Interview with Fr. Jose Mulangattil M.C.B.S.

  You are repeatedly speaking of the Old Testament prophets, who are prophets for you, what is their role in society?
As I do grasp Prophets – from Moses to Saint John The Baptist – are ‘conscience of the public life’. They are specially chosen, appointed, instructed and delegated by God to be His P R O in every respect. As and when they receive The Call, some among them try to slip off by earnestly and sincerely presenting their peculiarities or in capabilities before The One Who called them (Moses, Jeremiah) and others, without little hesitation, answered The Call (Elisha 1, Kings 19, 19-21) Isaiah (6,8).
As a matter of fact, The Divine Call is absolute. Then after his role is just to convey The Message of God to the people of God. The Prophet is not at expected to add something additional to or to edit The Divine Communication.
In this juncture, The Theology of The East seems to be more appropriate. Namely, The Apophatic or The Negative Theology. It never spends time to define The Almighty: The Totally Other. Rather it says: “Nethi, nethi”: ‘not this, not this’. But it won’t say what it is. As Lao Tsu Tao Te Ching (China) said: “One who speaks does not know; one who know does not speak”.
His mission is to bring the people back to their Maker through repentance of their past mistakes or failures or shortcomings. Prophet is a Pontiffix (bridge) in between God and His people. Since God is The Transcendent One, He cannot but depend upon a mediator to execute His Will and Wish. We call this mediator: The Prophet.

How poets of different cultures related to prophets both were called by Plato as men and women possessed of God?
Actually it seems to me that the remark made by Plato is a bitter irony, ironical praise, sarcasm or satire.
But there is a remarkable difference between the poets and the prophets. The poets are having a sixth pack sense to view things and events in a different way, when we compare them and their lives with that of the ordinary people. At the same time, it is experienced that their special qualities which slowly diminishes as they advance in age or as they get lost the same through intoxication.

“When venerable Fr. Stan Swami’s life was at stake,
where were we? We were in our comfort zones
while he was begging for a straw to drink a little water.
Why? Because he took the side of the ‘Dalit and Adivasis’
who are voiceless and coinless.”

Moreover, many of the poets are not that much addicted to or possessed of God. Rather they do bypass God as a bourgeoisie in order to highlight humanitarian concepts. In this category we can enlist even the celebrated artist Michael Angelo. For example, his work on creation fresco on the top hemisphere of The Sistine Chapel. There we see the measurements and mussels of God and The First Man Adam are one and the same. That smells the rewriting of Hegel: “Man created God in his image and likeness”.
Whereas, the prophets have no choice other than prophesying the ‘script’ given to him by The One Who deputed him to do so, even if the prophets may have different and extraordinary qualities. He has to forfeit everything for the sake of his vocation to be the mouthpiece of God.
And the bitter tragedy is that the very God is not that much concerned with the life of the Prophet.

