord. Especially the church in Gujarat and the northern states are watered by the adversities and crisis. One often feels if we have persecution in the West the church will grow much more than we could conjecture.
2. In the West: the church is very enthusiastic but only as far as the octogenarians are alive. The grand
and elegant monuments, cathedrals, and beautiful churches in the villages are half full with senior citizens. The youngsters are very enthusiastic as far as the feasts and celebrations are concerned. They want something lively, creative, unmonotonous, new and change. They are good instruments to preserve culture. There is no doubt in it. But can we think of something that would solicit them and well come them with open arms to the church? It is difficult. But not impossible.
 

It is Possible:

1. We have enormous amount of writers and literary workers in the religious order. Good but we need more workers than merely intellectuals. Can we get up from our chairs leaving away our pens, books, files, dictionaries, and walk like the saint-preachers of the past intended to do? Many religious persons waste their time and energy in trying to do research and studies in a particular thing. Some of them are addicted to write books and books and nothing else.

2. This could be used in a much Creative way. For instant I remember in a mission station in Gujarat where there is a strong opposition of RSS or Hindus. A missionary went in jeep with some of his boarders vested them like angels and Mary and Joseph (during Xmas) went to each street of the city and put up a street play of Jesus´birth and distributed sweets for those who watched the play. In the same manner the boys conveyed the message in a nutshell the message of Christianity in half an hour. They continued doing it in many other cities.

3. Media is the best instrument today that will touch the youth of today. We have a group of religious members in all over the world doing a wonderful job in preaching through media. It could be encouraged. The West believes in creativity and curiosity. It does not have time and energy for old and monotonous and humdrum timetables. And the East would love creativity and newness. It is then proper for us to plunge in to creativity through media. In the eastern provinces of Jesuits for instance this is more focussed.

4. The cloistral convents have done a wonderful contribution to the church. The Cloistral order has made the church grow spiritually playing the role of Maria and not Martha. But I believe now it is the time for them to come out and play the role of Martha in the streets and the churches. This is not only because they have no more vocation but also because they could do a timely help to the church. Thy could not only be contemplatives but also could be contemplatives in action.

5. Working with the laity: is something that will admit the role of the laity. They love it when they are identified with the church. Many schools that are owned by us, religious have principals and Head masters only priests and nuns. To make it worse some of them are just young. This hurts the teachers who are working for years long. It is natural that we are labelled to have ´lust for power´. On the other hand there are colleges and schools that are managed and owned by religious orders but maintained by the lay men. This is most welcome. For instance in Spain we have Jesuit colleges where the directors are lay men even if the professors are Jesuits. So let us hand over the schools and many chairs and take up our Bible and Rosary and walk with people.

6. In the same manner it is good to see even lay men preaching in the pulpit, distributing the holy
communion.

7. We have family doctors. In the same way we must have family priests. This would sound a bit abnormal. But the meaning of it is practical and modern. If people do not have time to come to church for mass for whatever the reason be don't we have time to go to visit them at home. Many parish priests do not have time for what they are supposed to do but have time for many other things.

8. Arranging masses for children and catechism is more crucial than what we think now. It must be encouraged even if Mass is celebrated on the beech or in any picnic spots. No matter what the older priests criticise.

Let us remember that we must at least try to save the unlost sheeps than to worry for the lost ones by
planning, thinking, working and praying with lay men creatively and practically. God was speaking aloud in the past. He might speak louder in the future, But In SILENCE.

I apologize for the logical error in my writings. But I am sure that I speak not through my intellect but by my faith, experience and inspirations. And these are the ones that prompted me write this article.

Long live Jesus Christ and Long live her Spouse the Church.