#chhotebhai
The Indian Catholic Forum (ICF) organised a discernment meeting on Synodality and Secularism on 17th/18thFebruary at Anjali, the Provincialate of the Indian Missionary Society (IMS), Varanasi. 30 delegates, including 7 priests, participated. The ICF chose these two areas for deliberation because both are under threat.
The ICF is an informal platform of like minded persons who are concerned about the renewal of the Church and nation building. It was meeting after a gap of 4 years because its two earlier gatherings at Kottayam (2020) and Bangalore (2021) had to be abandoned because of Covid 19.
Shortly after Pope Francis announced the Synod on Synodality the ICF conducted an exhaustive online survey on people’s expectations from the same. The findings were collated and published as “The Pulse of the People”. The report was sent to the Synod Secretariat in Rome, the Catholic media and the bishops of India.
In the spirit of synodality and listening to those at the peripheries, the participants at Varanasi were first asked to express their expectations from this gathering. Some of those were: Renewal of the Church, Inculturation, Implementation of the findings of the Church in India Seminar 1969, the desire to have one’s voice heard in the Vatican, propagation of the teachings of Vatican II vis-à-vis the laity and to be a part of the decision making process in the church.
The ICF Convenor, chhotebhai, gave a brief report on its functioning since the last meeting in Kolkata in 2019. He then presented a paper on how Vatican II teachings are central to synodality. He contrasted the ecclesiology of the pre and post Vatican II church. For example, one earlier said that there was no salvation outside the Catholic Church (Extra ecclesiam nulla salus), whereas the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church now clearly states that even agnostics and atheists can be saved (LG 16). Another famous saying was “Rome has spoken, the chapter is closed” (Roma locuta est, causa finita est), while we now acknowledge that the Church should avail of the laity’s prudent advice (LG 37).
Earlier the Church was too closely identified with Latin and even Roman customs, like genuflection. Now it recognises the ingenuity of local language, culture etc. This is reflected in its social praxis as well. Blind obedience has been replaced by the right to form labour unions and even to go on strike (GS 69). Meek submission has been replaced by the right to legitimate defence (GS 79). St Paul had said that “It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman” (1 Cor 7:1), whereas the family is now described as the domestic church (LG 11). Women were expected to keep quiet (1 Cor 14:34). They are now recognised as equals (GS 9). The earlier paternalistic attitude has been replaced by “The laity have Christ for their brother … they also have for their brothers those in the sacred ministry” (LG 32).
Swami Anildev IMS of Matridham Ashram spoke on the centrality of Jesus to synodality. If we prayerfully reflect on Jesus’ life we find him to be a totally synodal person. He lived among the people, listened to them and stood by them,. He was constantly surrounded by people and sensed their feelings. Even at Gethsemane he sought the prayers of his disciples and after the Resurrection returned to the very ones who had deserted him.
Unfortunately, the Church has lost sight of Jesus. We are too busy cutting ribbons and becoming flower vases (decorative pieces). Our so-called seminars are reduced to reports that gather dust in libraries. If Pope John XXIII opened the windows through Vatican II, Pope Francis has opened the doors for the laity through synodality.
Anildev continued that this going off track has happened because we have stopped praying and seeking Jesus in the Sacred Scriptures. These should be our guiding lights in the synodal process. He also shared his ashram experience of how thousands of people have become believers (Khrist Panthis) and how their lives have been transformed by the Word of God.
Dr Swami Sachidananda bore witness to how he encountered Jesus after an air crash. He was earlier an officer in the Indian Air Force. He opined that the Church in India had missed the boat because it lacked an Indian face. The nascent church had a Jewish face, that later developed into a Roman and Greek one. This was followed by the Colonial Face and then the Commercial face. It was time to rediscover the spiritual genius of Indian spirituality and evolve a truly Indian face, rooted in the local language and culture.
Ms Lucile Kuriakose presented a paper on the Status of Women in the Church. There was gender equality in the beginning of creation. It was gradually suppressed by a male dominated society. She observed that in the New Testament while Jesus’ male disciples deserted him, the women stood by the cross.
Of late the Church had taken some steps for gender equality. Even the Vatican had appointed some women to responsible positions, like Sr Nathalie Becquart for the Synod, but by and large they are still on the periphery. Several women have been victims of clerical sexual abuse and they are still far from the decision making process.
She advocated ordination for women and married persons, as there was no theological reason to deny this. There was also dire need for the Church to change its rigid stance on Natural Family Planning. What is really shocking is that a woman who procures an abortion (regardless of the circumstances) incurs a latae sententiae (automatic) ex-communication, without an opportunity to be heard (cf Can 1398).
Rev Sunil Francis Rozario, former editor of The Herald, Kolkata, dwelt on the role of the media in promoting synodality. He said that Pope Francis himself had to rely on the secular media to express his thoughts as the official Vatican media was inadequate. Tragically, the pope seemed to be walking the path of synodality all alone.
