By Matters India Reporter
Pondicherry: More than one thousand Dalit Christians took out a rally in Pondicherry to demand the appointment of a member from their community as the next archbishop of Pondicherry-Cuddalore archdiocese.
The rally was organized by the Dalit Christian Liberation Movement (DCLM) and culminated at the Pondicherry Archbishop’s House.
The rally began after listening to Dalit Christian leaders on the caste discrimination in the Catholic Church. The rally was part of an ongoing struggle by Dalit Christians in various places of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry states.
At the end of the rally, a DCLM delegation led by its president Mary John met Archbishop Antony Anandarayar of Pondicherry –Cuddalore and submitted a memorandum of demands.
The Dalit Christian leaders reiterated the demand for the appointment of a Dalit archbishop in place of Archbishop Anandarayar, who has already completed 75, the mandatory year of retirement for a Catholic prelate. The appointment would end the century long discrimination against Dalit Catholics, they asserted.
So far only non-Dalit archbishops have been appointed even though Dalits comprise about 75 percent of Catholics in the archdiocese, the DCLM leaders pointed out.
“In the past, people were disappointed as they felt were taken for granted. So they have come out openly and vigorously to show their strong resentment and assert their just demand,” explained John.
He said his movement has decided to sustain the struggle until the Church authorities meet their demand to appoint Dalit bishops in the five vacant dioceses in Tamil Nadu.
Other demands include equitable opportunity to Dalit Christians in education and employment in the Catholic institutions. The rallyists have also decide to take up widespread struggle in various dioceses if the Dalit policies of the Tamil Nadu Bishop’s Council and the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India are not implemented.
John recalled that some 40 Dalit priests of the Pondicherry archdiocese staged a sit-in from November 29 to December 4.
On December 20, the Dalit Christians protested in front of about 45 parish churches and submitted memorandum to the their pastors to pass on to the apostolic nuncio.
John said his people are seriously and vociferously demanding equitable number of Dalit bishops and archbishops, besides appointment of priests from their community to top administrative positions in all the dioceses.
This will help eradicate the untouchability practices, the caste domination and discrimination against Dalits that are rampant at all levels in the Catholic Church, he added.
The hour-long rally expressed doubts that the Catholic hierarchy in India has not bothered to take their demands the Vatican. The Indian bishops “only cover up the struggle by the victim Dalit Christians,” John alleged.
He said the Dalit Christians and the DCLM have taken up their demands at the Vatican in the past three decades. The rallyists expressed anguish at the lack of action and intervention by the Vatican dicasteries to end “the blatant discrimination,:
After receiving the memorandum, Archbishop Anthony Anandarayar acknowledged the need to do justice by appointing a Dalit archbishop in the archdiocese. He also said that he has “strongly recommended” the matter to the nuncio and the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples(Propaganda Fide) in the Vatican.
On October 6, the DCLM and other Dalit Christian leaders had a virtual meeting with Archbishop Antony Pappusamy of Madurai, the president of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council.
If you are an Indian then it is almost impossible to jettison caste bias from one’s mind. It is embedded in the psyche of Indians. Some Indians may break free but majority is destined to carry the baggage of caste. I believe that in the early days fish was the symbol of the faith. Later it was replaced by cross. Perhaps we need to go back to fish in order to remind everyone that Jesus mostly chose fisherfolks as his disciples. Jesus himself was a carpenter. Both these professions then as now symbolise the lowest strata of society.
In the meantime and as commentator Vincent suggested reverting back to original faith of theirs should be an option open to these dalits.
The allegations of Untouchability and caste domination practice is serious if appointment of a dalit Bishop eliminate such thought and practice, the appointment would be in the right direction.
If Catholic Hierarchy behaves catholic, many such discrimination will be avoided. If Bishop behaves like a Caste based man, he is not catholic. It happens when a leader is appointed who has no base in Faith in Jesus who accepted all especially the downtrodden and low caste,sinners.Why can’t Rome change such non-Catholic Bishop from power and make them part of the struggling Clergy and Faithful.Such faithless Authority expand the Kingdom of the Devil than Jesus’ kingdom.The Nuncio is powerless in front of a Bishop whom he has approved and anointed.Once a Bishop ,some such faithless ones can live immoral lives and for money allow the priests also to do the same.No authority will touch them.They loot the Church funds by creating duplicate accounts abroad. They can live any type of life and feel protected. They have neither faith or morals. If another who is a Dalit and does exercise Faith he will do worse things. Hence Proper choice is important than low or high Caste. There are on the other hand, good Bishops and leaders who has some fear of God. Quality is more important than representation.This is my experience with appointments based of representation than quality. No Jesus, nor his Kingdom. They live in their kingdom spreading the kingdom of Satan.
Those who want caste based benefits may be politely asked to re-convert to their previous religion and enjoy reservations.
Hell with the “Caste-conscious Catholic Church”!
The ultimate culprits who promote caste and instigate the innocent lay Catholic are the priests and nuns.
SHAME on the “caste-oriented” clergy and dioceses!
The casteism prevailing among the Tamil Catholics ( who claim to be believers in Jesus Christ) deserves condemnation. The way protests are made for appointment of bishop is a manifestation of the outlook of the protesters — that is the secular outlook for the Church leadership and administration. The Church has its recognized ways to deal with appointment of leaders / Shepherds. It is supposed to be faith, devotion,loyalty and other ability.. Believe that Christians are Christians and not Brahmins, Shudras and Dalits. Only that perception ,only the faith in Christ can help. For appointment of bishops, if caste consideration is taken , it is very sinful. But this needs investigation. An appeal to the Tamil Catholics— Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Leader,Saviour, and God, try to eschew all thoughts about castes and feel free from our traditional bondage.