The Catholic Church as the backbone of the international LTTE resurgence.
Posted on January 11th, 2012
By Mario Perera, Kadawata
In a recent comment I made to a lead article appearing in Lankaweb, I expressed the above opinion. A commentator labelled it as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”NONSENSEƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and that such a thing could NEVER be. I have spoken about this issue more at length in my book: The kingdom, the glory and the power. This short write-up is a clarification.
The Catholic hierarchy is a monolithic structure. The declaration of Christ to Peter, the first pope already indicates it in unambiguous terms: Thou art Peter and on this rock I will build my church. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. What Peter binds on earth is bound in heaven and what Peter loosens on earth is loosened also in heaven. The Church structure is that of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”one shepherd and one flockƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. This monolithic entity came under the assault of Luther and others such as Calvin and Zwingli. The separated groups formed the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”protestant churchesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. At least they were honest and called themselves Protestants. In any case they were all excommunicated and expelled from the Catholic Church.
What we have however witnessed during the last fifty years is a withering and splintering of the Catholic monolithic structure. The Church has become lax for reasons beyond its control. The principal reason is that subordinates do not care and the Church is hesitant to punish them for fear of apostasy. The question however is inevitable: if the church believes itself to be from God, then why fear?
The challenge to the hierarchy is from within and from without: that from within is against the monopoly of divine functions by the priests, a field into which laymen have made great and successful inroads not entirely for the pleasure of the sacerdotal hierarchy. The one from outside is the influence of riches and pleasures.
Jesus said that one cannot serve God and mammon (earthly values). This saying applied much more to the priestly hierarchy than to the laity. Priests are now serving both God and mammon, and apparently enjoying the fruits of both. What we have witnessed in the ranks of the Catholic hierarchy in Sri Lanka is dissolution of the bonding that held them together. What was a monolith has now itself become a loose federation, without a centre exercising its legendary authority to hold the parts together. The priestly vows of poverty, chastity and obedience have crumbled by and large. The biggest to take the hit has been obedience. Poverty is a farce since private income became a reality through NGOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s and other public and private funding sources. As for chastity, the paedophilia scandal that rocked the world blew the lid off that vow.
As regards Sri Lanka, the Catholic bishops have become mere nominal heads, acting as figure-heads and constantly at logger-heads with each other. As for Rome which does sabre rattling at the least mention of anything that deviates from its sexual norms, which in its opinion affect the sanctity of life, the cause of terrorism espoused by the northern Tamil clergy, bishops and priests leading to the slaughter of countless numbers, was by-passed in stony silence. Homosexuality, birth control and similar affected the sanctity of life, even of the unborn, and received immediate condemnation, but terrorism with its horrendous consequences affecting life, glorified by the Tamil clergy, leading to the degradation and defilement of their sacrosanct religion, has not elicited the least reaction of the Cardinal-archbishop and the prelates elsewhere in the country, nor of the head of the Church in the Vatican.
What we are witnessing is the activities of splinter groups of Catholicism, much like Protestants, but without official or ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”de jureƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ separation from the Vatican and tolerated by the latter. Such Tamil clergy, de facto separated from the Church but officially bound with it, migrated in large numbers, especially to Canada and the USA propping up and bolstering terrorism in Sri Lanka. Seminaries, especially the ones in Kandy and now in Jaffna were seed-beds where these Protestant-Catholic Tamil priests were trained and unleashed. The proof is that the now head of the Global Tamil forum with quasi diplomatic status world-wide, and unlimited financial resources at his disposal, S.J.Emmanuel was the doyen of the Faculty of Theology of the National Seminary, Kandy. Later the Tamil hierarchy instituted their own Major Seminary in Columbuthurai, Jaffna surely in anticipation of Ealam and the dream of an arch-diocese for Jaffna, and who knows a Tamil cardinal. Well known religious congregations also did so obtaining international posts in their CongregationsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Head-quarters in Rome, as roving ambassadors. The idea of the Separatist war they disseminated world-wide is anyoneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s guess.
The same notorious S.J.Emmanuel was appointed, with the consent of the bishops and the Vatican, to be the first rector that the Jaffna Major Seminary. This rector wrote a book titled: let my people go, and elaborated a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”liberation theology only for TamilsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. He called Prabhakaran Jesus Christ, the LTTE soldiers of Christ, the suicide bombers, martyrs of the CatholicƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Church to whom the Church provided a Catholic burial, and self proclaimed himself, the Moses who would lead the Tamil nation from the bondage of the Sinhalese-Buddhists to the land chosen for them by God: Ealam.
Such were the aberrations taught in that Jaffna Catholic Seminary to budding priests under the very noses of the bishops. These teachings are infernal heresies, but the Sri Lankan body of bishops and the Vatican acted like the three legendary monkeys: no hear, no see, no speak. Emmanuel was also the vicar-General of Jaffna: the right hand of the bishop. Not to see a global Catholic Church scheme in these events is to act blind. As the Latin saying goes: qui tacet consentire-silence is consent.
