What is the Brother Manuel Ministries (BMM), whose activities at the Khar Gymkhana made the club suspend the membership of cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues whose father had used the gymkhana to host religious services?
Bandra resident Manuel Mergulhao founded the evangelist group three decades ago. The group has its offices on Waroda Road, Bandra. Its mission is 'to win souls through the healing message of Jesus Christ' and its website advocates this aim. The harvest is rich and the need for revival is urgent, says the group on its website, mentioning that despite the recent economic growth, 40% of the city's 12.5 million people live in poverty.
One of its principles is to 'use every modern means available to us to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.'
Apart from these religious ministries being unaffiliated to mainstream churches, their beliefs are based on a fundamental reading of the Bible and a belief in only Jesus Christ. Their services involve singing the gospels and dancing. This informal way of worship attracts people, said members of mainstream churches who have distanced themselves from these groups. Members of these churches consider them as breakaways from the Catholic Church.
"These underground churches as I call it are drawing non-Christians to their fold with their praise and worship services. The Catholic Church in India is getting a bad name due to its conversions etc. Hence one needs to be made aware of the activities they undertake in the name of the lord," said David Vaz, a media consultant.
The group does not advertise healing as one of its services. Such claims can attract prosecution under The Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil, and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013. BMM's websites carry testimonies of people who have claimed cure from severe episodes of COVID-19, pain, gynecological problems, frozen shoulders, financial issues, and substance addiction after attending the sessions. According to their website, the group has a 'Retreat House' in Rajavli, Vasai, and is seeking contributions for constructing a prayer hall. The group is reported to have conducted over 30 meetings at the Khar Gymkhana since 2023 and the cricketer's father, Ivan Rodrigues, is said to have facilitated the gatherings. The Rangsharda Hall in Bandra Reclamation was a venue for regular meetings before the events shifted to Khar Gymkhana. They also conduct tours to Israel to Christian holy sites.
When this newspaper called up the ministry, we were told that the telephone number was for booking a prayer. We did not get a response to a statement from the group on the Khar Gymkhana controversy. The Rodrigues family has not commented on the controversy.The Khar Gymkhana said the club did not know about the nature of the meetings organised by the BMM. The club said their bylaws prohibit religious activities in the premises. "None of us went inside (the meetings). So how do we know what was happening inside? We are basically a sports club and not a watchdog. We took action when we knew about it," said Vivek Devnani, the club's president.
The BMM says it started with 50 people and now ministers thousands with one 'divine purpose': To set up a small shop one yard away from hell to win back lost souls for the lord. Nandkishore Takashilkar of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti, a rationalists' group, said that claims of curing ailments through prayers and supernatural power can attract sections of the 2013 law. "Prayers cannot cure illnesses. I can bring a patient with a severe disability or illness and challenge these groups to cure the person," said Takashilkar.