During the discussions the issue of online masses and services arose. The participants felt that this had served its purpose during the Covid lockdown, but there was no need to perpetuate them, as they had neither communion nor participation. Besides, sundry preachers were competing for audiences.
From Synodality the focus shifted to Secularism that was under severe threat in the country. Isaac Gomes presented a detailed analysis of how various State governments were enacting Anti-Conversion laws euphemistically referred to as “Freedom of Religion Acts”, beginning with Orissa in 1967. It is unfortunate that despite the Christian community’s massive contribution to nation building, it is today being viewed with suspicion by the present political dispensation.
What is particularly worrying is that some of these laws place the onus of proving one’s innocence on the accused, the person involved in alleged conversion. What further militates against human rights is the provisio for taking prior permission from the district authorities for conversion or even for an inter-faith marriage. While placing our trust in the wisdom of the Supreme Court the community needs to simultaneously be eternally vigilant.
M.L. Satyan presented the next paper on the Threat to Secularism. The 42nd Amendment to the Constitution, in 1976, declared India to be a secular nation. Articles 16,25,26,27 & 28 lay the foundation for equality of treatment and opportunity for all, regardless of religion.
Satyan said that the Hindutva agenda of “India only for the Hindus”, with one language and one culture is striking at the root of secularism and needs to be addressed socially and politically. But why blame only the majority religion? The speaker showed some videos in Tamil and Malayalam of how Christian preachers also indulged in religious bigotry.
The focus now shifted to specific case studies – the Saffronisation of the North East and the Struggle for Justice in Mysore Diocese.
John Shilshi, a former Additional Director General of Police, native to Manipur State, gave a lucid explanation of how Christian majority States in the North East, like Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland, now have either BJP governments or those in alliance with it; something that Christians living in other parts of the country find difficult to digest.
Shilshi identified the following key reasons for the BJP’s success in the region: Infrastructure development, improved security, the China threat on the one hand and on the other, the materialistic mindset of the public, blatant misuse of money power, the inability of the Christian leadership to assume the moral high ground, and the lack of co-operation among various sister churches that are invariably competing with each other.
The last session was the most explosive. Four priests from Mysore Diocese, led by Rev Gnana Prakash, presented a graphic account of their struggle for justice against Bishop K.A. William who is facing serious allegations of murder, kidnapping, sexual offences, fathering at least one child, and financial misappropriation. From the time that the ICF came to know of these developments it has fully supported the aggrieved persons in their quest for justice and purgation of the Church.
After a four year struggle, early last month Propaganda Fide ordered the bishop to go on leave of absence and appointed an Apostolic Administrator. Despite that subsequent events show that the disgraced bishop still calls the shots, planning his comeback and plotting the denouement of the whistle blowers. Even though Propaganda Fide had ordered William to undergo a paternity test on 15/8/2020 he has managed to evade the same till now. The participants strongly endorsed the demand for the errant bishop to undergo the paternity test as ordered by the Vatican, following strict legal procedures. In the interim he should not be permitted to reside in the geographical territory of the diocese, nor should he have access to diocesan funds.
The ICF then planned its future course of action. The Varanasi Declaration had a five point charter:
- It endorsed the recommendations made earlier in the online Survey. They included – improving the functioning of parish councils and finance committees, lay involvement in the selection of bishops who should be transferable every ten years, the establishment of Grievance Cells and Arbitration Boards in every diocese, a more humane and pastoral approach to family planning as espoused by the Church in India Seminar of 1969, a non-condemnatory approach to abortion, ordination of women and married persons. The participants would create awareness of these issues through their respective areas of influence.
- The teachings of Vatican II, its ecclesiology and social praxis are central to synodality. Hence a YouTube channel or website would be started to propagate these ideas and values. A special media cell would be tasked with this work.
- A strong commitment to ecumenism, inter-religious dialogue, inculturation of our religious expressions should be the focus of our activities at all levels.
- Efforts at promoting a secular society are needed. We must educate people on the dangers of the anti-conversion laws and those who propagate them, by creating a counter narrative through the media.
- There should be a special thrust for women’s equality in both church and society beginning with greater participation of women in all our activities.
Swami Sachidananda says “Begin with yourself, begin now, begin small”. This would be the mantra of the ICF, to truly be the salt of the earth (cf Mat 5:13) as Jesus envisaged. The ICF will continue to be a platform, a forum, not an institution or organisation.
chhotebhai described this as being the Fifth Estate, distinct from the other four estates seen from biblical times, the French Revolution, modern democracy and the institutionalised hierarchical Catholic Church. This was the realm of social media and activists seeking reform and renewal.
The ICF reconstituted its Core Committee tasked with fulfilling this agenda with chhotebhai (Kanpur) as Convenor, John Shilshi IPS (Retd) of Imphal as Convenor for the Media, Isaac Gomes (Kolkata) as the Secretary, and Cornelius Kujur (Kanpur) as the Treasurer. Swami Sachidananda (Kochi) and Rev Sunil Francis Rozario (Kolkata) would be the special advisors.
(Soft copies of the presentations are available on request from noronha.kp@gmail.com)