By Jose Kavi

New Delhi, June 2, 2023: The head of India’s Catholic religious has urged her more than 130,000 people to get out of their comfort zones and play their prophetic role as the country faces burning and critical issues.

“I am writing this letter to share with you my concern at the many serious happenings in different parts of the country,” writes Apostolic Carmel Sister Mary Nirmalini to the men and women members of 399 religious congregations that make up the Conference of Religious India (CRI).

The CRI president’s June 1 letter lists as the burning issues the ongoing targeted violence in Manipur on the Christians and other tribals; the continual attacks on Church personnel and institutions in various parts of India; the denigration of the Muslims; the mainstreaming of hate speeches; and the pathetic plight of our protesting women wrestlers.

“In the face of these growing hostilities, the question I have been asking myself is: Can I remain silent? What would Jesus have done if he was physically present in the India of today?” she writes. Christ, she continues, would have definitely taken “a visible and vocal stand against these acts of violence and injustices.”

She also says the Catholic religious have no choice but oppose violence and injustice as they are committed to Christ and his message.

“Like Jesus, we too must come out in the open; be visible and vocal and to do all we can to right the wrongs,” asserts the nun, an acclaimed educationist.

She suggests several ways for her people to get involved in the critical issues.

“Join, collaborate and support protests, peace marches, rallies and sit-ins organized in support of the protesting wrestlers, the victims of Manipur and other people seeking justice,” she says.

She wants as many religious, clergy and lay people as possible to join a five-day nationwide campaign the farmers in the country started June 1 in support of the wrestlers.

Another suggestion is that the diocesan CRI units organize a protest rally as early as possible – “bringing together religious and other like-minded individuals and groups.”

Sister Nirmalini wants the CRI members to write letters of support to the wrestlers, give memorandum to district collectors and state governors.

She wants them to donate and help in collecting relief supplies for the victims of Manipur and use social media “to condemn what is happening to our wrestlers and in Manipur.”

She reminds her people that they can no longer “remain ensconced in our comfort zones; our silence and our fear to play a prophetic role, makes us complicit in the many crimes of today.”

She reminds them of Pope Francis’ constant demand that the religious must “wake up” and also “to wake up others.”

She quotes the Pope’ apostolic exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” (The Joy of the Gospel): “Demands involving the distribution of wealth, concern for the poor and human rights cannot be suppressed under the guise of creating a consensus on paper or a transient peace for a contented minority. The dignity of the human person and the common good rank higher than the comfort of those who refuse to renounce their privileges. When these values are threatened, a prophetic voice must be raised.”

“Let us then, begin NOW – before it is too late,” Sister Nirmalini ends her letter with this plea.

Several prominent Indian wrestlers, including Olympic gold medalists, April 23 resumed their protest against the alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a member of parliament who was the president of the Wrestling Federation of India.

In January this year, they organized a sit-in at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar making the sexual harassment allegations against Singh public.

After an assurance that the federal government would form a committee to look into the allegations, the protests were called off later that month.

The committee report was submitted on April 5 but not made public, forcing the wrestlers and their supporters to resume their protest, citing inaction by authorities.

In the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, attacks on Christians and tribal groups began May 3 killing unspecified number of people and torching of hundreds of churches and houses. The state remains tense even after a month.