As a religious priest in the Catholic Church how do you fulfil the role of prophetic priesthood? Prophets were also suffering servants of God?
In order to address this question, may I present a couple of examples and own experiences.
Just after the completion of my post-graduation, I was asked to join on the staff of P O C. Meanwhile, I had an earnest desire to do B Ed and L L B. Both could be done simultaneously. But no node was there to entertain and the dream fell flat.
I was assigned to be editor of The Catechetical Monthly: “Talent” and I had to take classes on different subjects to the students of various walks of life. And it was a great time of the emergence of “Liberation Theology” in Europe, especially in Poland, San Salvador, El Salvador etc. Lech Walesa, The Nobel Laureate and champion of the Working Class of Poland was my favourite hero of the time. And I was in close contact with Lumen Institute, Kalloor, Kochi, which was run by the Jesuit Fathers. Many of them were ‘birds of the same feathers’. And it was from their library, I could read the book: “The Gospel in Solentiname” which was written by Ernesto Cardenal. (Solentiname is a remote archipelago in Lake Nicaragua), This book speaks of the grass root level living of millions of people who want to get even with their beloved bro: The Jesus of Nazareth. It ignited the core of my being like anything. Really I myself got lost in The Theology of Liberation. And with the ardent support and encouragement and earnest pooling of minds together of my colleagues we could ‘change the face’ of the monthly Talent. When I took over, there were only nine thousand copies and the then Director of P O C, the late Very Reverend Father Abraham Kalakudy gave me a warning that if not we raise the copies above ten thousand, we might not be eligible for news print quota from the Government. By the time I could co-ordinate, consolidate and unify many eminent personalities who were well versed to deal with different and appropriate subjects in connection with The Bible, The Church, The Theology of Liberation, poetry, drama like one act plays, The Bible Stories through caricatures and so on. May I gratefully mention here some of the great names of the contributors: Professor M K Sanu, Professor M Leelavati, Professor M Thomas Mathew, Professor Rex, Professor late Mathew Ulakamthara, Professor Augustine Kommattam, Dr. Sebastian Painadeth S J, late Dr. Joseph Kottukapilly S J, late Dr.Abraham Adapoor, Dr. Paul Thelakat, Dr. Malppan Michael Karimattam, Poet Sippy Pallippuram, Mr. Louis Ponnukara, Mr.Sebastian Pallithodu, Mr.Joseph Karingada, Artist Devassy, Mookkannoor etc. These array of versatile genius of committed writers were well read by people of every walks of life. And within the span of a year, the graph of the number of ‘Talent’ made a significant hike.
By the time, a late ‘Chaldianist Archbishop’ of Syro-Malabar Church was torpedoing the genuine Liturgical views of late Cardinal Joseph Parecattil and he prevailed over making use of his gang. Cardinal Parekattil preferred to be known as “Saint Thomas Christians” rather than “Syro-Malabar Christians”.
The KCBC abruptly took the decision to stop publishing of ‘Talent’ for time being. And The Chairman of KCBC ordered me to quit P O C.
Perhaps, Gentlemen, you may wonder why I wanted to highlight the P O C factor. It’s just to plainly assert that our church is to be Christianised first. There is no apparent sign of The Presence of Christ in it. Rather we see and experience that the Church of Christ is high jacked by the bishops who pretend to be the best administrators.
And the stark lesson I learned was that simplicity or a change of the usual track is not at all welcomed or appreciated disregarding age groups even. Similar incidents are many more from the part of the Church in general and the Congregation in particular where there is no space for living a challenging and prophetical lifestyle. But it gives me tremendous joy and satisfaction as being an edged or suffering servant of my Teacher: Jesus Christ.

You have worked in Kerala in Shimoga and in Meghalaya what is the Eastern and especially Indian contribution to spirituality and religion
After quitting from P O C I was sent to M C B S Shimoga Mission where I worked for eighteen years. In first phase, my job was limited in and around the District Headquarters of Shimoga. And there were some sisters of The Sacred Heart Congregation of its Manamthavady Province. They were very very much committed for Jesus and His poor lots. Some of them were very skilled nurses who were after health care activities in the villages, mainly focusing on mother and child.
And I strongly believe that basic human oriented approach and activities are real and relevant Indian contributions to spirituality and religion. This I continued in different areas of Karnataka and Meghalaya, too.

Do you think that the Indian caste system and its understanding is destroying millions of Indians’ future and human beings? Do you think hate is destroying public communication and public life itself?
Yes; I do think and believe. Just imagine how our mother land would have been, if M K Gandhi would have supported and promoted Baba Saheb Amdekar to the post of the Prime Minister of India Please stop to blame the promoters of caste system and ‘Manusmurthi.
We Christians are not an exception. Do we yet promote one ‘Pulaya’ or one candidate from the low castes to priesthood, even if the same is a worthy and agile person? Let’s first clean our “Augean stable”.
Moreover, I would like to raise a pertinent question to the ‘cream layer’ Christians of India. When venerable Fr. Stan Swami’s life was at stake, where were we? We were in our comfort zones while he was bagging for a straw to drink a little water. Why? Because he took the side of the ‘Dalit and Adivasis’ who are voiceless and coin less. Even the great Jesuits of India who created most of the top level bureaucrats through their sophisticated educational institutions stood silent or helpless. Why? What happened to the Cardinals, Princes of The Church?
Paul Eudokimov, the renow-ned Russian Orthodox Theologian said: It is not atheism, or communism nor capitalism a threat to Christianity; but the witness absent life of Christians from top to bottom”.

What do you think is the mission of Christians in India?
Christians in general and some denominations in particular are very much concerned, eager and enthusiastic in the ‘art’ of converting people who belong to non Christian communities. We make use of retreat centres, speeches based on Bible and throwing up the grand old western philosophy and theology like ‘outside the Church, there is no salvation’ and vehemently affirming Mt. 28,19-20 to serve the purpose. And the leaders of the Church, directly or indirectly support and even propagate the same. And the Charismatic Movement produced so many converted ‘witnesses’ as a result and gain of their ‘mission’.
If we are committed to follow the footsteps of The Teacher Jesus Christ it is enough. At the same time, our thoughts, mentality, vision and in a nutshell our heart must be that much spacious enough to appreciate and accommodate the noble concepts and teachings of sister religions, too. It is evident from the Words of Saint John: 21,25 (the last word of The Gospel according to John). As far as we are in this planet, we, our views and beliefs and opinions and religion: everything and everyone is subjected to the law of limitations. If one is honest and sincere and humble enough only can hold this truth/ideal.

How do you appreciate Pope Francis’ Synodality as a way of taking and journeying together?
As I do think and believe, Pope Francis is “The Last Leaf”. But he seems to be like one ‘outside the camp’: Hebrews 13, 12-14. If we are convincingly prepared and ready let’s go with him outside the camp: Inside it is very pleasant, comfortable and safe but outside things fall apart. That should be made so by those who have chosen ‘the broad way’.
Even if Pope Francis brings out the best for the Church, here in the Syro-Malabar Church, it may not hold water. For example, Pope Francis set a very good example on a Maundy Thursday. He washed the feet of women, too. And he exhorted the Universal Church to follow him. And in our Church, the person entitled to implement was the Head of The Syro-Malabar Church. As and when asked of it, he responded: ‘Pope may say this and that but you are to do what I say’. Likewise he sabotaged the noble idea of The Pope!
So I have not that much hope in the reality promising programs introduced by The Pope.

The society around us is affected by communal and fundamentalist approaches, how different is our church in facing these maladies of our times?
With regard to communalism and fundamentalism, I find no reason evidence or room for an exception to Christianity, of which its true spirit is skin deep here in our Church in Kerala. There are countless denominations under the banner of One Person: Christ. And among the people of same “Rites”, excommunication is practiced.

You are a person highly interested in Malayalam literature and language, how do you see literature as a source of enlightenment for culture and life?
I do agree with the first half of the question. Yes, indeed, I am still a student of Malayalam Literature with keen interest. And am rather rich in its vocabulary and am blessed to articulate it at its best. The culmination of it was actualised when i won the covetous “Sachivothama Memorial Gold Medal” from All Kerala Inter-Collegiate Speech Competition headed by The University of Kerala.
This gift of fluency helped me a lot while preaching retreats. i could cover almost all The Dioceses of Kerala to preaching The Word of God irrespective of priests and laypeople. Still i continue it.
But from the part of The Church in general and of my Congregation in particular, my calibre of command in Malayalam, especially the art of genuine pronunciation, which was very well appreciated by my beloved teachers, colleagues and especially Dr. M .Leelavathi, was totally ignored and neglected. I have an ardent and earnest dream that all His Levites must spell each every word of the prayers in general and Holy Mass in particular. As a matter of fact, nobody is concerned of it. No Seminary in Kerala, not even my own Congregation denied such an opportunity to me to teach the art of correct pronunciation to the future priests. And I don’t know the why of it?