Considering the yet universally, though falsely held, belief in the monolithic nature of the Church, and the silence of the top-notch Catholic leaders both in Sri Lanka and in Rome, the aberrations spread by the Tamil priests about the separatist cause in Sri Lanka must be seen as having received the baptism of the universal hierarchy. The latter has done nothing, absolutely nothing to erase or even counter that belief. It has even sustained it by reproducing in its official newspaper the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Osservatore RomanoƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ the attacks of the Western Press against the Sri Lanka government and majority community. The Vatican plays the same politics with regard to the Sri Lanka separatist issue as does the so-called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”international communityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ comprising a few western nations and their dependants.
Dixit in his book stated that the entire Tamil clergy of the country supported the LTTE. Many of them are now abroad dispersed with the Diaspora and giving it spiritual backing which must necessarily be seen as the backing of the Catholic Church (and not of a Protestant sect) whoƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s policy in this matter appear to be: hunt with the hound and run with the hare. Indeed with the Cardinal caressing the head of Rajapaskse and the Tamil bishops caressing that of the TNA and the Diaspora, this is the stark truth of the matter. The Universal Catholic Church has willingly or unwillingly placed the stamp of its moral authority on the aberrations of the Protestant-Catholic Tamil Church. Dabbling with devilry is indeed no more alien to the True Church of the True God.
Mario Perera, Kadawata
January 11th, 2012 at 3:25 pm
1. “the entire Tamil clergy of the country supported the LTTE” And still support Tamil racism.
Agree.
2. Sinhala Catholic and Christian clergy PLUS VERY INFLUENTIAL EVANGELICAL FANATIC politicians including Sajith, Iran, Rosy, Ravi, etc. and of course the newphew of two bishops Ranil ALSO support Tamil racism.
#2 s are MORE dangerous than #1 s because they are an enemy within.
But a backlash against the ENTIRE church is totally unacceptable. That is like 1983. The good, bad and the ugly within the church must be handled seperately.
January 11th, 2012 at 7:26 pm
If a religion mix with politics cannot be a true religion. These days, there are Muslim Parties mixed with politics. In reality, they cannot be the real representatives of Muslims and Islam. They have selfish motto to fill their bellies. Similarly Catholic clergies also time to time expressing opinions on political issues and they stand on pro-government as well as throw views against.
January 11th, 2012 at 10:23 pm
Good article with facts.
Jaffna Bishop warned that Tamil youths will take guns again if the political solution delayed after meeting Canadian and British delegations.
Who is this guy anyway? Is he the representative of Tamils or elected person of Tamils?
Now Vatican invested in the GUN industry. The CARLYLE GROUP is the biggest manufacturer of war materials. Other partners are Bush family and many Canadian politicians.
If Vatican decides something, Sinhala Catholics cannot oppose it. So, I hope another round of LTTE terror is looming! Vatican is looking for places of trouble to sell the guns!
January 12th, 2012 at 12:03 am
A factual article and a must read one.
Curious thing Vis a Vis the different Christian sects in Sri Lankans is that; the Sinhalese Chauvinists does not realise and do not differentiate Christian sects. Ask them what the difference between Catholic, protestant, Lutheran, born again, Jehovah witnesses, Eastern Orthodox or what have you, it’s over their head. Christians do not wish to enlighten them either. Hence locals in Lanka place all the Christians in a single box.
Why is this difference not explained? Because it suits the Christians, and above all the Catholic Church?
Of all the sects’ Catholic sect is the most insidious. It is the vehicle of Jaffna Tamil Racism and feeds its inferiority complex. 30% of the Jaffna Tamils are mostly Catholic and exploits this heresy for its own benefit. Also it’s centrally organized and one of the most destabilizing forces in the world.
Curious thing about the Jaffna Tamil Catholics is they are Cast oriented and advertise their caste and creed when seeking a partner. That is to say in their Catholic heaven the Jaffna Tamils are segregated according to caste.
I personally see Hindus as the real Tamils and Catholic as not Bonne fide Tamils.
In that sense Muslims do not call themselves Tamils through 99.9% of their blood is of Tamil origin and speak Tamil. They call themselves Muslims instead, which is sensible.
Jaffna Tamil Catholics should do the same instead of destroying the poor Hindu Tamil’s good name, who go by a policy of live and let live.
Indeed it is time these hand maidens of the European colonials should stop exploiting and destroying the good name of Tamils, instead they should call themselves ‘Catholics’; or the white man’s running boys!
One will notice that all of their main leaders were Christians since independence including Prabakren.
Mahinda Weerasinghe
January 12th, 2012 at 1:09 am
RMW,
“In that sense Muslims do not call themselves Tamils through 99.9% of their blood is of Tamil origin and speak Tamil. They call themselves Muslims instead, which is sensible.”
Is it sensible ? Think again. Muslims have united under one religion. But Moors should be moors and Malays should be Malays. It is the others who call all of them “Muslims”.
