Are Catholic prelates in India cowards?

By M L Satyan

Bengaluru, April 12, 2023: I am raising this question purposely. Why? Let me explain.

On the occasion of Easter on April 9 Prime Minister Modi visited the Sacred Heart Cathedral, New Delhi. The video shows that he was welcomed by the archbishop of Delhi and other prelates of the Catholic Church. He joined a select group of Catholics as they offered prayers.

The Delhi archbishop presented a Crucifix to Modi. A tree was planted by Modi in front of the cathedral, maybe in remembrance of his visit to the cathedral.

Jesus had twelve apostles with him. They were selected personally by Jesus based on his own selection criteria. Probably, one of the criteria must have been “courage.”

Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth. (Jn. 18:37). Indeed, Jesus came to bear witness to Truth. He had the courage to challenge all that were untrue. He spoke boldly against the unjust social, economic and religious structures and practices that existed during his time.

He openly scolded the Pharisees with strong words like “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You hypocrites!” He called them “you snakes, sons of snakes.” He also said to the Pharisees and teachers of law, “you are like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but are full of bones and decaying corpses on the inside. In the same way, on the outside you appear good to everybody, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and sins”. (Mt.23:1-36).

Sabbath was intended to help people, not burden them. In contrast with the gruelling daily work as slaves in Egypt, the Israelites were commanded to take a full day of rest each week under the Mosaic Law. The Pharisaic law had morphed the Sabbath into a burden, adding restrictions beyond what God’s law said.

The act of picking a head of grain and munching on it as one walked along a field should not be considered “harvesting,” as the Pharisees tried to categorize it. The disciples had not broken God’s law; they had only violated the Pharisees’ strict interpretation of the law. Jesus reminded the Pharisees of the original intent of the Sabbath rest by saying, “The Sabbath was made for the good of man; man was not made for the Sabbath.” (Mk 2: 23-28).

Jesus preached less but practised more. His life itself could be compared to volumes of preaching. By saying, “The foxes have their holes and birds have their nests, but the Son of Man does not have a place to lay his head”, he clearly meant that he chose to be poor and wanted to be pro-poor. Right from his birth in a cowshed and his death on Calvary he demonstrated his poverty openly. By washing his disciples’ feet, he opted to be a servant or slave and not a Master or King.

When the High Priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching, Jesus answered him. One of guards there slapped Jesus and said, “How dare you talk like that to the High Priest?” Jesus answered him, “If I have said anything wrong, tell everyone here what it was. But if I am right in what I have said, why do you hit me?” (Jn.18:22-23).

Jesus expected this courage from his selected apostles and disciples. The followers of Jesus in the early Christian community demonstrated the values that Jesus preached. Many disciples went far and wide to preach the good news. Many were martyred. The only Apostle Thomas came to India and preached the good news. He had to face many obstacles and challenges. But he was bold enough to face them. Finally, he too was martyred.

This is the tradition on which the Catholic Church was built. During the first three centuries, the Christians retained the innocence of the apostolic tradition; although the Church’s wealth had become substantial, they managed to act in harmony with Christ’s injunction about poverty.

However, later on, they no longer sold their goods upon being baptized. They had come to harmonize the possession of worldly good with the teaching of Christ by conveniently quoting or ignoring sundry passages of the Gospels. They did this by following the example of the Church, which as a corporate body had begun to accumulate wealth.

The apostolic tradition of poverty was eventually abandoned. It was felt that there was nothing contradictory so long as these were used in the “service of religion.” The Roman Catholic Church thus gradually became the custodian of wealth acting as its distributor and administrator.

Emperor Constantine recognized Christianity in A D 313. The State became the protector. With this came not only power, but also wealth. Accumulation of the latter was no longer regarded solely for the purpose of helping the poor. It became a visible testimony to her newly found status; a necessity which went with her prestige and mounting strength and power.

One of the important tragedies that have occurred and continues to occur during the BJP regime is the non-stop attacks on Christians, clergy, nuns, churches and Christian institutions in various parts of the country. On the one side, Modi, the head of the BJP, is visiting the cathedral. On the other side, the Sangh Parivar elements continue to attack Christian communities. During the recent election campaign in Karnataka BJP Minister Munirathna called for violence against Christians stating that they must be thrashed so that they run away.

In this background the prelates of the Catholic Church welcomed the PM and expressed their respect towards him. There is nothing wrong in it. This was an opportunity for them to submit a memorandum to the PM or brief him about the continuous attacks on Christians, churches, clergy, nuns and church-run institutions.

But they miserably failed to do so. Are they afraid of their status or positions? Why do they lack the courage of Jesus whom they preach day-in and day-out? Unfortunately, they worship Jesus but fail to follow Him. Should we not call these prelates cowards?