LETTERS TO THE HOLY SEE: THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
I. THE EIGHT-PAGE NCB CRITIQUE SENT TO THE HOLY FATHER, SECRETARY OF STATE AND ALL PONTIFICAL COUNCILS AND CONGREGATIONS OF THE HOLY SEE UNDER THE FOLLOWING LETTERS:
1a. From: prabhu To: ; Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10:54 PM
1b. From: prabhu To: ; Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:05 PM
1c. From: prabhu To: ; Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 11:00 AM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
AN ERRONEOUS AND DANGEROUS CATHOLIC BIBLE HAS BEEN
RELEASED IN INDIA: THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
TO: HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ,
Successor of the Prince of the Apostles,
Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy,
Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province,
Sovereign of the State of the City of the Vatican,
Servant of the Servants of God.
Dear Holy Father,
I am sure that you areterribly busy out there with the Bishops'Synod on the Word of God and other matters of pastoral concern for the Universal Church.
I am closely following all the daily news reports on NCR, VIS, Zenit, etc.
But I am fairly certain that you will be interested in this letter with the attachment.
It relates to the theme of the Synod.
It is about a "New Age" [as described by French theologian Fr Jean de Britto Dupre OSB and other Indian priests] Bible that has been published in India by St Pauls.
The commentaries in the NCB have many theological and other errors.
It promotes relativism, religious pluralism, syncretism, saffronisation and confusion.
The Bible, which is theWord of God,has also been Hinduised in the guise of inculturation.
Our team has organiseda crusade to have it withdrawn.
Even 100 days after our writing to every Indian Bishop a minimum of three times, we are yet to get a clear response from the Bishops' Conference except to say that they are looking into the matter.
Other than a few Bishops, most of the Bishops have not acknowledged our repeated reminders.
The issue was discussed at the Bishops' Standing Committee meeting that concluded nearly three weeks ago, but their decision has not been communicated to us.
The Indian Catholic media is not publishing the many letters that we have sent criticizing the NCB. Only the letters of the pro-NCB lobby are being published.
Because of the physical attacks on Christians, this spiritual issue has been apparently sidelined. The Church here is more concerned about the saffron without than the saffron within the Church.
In the meanwhile, we have receivedhundreds ofresponses from priests and laity fromall over India, the Persian Gulf, Canada, Europe, the US and Oceania.
Our crusade has been widely reported in the Indian secular press as well as by UCAN [Union of Catholic Asian News] on October 13, 2008 at:
http://www.ucanews.com/2008/10/13/new-community-bible-criticized-for-causing-confusion/
We have all along informed the Bishops that we would be writing to Rome and now finally we are constrained to do so.
We have great confidence in the Magisterium of the Church and we trust that the Holy See will examine this travesty of a Bible.
Reproduced below is part of the initial ‘alert’ that we sent out. Also, attached herewith is our original report. It has been followed by other studies by our team.
