Mangalore, May 5: The Christian Reforms Foundation and Indian Christian Service Association will hold a day’s ‘Christians Conclave’ at ‘Sahodaya’ CSI Premises, Balmatta on May 8, Sunday.
Speaking at the press meet held at Press Club on May 5, Thursday PB D’Sa, convener of the event, said that the event will be held with the theme ‘Empower the laity’
He said that In India there are about 7000 parishes (churches) and many institutions such as schools, college, hospitals and commercial complexes halls Agricultural Estates etc.  In Mangalore diocese we have about 160 churches and many other institutions. Annual turnover business in these establishments is huge on an average one single Parish in Mangalore collects not less than 25 lakhs in the name of god.
The collection of selling graves and sending the dead man to heaven is huge business which is estimated to be 4 times more than what priests collect as membership fee and fees for selling various religious rituals. Cemeteries are allotment free of cost by the government for our churches under strict condition that they should not trade, alienate, sell, lease out, rent out etc. But in reality each grave is sold at Rs one lakh to Rs 2 lakhs to persons who can afford. Two more dead persons from the family are allowed to be buried at 50 percent additional costs.
These are only two samples of huge business done by 2 % of priests with the money given by 98% Christians. Today churches run like a corporate entity and all these business are headed by priests whose primary and sole duty is to worship god.
During the conclave, Justice MF Saldanha will deliver the key note address on ‘From Darkness to light’. Prof John B Kutinha will share his experiences of a Backward Christian’s leader in Karnataka on ‘Pros and Cons of Empowering’. The victims will unravel the atrocities on the occasion.