Misplaced Charity vs Truth

Today Fr Thomas Anchukandam (in the pic, the top left corner) laid down office as the Provincial of Bangalore province to let Fr Joyce take it up.  Fr Anchu has always been acclaimed as a straight-forward man.  He came across to me as a man of principles and values.  He clearly had his priorities sorted out.  Most importantly he never budged when it was a matter of values and convictions.  Even as the Provincial he did stand for what is right and demanded that others too follow the same - "without fear or favour!"  It goes without saying that such a stance where "credibility, transparency and accountability" are stressed, things are never rosy or comfortable - neither for the one leading the charge nor for the one from whom it is demanded!

In his last Circular (TJA/Cir-LXIII.01/2015), he gives a very beautiful message, which I reproduce here below:

Ludwig von Pastor (1854-1928), the author of the History of the Popes, was known for his scientific approach to history and unafraid to speak the truth even if it meant offending the carefully nurtured image of the papacy despite its very human aspects. He believed that the fact of the Popes being the Vicars of Christ, did not insulate them from reflecting in their persons and in their decisions the flaws of their times. Naturally enough this caused some unease in the spacious corridors of the Vatican despite the generally open approach of Pope Leo XIII himself. 

One day Pastor received an invitation to tea by the Secretary of State. After the initial pleasantries, the Secretary of State finally came to the actual reason for his having invited Pastor to tea. The Cardinal told Pastor: “It is a great contribution that you will be making to the Church and to the world when you complete your History of the Popes. But remember that in writing the history of the Popes you should be guided above everything else by charity!” Pastor who understood that what was intended by the Prelate was that he should leave out the more embarrassing or the less edifying aspects of the papacy, answered without the least hesitation: “But the Lord did not say “I am charity”, but He did say “I am the Truth!” Indeed Pastor knew, as also anyone else dealing with human institutions despite their claims to lofty ideals, that misplaced charity only helps to cover up a multitude of defects! (emphasis added)

The choice, I think is very clear: choose values/take a stand and be ready to pay the price (but let everyone reap a rich harvest later) or choose passivity and breed mediocrity, now and for ages to come!