By Prof. Dr. M. Mary John.
It would be a farce of the synodality journey by the catholic church in India if it does not address the casteism and discrimination against Dalit Christians and end these.
In response to Pope Francis’ Synodal Exhortation in the catholic church world over, the synodal process is going on for the past two years in the Catholic Church in India. This process in India has to be critically looked at from the perspective of Dalit Christians and the reality of casteism and discrimination against them within the Church, though there are also other concerns. Dalit Christians are the converts to Christianity from the erstwhile untouchable communities in India, also known as the Christians of Scheduled Castes (SC) origin.
For a meaningful “Communion, Participation and Mission” to create a synodal church in India, it is imperative to discern, acknowledge and wake up to the historical caste oppression and discrimination against Dalit Christians. But this much needed discernment is blacked out deliberately and meticulously. The socio-religious and theological ramifications of the issue should be discerned with the aim to bring about change.
But, the Synodal exercise monitored by the caste dominant Catholic hierarchy in India has suppressed the voice of the Dalits who remain oppressed within the Church. It is certainly against the essential purpose of the synodal journey.
The report of the “National Synthesis of the Synodal Consultatio, 2021-2023” by the Conference of Catholic Bishops in India (CCBI), is presented to the first session of the XVI general assembly of the synod for a synodal church being held in Rome this October. In this report, the word ‘Dalit’ itself is mentioned only obscurely and nominally. Where is then the voice of these victim Dalits in the synodality process?
This synodality process in India has become only a further opportunity to the hierarchy and clergy to eclipse the historical caste domination and discrimination against Dalit Catholics. Yet, doing this, they repeatedly say that they are guided by the Holy Spirit. Their lips and tongues speak of the Holy Spirit, but their minds and hearts work with the caste spirit! That is why the discrimination against Dalits in the Church continues unabated. They always think that Holy Spirit works only through the caste hierarchy and clergy. They could not accept that Holy Spirit works also through the victim Dalit Christians and their movement seeking liberation, equality and justice.
Synod for a Synodal Church
The Indian bishops would imitate and join in the general chorus of Synodality in the ‘Synod for a Synodal Church’ in Rome. But back in India they will be all against applying its ideals to Dalit Christian issue. Unless they shed off their narrow and mean mentality of casteism, how can they listen to the Holy Spirit? The synodality process is not only a spiritual, theological or a pious exercise. It Should lead to reforms and radical changes and decisions.
With the formidable caste hegemony against the Dalit Christians who comprise the big majority section of people in the Catholic Church in India, the claim of creating a Synodal Church in India is a farce. There is complete caste domination, from the hierarchy to all other levels of leadership, in the clergy, administration, its institutions and in the benefit of resources, and deprivation of their rights and representation, hurting their human dignity and life. Setting this right should inevitably start with giving them rightful representation in the hierarchy.
The hierarchy has no conscience to this people and their rights are plundered, yet, their voice for justice is maligned as a hindrance to a peaceful Church. For them peace means silence in the face of injustice.
Of course, there are other concerns like equality for women in leadership, lay Catholics equal participation, etc which are important. But the concern for Dalits justice, rights and equality will be neglected, rather deliberately as usual.
It should be known that in the early days of Christianity in India itself, the first Three Provincial Councils of Goa in 1567, 1585 and in 1606 respectively forbade the low castes and the untouchables to join seminaries. “The Fifth Provincial Council said, for the dignity of the priesthood and respect due to ecclesiastic positions, low castes should not be admitted to religious orders. Only sons of higher castes, for example brahmins, prabhus, should be ordained”. This legacy still continues for Dalit Christians more actively now, but undeclared and invisible. The Synod on Synodality in Rome has to be made aware of this.
It is a coincidence that the present Archbishop of Goa, His Eminence Filipe Neri Antonio leads the India team in the Synod on Synodality held in Rome, and he is also the present President of CCBI, who does not consider casteism and discrimination of Dalits in the Catholic Church as a serious issue. This is reflected in the Report of the National Synthesis of the Synodal Consultation in India (2021-2023), which has carefully blacked out the discernment of these. All these centuries and decades these issues have been covered-up deliberately from the Holy See and the international Catholic community.
