Attacks on Christians
The intermittent attacks on priests, nuns and Christians lay people in different parts of India are tragic and need to be condemned by one and all. But these incidents also must wake up the Christian community and compel them to do some introspection. Hindu people in India are generally pious and look upon religious persons (sanyasi) of any community with utmost reverence and profound respect. The Hindus also flock to Mount Mary, Bandra and to St Michael Church, Mahim, both in Mumbai and to Velankanni in Tamil Nadu for worship with liberal mind and open hearts which even the Christians do not have. Has anybody ever seen a Christian going to a Hindu temple for worship? It is therefore strange to see that the Hindus carry out violent and barbaric attacks against the priests, nuns and Christians. It is even ironic if one considers that the slain or injured Christian persons had all along worked for the welfare and betterment of the poor people irrespective of their caste or creed. The psychology behind such reported hostile and ungrateful responses therefore needs to be understood.
All the developmental work done and material support given to the Hindu underprivileged by the Christian religious are perceived as cryptic methods to convert the beneficiaries to Christianity. A section of Hindu intellectuals and activists have always been upset at the involvement of Christian religious with Hindu people. According to them, Christian priests, nuns and pastors should work only for the Christians and should not interfere in the affairs of Hindu people as their upliftment and development is the responsibility of the government and of Hindu people. It also confuses them to see that the ordained priests and nuns of Christian religion insisting on letting them mix up with people of Hindu religion. Will the Church be quiet spectator if tomorrow Hindu Sanyasis or Muslim Moulavis start visiting the Christian families? They ask.
On the other hand, it can also be asked whether the Christians really have spare priests and nuns to work for all the people irrespective of their caste and creed. Last year, Fr. Babu Joseph, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops Conference of India had publicly pointed out that there is acute shortage of priests and nuns in India and had exhorted Christian youth to join seminaries and convents. According to a conservative estimate, seventy percent of Christian in India are poor, underprivileged and reside in villages. They know only the vernacular language of the state of their domicile and are lagging far behind in social and economic development. Their social and economic problems have not vanished by joining the Christian fold a few centuries ago. In the perennially caste conscious Indian society, positions of command and respect seldom come to them even in the Church hierarchy, even if they have merit. Sadly, the number of priests and nuns dedicated to the upliftment and development of these seventy percent unfortunate Christians is woefully inadequate.
In fact, it has become a fashion these days for some bishops, priests and nuns to boast that their mission work is for all people irrespective of their caste and creed. Some of the over zealous bishops, priests and nuns in the course of their work have become almost indifferent and insensitive towards Christians and have developed a curious penchant for popularity among non-Christians, especially Hindus. On account this, many Christians have embraced other denominations of Christianity, while some others have even returned to Hindu fold.
A time has come for the laity to reiterate that the Christian priests and nuns owe themselves to the Christian community only and that they should strive for spiritual, social and economic development of the Christians and in our multi religious country should not get themselves entangled with non-Christians. The mission of spreading the message of love among non-Christian people is best left the laity. In fact, it is being carried out by the laity through their words and deeds every day as they have to mix up with the non-Christians during their day-to-day interaction at work places and business organizations. The laity should be considered as buffer group between the priests, nuns pastors and the non-Christians.
The Church in India would then acquire a true image of herself based on the life and work of the laity. The priest and nuns would also be then more secure, revered and venerated for their total detachment and spirituality.
But will it happen? In the article captioned “Coming for the Christians” by Mr. George Menezes in the Times of India (4.10.2008), he had rightly pointed out that as for the Church and community there is a total absence of clout and total absence of the kind of leadership that is required in such frightening times. It is sad fact that the enlightened laity has been kept out decision making process by the Indian Church. Is the Church listening?
- Vincent Bagul
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