By Matters India Reporter
Agartala: Catholic priests and nuns working in the northeastern Indian state of Tripura have recalled the life of Jesuit activists Father Stan Swamy and his work among Tribals and Dalits.
The July 9 program in Agartala, the state capital, was organized by the Association for Social and Human Advancement (ASHA), the 22-year-old development wing of the Holy Cross Fathers.
Expressing concern over Father Swamy’s death, ASHA director Holy Cross Father Paul Pudussery hailed it as a hero’s death.
“We need to celebrate Father Stan’s life instead of mourning his death. That is the reason the event for the priests and religious of the state was organized,” Father Pudussery said in his welcome address.
He invited Jesuit social activist Irudhaya Jothi to share the life and work of Father Swamy to inspire the gathering. The three-hour intense reflection addressed the theme, “Fr. Stan Swamy: A Prophet of our time: A narrative.”
Around 42 priests and nuns prayed in silence for the repose of Father Swamy’s death and the liberation of the people he had served for decades.
Father Jothi said the “cruel murder” of Father Swamy in judicial custody has shocked the world.
Christians and others around the world, he pointed out, had prayed for Father Swamy’s good health and release from the jail since his arrest on October 8, 2020. He died on July 5 as an undertrial prisoner while undergoing treatment in Mumbai’s Holy Family Hospital.
They watched a video clip recorded two days before the National Investigation Agency arrested Father Swamy from his residence in Ranchi, capital of Jharkhand state in east.
Father Jothi divided his presentation into three parts; the historical context of Father Swamy’s birth, joining the Jesuits, and launch of various movements both in Indian Social Institute Bangalore where he spent 16 years and in Jharkhand for 35 years.
Father Swamy’s liberation convictions were rooted in the Vatican Council II, Gaudium et Spes (the pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world) and the demands of Decree 4 of the Jesuits’ General Congregation 32 that highlighted the need for service of the faith and promotion of justice.
Father Jothi said the tribal activist had internalized the call of Father Pedro Arrupe, their superior general’s call in 1968, to have “preferential option for the poor.”
For the Jesuits the poor are Dalits, Adivasis, Indigenous people, Minorities, Women, Children, Migrants, Refugees and the mother Earth. “And every Jesuit is expected to focus these options as priorities in every type of mission, said Father Jothi, who came to Tripura a few days ago to launch developmental works.
The present pro-corporate agenda in some way goes against the interests of the priority groups as there is “a toxic mixture of neo-liberal corporate agenda and a Hindu nationalistic agenda, which undermines the secular credentials and the constitution of India,” Father Jothi explained.
Presenting the salient features of the census data of India 2011 the young Jesuit showed who the poor are in India and why the option for Adivasis and Dalits is justified.
Salesian Father Davis Aricatt, a participant, said the Church workers in Tripura require such inputs on a regular basis and context analysis “so that we are kept abreast with the happenings and respond to them.”
Holy Cross Father Arul Jeganathan supported the idea and suggested organizing another workshop soon and some intervention on behalf of the poor.
“There is a certain amount of fear within us to face the reality outside,” said Holy Cross Father Devis Konuran, who questioned, “is it because our hands are not clear?”
St. Joseph Sister Swati, secretary of the local unit of the Conference of Religious India, thanked Father Jothi for “enlightening us to be radical and to take the side of the poor and marginalized.”
Tripura priests and nuns were united in prayer too were shocked and wanted to express their sorrow, honor and be inspired by the Prophet of our time in some way.