On behalf of our team, I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours obediently, Michael Prabhu, Catholic apologist and evangelist Chennai, India
[website:www.ephesians-511.net ]
SIMILAR LETTERS WITH THE NCB CRITIQUE ATTACHED SENT TO THE FOLLOWING:
2. From: prabhu To: ; ; ;
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 5:23 PM Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B.,
SECRETARY OF STATE
Dear Cardinal Tarcisio,
3a. From: prabhu To: Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10:40 PM
3b. From: prabhu To: Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10:49 PM
3c. From: prabhu To: Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:06 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal William Joseph Levada, Prefect,
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH [Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede]
Your Eminence Cardinal William,
3d. From: prabhu To: Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:18 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal William Joseph Levada, President,
PONTIFICAL BIBLICAL COMMISSION
INTERNATIONAL THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION
Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Your Eminence Cardinal William,
4a. From: prabhu To: Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:22 PM
4b. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:13 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect,
CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELIZATION OF PEOPLES
Member of the PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR LEGISLATIVE TEXTS
Member of the PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
Your Eminence Cardinal Ivan,
4c. From: prabhu To: Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:29 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Congregazione per l'Evangelizzazione dei Popoli
Dear Msgr. Stefano Lodigiani,
4d. From: prabhu To: Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:27 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Msgr. Luca De Mata,
Il Direttore dell'Agenzia Fides
Dear Msgr. Luca De Mata,
5. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 9:53 PM
From: prabhu To: Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 6:05 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect, [now: Cardinal Antonio Canizares Llovera] and
Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige, Secretary
CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS [Congregazione per il Culto Divino e la Disciplina dei Sacramenti]
Dear Cardinal Francis and Archbishop Malcolm,
(Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil SDB, Guwahati, India, Member)
6. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:09 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Prefect
CONGREGATION FOR BISHOPS [Congregazione per il Vescovi]
President, Pontifical Commission for Latin America
Dear Cardinal Lucas,
7. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:25 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Cláudio Hummes, Prefect,
CONGREGATION FOR THE CLERGY [Congregazione per il Clero]
Dear Cardinal Cláudio,
8a. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:33 PM
8b. From: prabhu To: Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 5:46 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, Prefect, [Congregazione per l'Educazione Cattolica]
CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION [for Seminaries and Educational Institutions]
Dear Cardinal Zenon,
9. From: prabhu To: ; Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 5:47 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, Prefect,
CONGREGATION FOR THE ORIENTAL [EASTERN] CHURCHES
Dear Archbishop Leonardo,
10. From: prabhu To: ; ; ;
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 5:49 PM Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB].
To: Cardinal Franc Rodé, C.M., Prefect,
CONGREGATION FOR INSTITUTES OF CONSECRATED LIFE AND SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE
Dear Cardinal Franc Rodé,
11. From: prabhu To: Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 6:00 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., Prefect,
CONGREGATION FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS [Congregazione della Cause dei Santi]
Dear Cardinal Angelo,
12. From: prabhu To: ; ; ; Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 9:00 AM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Most Rev. Stanislaw Rylko, President,
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE LAITY [Pontificium Consilium pro Laicis]
YourGrace Archbishop Stanislaw,
13. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 9:04 AM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB].
To: Cardinal Walter Kasper, President,
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE PROMOTION OF CHRISTIAN UNITY [Pontificium Consilium ad Unitatem Christianorum Fovendam];
COMMISSION FOR RELIGIOUS RELATIONS WITH THE JEWS
Your Eminence Cardinal Walter,
14a. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 9:09 AM
14b. From: prabhu To: Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 5:43 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President,
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE [Pontificium Consilium pro Dialogo Inter Religiones]
Your Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis,
15. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 9:15 AM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, President,
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR CULTURE [Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church]
YourGrace Archbishop Gianfranco,
16. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:58 AM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Archbishop John Patrick Foley, President
PONTIFICIUM CONSILIUM de COMMUNICATIONIBUS SOCIALIBUS
Your Grace, Archbishop John,
17. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 8:37 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, President,
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE FAMILY [Pontificium Consilium pro Familia]
Dear Cardinal Alfonso,
18. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 8:38 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, President, Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE [Pontificium Consilium de Iustitia et Pace]
Dear Cardinal Renato,
19. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 8:48 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Archbishop Paul Josef Cordes, President,
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL COR UNUM
Dear Archbishop Paul,
20. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 8:54 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: H.E. Msgr. Stephen Fumio Hamao, President,
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS AND ITINERANT PEOPLE [Pontificium Consilium de Spirituali Migrantium atque Itinerantium Cura]
Dear Monsignor Stephen,
21. From: prabhu To: ; ; Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 9:12 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Archbishop Javier Lozano Barragán, President,
PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR PASTORAL ASSISTANCE TO HEALTH-CARE WORKERS
[Pontificium Consilium pro Valetudinis Administris]
Dear Archbishop Javier,
22. From: prabhu To: Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 6:02 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Cardinal Darìo Castrillòn Hoyos,
PONTIFICIA COMMISSIO ECCLESIA DEI
Dear Cardinal Darìo,
23. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 8:22 AM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: Most Reverend Celestino Migliore
Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations
Your Lordship Most Rev. Celestino Migliore,
24. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 8:33 AM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
To: His Eminence J. Francis Cardinal Stafford, Prefect, Apostolic Penitentiary
Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
Your Eminence Cardinal Francis,
25. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 8:38 AM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
Dear Cardinals, Bishops and Priests,
26. From: prabhu To: Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 4:25 PM
Subject: CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology
II. THE THIRTY-EIGHT-PAGE FOLLOW-UP TO THE CRITIQUE WAS THEN SENT TO THE HOLY FATHER, THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND ALL PONTIFICAL COUNCILS AND CONGREGATIONS OF THE HOLY SEE:
From: prabhu To: ; ; ;
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 11:33 AM
Subject: INDIA: THE INTER-FAITH SYNCRETIZED NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB]
TO: HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ,
Successor of the Prince of the Apostles,
Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy,
Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province,
Sovereign of the State of the City of the Vatican,
Servant of the Servants of God.
Dear Holy Father,
Dear Holy Father Benedict XVI,
You must have received my earlier letter a few days ago which is copied below.
Please read the second and new attachment which is a follow-up report to the first attachment and note the dangerous trends in a powerful section ofthe Indian Church which defies the teachings of Rome.
Though several Bishops have responded in their individual capacities, we have not received a definitive officialresponse from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India even after 15 weeks of repeated reminders
AN APPEAL TO THE BISHOPS' SYNOD ON THE WORD OF GOD, IN ROME
DEAR BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH: THE INTER-FAITH SYNCRETIZED NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB] PUBLISHED IN INDIA BY ST PAULS AND SOME INDIAN THEOLOGIANS.
PLEASE HAVE IT WITHDRAWN IMMEDIATELY
I am sure that you areterribly busy out there with the Bishops'Synod on the Word of God and other matters of pastoral concern for the Universal Church... … … … … … … … … [as in the letter of October 15].
COPIES OF THIS LETTER SENT TO ALL THE ABOVE VATICAN ADDRESSES ON OCTOBER 24, 2008
III. TWO MORE REPORTS SENT TO THE HOLY FATHER, THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND ALL PONTIFICAL COUNCILS AND CONGREGATIONS OF THE HOLY SEE:
1. A FRENCH THEOLOGIAN DENOUNCES SOME ERRORS IN THE NCB COMMENTARIES + THE NCB TEACHES THAT THE ANGEL GABRIEL DID NOT APPEAR TO MARY
2. ONGOING ROBBERY OF FAITH: PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW MISSAL AND NEW BIBLE IN TAMIL LANGUAGE
1) From: prabhu To: ; ; ;
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 10:00 AM
Subject: THEOLOGICAL ERRORS IN THE COMMENTARIES OF THE NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE [NCB] PUBLISHED IN INDIA BY ST PAULS
AN ERRONEOUS AND DANGEROUS CATHOLIC BIBLE HAS BEENRELEASED IN INDIA: THE ST. PAULS' NEW COMMUNITY BIBLE. SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW TAMIL MISSAL AND THE NEW TAMIL BIBLE ANALYZED BY A PRIEST
TO: HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI
Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ,
Successor of the Prince of the Apostles,
Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy,
Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province,
Sovereign of the State of the City of the Vatican,
Servant of the Servants of God.
A FRENCH THEOLOGIAN DENOUNCES SOME ERRORS IN THE NCB COMMENTARIES
Dear Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI,
You must have received my earlier letters on this issue of the errors in the New Community Bible.
1a. From: prabhu To: ; Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10:54 PM
1b. From: prabhu To: ; Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 11:05 PM
1c. From: prabhu To: ; Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 11:00 AM