Prof. Dr. M. Mary John –
It is fitting to celebrate Saint Devasahayam who was canonized recently by the Vatican. But it is more important and necessary to invoke the true spirit of his martyrdom. It should not to be treated only as a spiritual exercise or religious ritual but more relevantly, it should be treated as an occasion for serious introspection on the casteism and caste discrimination in the Catholic Church in India, particularly about the oppression and discrimination that is continuing historically against the Dalit faithful within its fold. This occasion should be a call to the Catholic Church to stop this. This is also important in the context of the Call by Pope Francis for synodality in the Church.
It is known worldwide today that St. Devasahayam was martyred because he converted to Christianity in defiance to the Caste system with all its oppression and discrimination, and stood a true witness to Christ’s values and mission. He stood up firmly against the caste hegemony of the ruling class of the then kingdom of Travancore in South India. This was officially declared as the cause of his sainthood during the canonization ceremony in the Vatican, highlighted in the sermons and in the media.
However, it is not known so well to the world Christian community that Caste oppression and discrimination are continuing in the Catholic Church much against the martyrdom of St. Devasahayam about three centuries ago and Dalit Christians remain its worst victim. The Dalit Christian Liberation Movement (DCLM) is precisely raising this issue, vociferously in recent times. But this truth will be suppressed and hidden by the glitters of the celebration, liturgical services and rituals scheduled to be led by the top members of India’s Catholic hierarchy.
We write this open letter because it is fitting on the occasion to remind the Catholic hierarchy and clergy especially that what our DCLM stands for and demands, and what Dalit Christians cry for is precisely the same cause for which saint Devasahayam was martyred 270 years ago by the caste perpetrators and the caste hegemonic ruling class of the then Travancore kingdom. But even after so many years, casteism, caste oppression, and discrimination continues in the Catholic Church itself, which needs to be challenged on this occasion.
It is important and fitting to introspect about it while invoking the intercession of St. Devasahayam. More than anything else, it has to be an explicit part of this special prayer service. It has to be a conscious exercise by the Catholic hierarchy more than the people. It should be an occasion for the hierarchy to take responsibility and resolve to stop the caste discrimination and hegemony that is going on against the Dalits within the Church.
The canonization of St. Devasahayam from Tamil Nadu state of India has taken place at a time when Dalit Christians in the state have stepped up their struggle against casteism in the Catholic Church, especially in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.
What is appalling is that, a lot has changed in the Indian society and polity after the adoption of the Constitution of independent India which abolished untouchability and caste discrimination, but the status quo of caste domination continues in the Catholic Church.
Any way it is a great thing and really in honour of the saint that the Canonization is as “Saint Devasahayam” and not as “Saint Devasahayam Pillai”. Otherwise it would have become an irreversible and a permanent blot on our Universal Mother Catholic Church.
It is noteworthy here that Mr. S. Peter Alphonse, the Chairman of State Minorities Commission, Government of Tamil Nadu who led the delegation of the Government to the Canonization ceremony of Saint Devasahayam in the Vatican, while speaking to the audience of a cultural programme in the Vatican on the eve of the Canonization clearly stated that the fundamental reason for the martyrdom of Saint Davasahayam is the “filth of Caste” and it is the great lesson the Catholic Church has to learn. He further said he believed that if Saint Devasahayam makes our people to realize that there is no place for the filth of casteism in the Catholic Church then that itself would be a great success.
The DCLM and Dalit Christians have their legitimate aspirations and questions at this historical moment.
Will this occasion of thanks giving prayer service to saint Devasahayam bring out a change of heart in the celebrants of the service and the hierarchy at large to do justice to the Dalit Christians without further delay? Will it inspire them to shed off their formidable caste mindset?
Will their conscience be awakened to the martyrdom of St. Devasahayam to stand up against the caste division, oppression and domination? Will it inspire them to take up an intellectual crusade for the rights of Dalits who are the most affected?
Will any of these bishops and prelates at the helm follow saint Devasahayam as a model to fight the Casteism in the Catholic Church first of all? Will they decide and resolve to stop marginalizing Dalit Christians and excluding them from the hierarchy?
If these do not happens, then the thanksgiving prayer service would be yet another ceremonial betrayal of Dalit Christians as well as of saint Devasahayam himself and the cause for which he was martyred.
As the real mark of tribute, respect and faith in St. Devasahayam and his martyrdom against the caste hegemony, the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council and Catholic Bishops Council of India should initiate a time-bound special drive to appoint Dalit bishops, archbishops and prelates to bring about their fair representation in the Catholic hierarchy, and the Apostolic Nuncio to India should appropriately intervene to make them accountable to it.
Prof. Dr. Mary John is State President, Dalit Christian Liberation Movement, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry