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Thursday 3 July 2008

What if God is a lousy administrator?

Today, a circular was posted up on the notice board of the school office to the effect that the SMC relieved a teacher of some of her administrative duties. At long last, someone's wish came true.

I am always sympathetic to priests and nuns who are forced to take up the Supervisor position of one or even several schools. I respect them because they have left their home countries and given up everything to follow Jesus. No families, no children of their own, no money and no security whatsoever. Many of them are inspiring people and you may confide in them the darkest secrets of your souls. However, I feel pity for many of them who are very lousy administrators. They could not afford the time and energy to know the staff of a school. The principal becomes their eyes, ears, mouth-piece and hands. My heart aches when I see them being manipulated into instrument of injustice. The morale of teachers plummets to yet another rock bottom.
Where is your God when evil prevails? Yahweh has been so proud of His own Creation and enjoyed beating down the strong. Hasn't Yahweh always been the champion of the underdogs and the poor?
He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night,
who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name,
who makes destruction flash forth against the strong,
so that destruction comes upon the fortress
(Amos 5:8-9).
Priests and nuns have always been right for too long. They are so used to being respected by the laity. With religious aura comes power. But unfortunately, power corrupts. It is all too easy for them to be blinded by a false sense of superiority. Always, they know the best!
So, what good does this SMC decision do for the students and for the school? Why rushed the SMC into making such a hasty decision? All because the Supervisor will start his vocation on July 1! I am a simple-minded man. I find this mind-bogging.
Yahweh knows. Yahweh loves justice. Yahweh protects the oppressed.
Therefore because you trample upon the poor and take from him exactions of wheat,
you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them;
you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.
For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins --
you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate
(Amos 5:11-12).
Supervisors are not Yahweh. They need to know better. They need to promote justice. They should stand up for the oppressed. Am I demanding too much for the good of the school, for the morale of the teachers and for a proper upbringing of students entrusted into our hands?
Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time (Amos 5:13).
I am too imprudent to voice my frustrations. I expect to be reprimanded.

My Advocate, my heart aches not so much for my colleagues but for the priests and nuns who have been forced into such a thankless job. At the end of the day, people will conclude that Catholic schools are corrupt and dark. The precious blood of Jesus seems to have shed in vain. My faith faints and my spirit downtrodden. This ending of an academic year is not encouraging. Amen.

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