January 12th, 2012 at 1:23 am
Catholic is a religion for all people in the world. There is no Regional,Colour,Race,or Language differences.
If anyone insist particularly a catholic priest his Colour,race or language he must be considered as
politician later may be a Terrorist.
January 12th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Yes Mario, its a well known and anadmitted fact that most Carholics supports division of Sri Lanka.No 1 is Ranil W.
Sajith Premadasa and the rest of the clowns too are the same.
Mario!
“This rector wrote a book titled: let my people go, and elaborated a ‘liberation theology only for Tamils’. He called Prabhakaran Jesus Christ, the LTTE soldiers of Christ, the suicide bombers, martyrs of the Catholic Church to whom the Church provided a Catholic burial, and self proclaimed himself, the Moses who would lead the Tamil nation from the bondage of the Sinhalese-Buddhists to the land chosen for them by God: Ealam.”
THIS PROVES BEYOND DOUBT THAT FELLOW NAMED “Emmanuel ” IS A TERRORIST!!! ALONG WITH THE CATHOLIC CHUCH.
I can still remember how the DIRTY CATHOLICS STAGED A “COUP-DETA” IN 1962 DURING Hon PM MADAME SIRIMAO BANDARANAYAKE’S TIME, TO TOPPLE OVER SLFP GOVT.I WAS A STUDENT AT Institute Of Practical Technology, KATUBEDDA(PRESENTLY UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA) AT THAT TIME AND SUDDENLY SOME ARMY TROOP OCCUPIED THE HALF COMPLETED DOMETRY.BUT THE FOLLOWING MORNING WE CAME TO KNOW THAT CAPTAIN, WHO WAS THE LEAD OF ARMY UNIT WHO OCCUPIED THE DOMETYRY “HAD SHOT HIMSELF AND COMMITTED SUICIDE “. AND LATER WE CAME TO KNOW THE COUPE WAS LEAKED AND MANY CATHOLIC ARMY AND POLICE BIGWITS WERE ARRESTED!!!
This proves that, ” SRI LANKA CAN NEVER, BE DESTROYED BY THESE CATHOLIC HOOLIGANS”
One example,” WHY THERE IS SO MUCH DECENSION WITHIN UNP?????”
January 12th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Hello Mario Perera!………….FINALLY a person who has researched & writen this article which is LONG OVERDUE. I agree with you 110%, when in the 60’s & 70’s when I was in Sri Lanka, as a student & then as an Engineer found people around me WHISPERING about : “CATHOLIC ACTION”.
It gives us shivers even THEN a section of our community Sinhalese who are Catholics, protestants, Jehwas, or any other related groupings supported by various Western Govts. Becauise it has been their ploy since 1815 & beyond. Portugese invaded the maritimes & by FORCE converted Sinhalese Buddhists to Catholocs & alien religions.
Beacuse of this very reason we Sinhalese & the writer MUST be very careful NOT to antoganize Sinhalese Catholics & followers of affliated religions, which would be disasterous to everybody. By connecting with these people, some of are OUR own brothers & sisters, positively & explaining to them the EVIL nature of these WELL FUNDED groups,( disguised as religious do GOODERS) will be good way to handle this.
The very TAMILS who say they beleive in JESEUS & Christinaity, ARE very much involved in RACISM, destabalizing the successive Sri lankan Govts and PREACH the benefits of being a TERRORIST.
These are issues which need to be taken as a GROUP of Sri Lankans of ALL FAITHS, so that a peaceful accomodation of UNINFORMED, DECEIVED be FREED from terrorist sermons.
Father Emannual is EVEN banned in visiting Tamil Nadu, which was the BIRTH place of Tamil Terrosim. So we don;t have to go futher re: all foreign affliated religious leaders( in whie clothe)..create probelms under guise of the ATTIRE they wear.
Write-ups like yours WILL difinitely HELP others to see what is going on in the name of RELIGION. Thanks very much for the opportunity for me to respond…………….Gamunu Alahakkone. Retd Engineer-Canada
January 13th, 2012 at 5:10 am
Very divisive and unsubstantiated article.
Is the vatican going to come accross the Palk Strait or strait from the vatican in a rocket?
Most contributors and commentators are hell bent on dividing the Sinhala people.
Let us unite first and everything else will fall in place.
January 13th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Solution to Srilankan problem is to make Meditation mandatory for all Srilankans from age 5- 100
Thoughts are important than words
People should learn to replace bad evil thoughts with good thoughts
I can tolerate any one but not racists
when a person think he or she is superior to another human being he or she becomes a racist
when a person thinks other person is inferior to him or her he or she becomes a racist
When a person thinks good, he does good things , he becomes a good human being ( child of God)
when a person thinks evil or bad he or she becomes an evil person ( child of Satan)
The choice for All Srilankans is either to become a child of God or child of Satan
I have a dream oneday All srilankans will live together without fear or intimidation as a family
look after each other , help each other be kind to each other, respect each others cultcure and each others religion