By Sofia Thomas
Krishnagar, Dec 1, 2023: A Jesuit social activist has challenged Christians in India to come out of their comfort zones and critique the situations around him, following the example of Christ.
“Why are we afraid to stand up, to take risks and to ask questions?” Jesuit Father Cedric Prakash asked the leaders of the Catholic Church in West Bengal and Sikkim during a recent meeting.
As many as 82 people, including eight Bishops, and about 25 major superiors, besides delegates and priests attended the November 14-15 meeting which was held at Don Bosco Youth Centre, Krishnagar, some 115 km north of Kolkata, capital of West Bengal state.
The meeting served as a platform for reflection and dialogue aiming to empower and guide the Catholic community in addressing contemporary challenges while staying true to their vocation and faith.
Father Prakash, while speaking on “Current situation in India and our vocation,” reminded the participants they are set apart to be different as Jesus.
“We need to understand the context of today. It is time now that we revisited the vision and mission of our founders. Compassion is the most important virtue we need in order to reach out to the poor,” he said.
At the same time, Christians have to be prudent as they journey ahead. “We should have a sense of direction because Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted.”
The Jesuit priest urged the group to share on the major concerns, cries and challenges of greater significance in the Church and country. He also discussed the key articles and essential dimensions of the Indian Constitution.
He encouraged the participants to learn the Constitution as the country approaches general elections in 2024. He wants every adult Christian to ensure their names are on the electoral rolls. “This is our responsibility as citizens of our country,” he asserted.
Daughters of St Paul Sister Joeyanna D’Souza, addressed the meeting on the second day, on “Witnessing Jesus in a Digital Age.”
She explored the significance of being empowered by the Holy Spirit in navigating the digital realm. She highlighted the need to strengthen connections with the divine to authentically represent Jesus in the digital space.
In this fast moving ever evolving world, she spoke about the use of AI and human dignity, its challenges and concerns. She also helped them analyze their digital literacy and how much more they need to improve to become relevant to the present generation.
She also addressed addiction to the Internet and Smartphone and guided the participants to a meditation to enable better control of the mind and body and overcome addiction.
The meeting concluded with a thanksgiving Mass presided by Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta.
M.L. Satyan has rightly held up the mirror to the church hierarchy, of which Fr Cedric is a part. Several years ago, a rally (of various churches – mainly Catholic) was held in Kolkata to protest vandalisation/ destruction of churches (mainly in NCR) immediately after the NDA came to power. The rally culminated at Park Circus 7-point crossing. The Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Calcutta did not participate in the rally, but his Vicar General did, as did several priests, nuns and lay members who carried banners of their respective parishes and sang songs all the way. After the end of the rally, I asked a former bishop (CEO) from Church of North India, his viewpoint on church persecution. He replied the members of Laity have to shed their blood and their blood will sow the seeds of many more churches than were being demolished. I asked him why all the time the Laity and why won’t bishops, priests and religious face the lathi-charge, bayonets and bullets. He beat a hasty retreat.
It is also not clear whether Fr Cedric’s appeal to “come out of the comfort zone” is only to Catholic church leaders or the Christian Church of India. It must be mentioned here that our Church institutions are increasingly becoming `Elitist’ and it’s the clergy class of these institutions which, by their opaque financial operation, is in the “comfort zone” both in arrogance and creature comforts (plush cars, the latest mobile phones and electronic gadgets). “Compassion for the poor (students) ” is the last thing they have. The <10:90+ abysmal ratio of Christian students: non-Christian students especially in church institutions of higher learning clearly reflects this "compassion!" Whom are we serving?
The participant-group seems to consist of bishops, priests and nuns. But the priest seems to have asked the “Christians” to leave their comfort zones. Of course, the clergy is part of the Christian group. But… the general understanding is this: Christians denote lay Christians and non-Catholic groups.
My humble question is: “How many bishops, priests and nuns in India are ready to leave their comfort zones and take risks to serve the needy people?”
I admit that there are a few exceptions. But it is sad to note that a vast majority of the clergy and nuns do not leave their comfort zones.
On the other hand, a vast majority of the lay Christians are already out of their comfort zones and take a lot of risks. Many of them, including me, have a “hand-to-mouth existence”. But this is not the case with the clergy and nuns.