Equal Rights to Dalits Within the Church
It is all very well for the hierarchy to talk of having inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit. But when the question of equal rights to Dalits within the Church is raised, the Holy Spirit in them becomes ‘the caste spirit’! The first Synod on Synodality going on in the Vatican now has to recognize this farce.
We talk of communion, discernment and mission for the synodal journey. I have to ask the Catholic hierarchy in India and particularly the bishops and religious from India participating in the General Synod in Rome now, where is the discernment of the Dalit issue? Is mission related to Dalits liberation and empowerment given due place? In the synodality process, where is the place for the CBCI’s “Policy of Dalit Empowerment in the Catholic Church in India” declared in 2016?
The following are some relevant data to understand the reality of Dalits oppression and gravity of the injustice meted out to them in the Catholic Church.
First of all, it should be known that Dalit Catholics comprise a big majority of 12 million out of 19 million Catholics in India (that is 63% are Dalit Catholics), even according to the CBCI Dalit policy document. In southern states such as in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry(Puducherry), there is more concentration of Dalit Catholics comprising more than 70%.
But, among about 200 Catholic bishops in India, there are only 10 Dalit bishops (that is only 5%). Among 31 Archbishops, there are only three Dalit Archbishops (that is only 9%).
There are about 400 religious congregations with more than 1000 Superior generals/ Major superiors/Provincials. But among them, Dalit Catholics are hardly about 5%. Among more than a lakh priests and religious (both men & women), Dalit Catholics are only about 5%.
In particular, in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry regions, there is only one Dalit bishop out of the 18 dioceses, which is almost negligible, and no Dalit Archbishop at all.
This is about the position in the hierarchy, superiors, priests and religious As a consequence of this, Dalit Catholics representation at all other levels are also severely marginalized. In the Catholic institutions of higher and professional education Dalit Catholics in students and the employed may be about 8% only.
Even looking at these data, we have to question or we cannot escape the question whether the synodality exercise monitored by the hierarchy and the clergy in India is genuine and meaningful or even really spiritual and theological without addressing this core issue. This oppression, discrimination and exclusion of Dalits is directly antithetical to a synodal church in India.
The global as well as the country wise synodality exercise without addressing core issues of injustice and inequality would be only a routine, peripheral and cosmetic exercise, with verbal rhetoric finely worded in documents. It would be a historical failure if this opportunity is missed. It is hoped that Pope Francis would give his pontifical direction regarding this.
Casteism in the Catholic Church in India: The Original Sin
In the Catholic Church in India, casteism is the original sin that has to be addressed in this synodality journey. It is the hierarchy and clergy, rather than the lay Christians, who actively discriminate against Dalit Christians.
For more than 30 years now, Dalit Christians are vociferously raising voice for justice and equality after centuries of silence. They are forced to make even public protests and raise through the media. Their voice against prolonged discrimination cannot and should not be ignored in the process to create a Synodal Church. In fact, it is a vital source for discernment. But instead, the hierarchy only belittle their voice and betray their cause. They accuse that their voice for justice is a breach of peace in the Church. For them, peace is silence and submission in the face of injustice.
It is an urgent and imminent need that the global synod for a synodal Church addresses this issue. It should be a defining moment to end the historical casteism as well as the gender-inequality and inequality and deprivations faced by the lay faithful.
The Synodal Consultation 2021-2023 Report by the CCBI is presented in the first session of the ‘General Assembly of the Synod for a Synodal Church, held in Rome this October.
Some Statements in this report are noteworthy:
“The caution, silence, and slow response of the Catholic Church against socio economic and political issue of the country are disturbing.”
This statement is understandable as far as these problems outside the Church concerned, given the minority nature of Christianity in India, often alleged as ‘foreign’. But this lamenting by the hierarchy is not genuine, because it is the same case with the issues within the Church, and that is most disturbing. In particular, ‘the caution, silence and slow response’ of the Catholic hierarchy against the blatant discrimination of Dalits within the Church is not only disturbing but also betraying this people and christ’s values.
Empowerment of Dalits in the Church?
In the Synodal Journey, there is no place even for the “policy for empowerment of Dalits in the Catholic Church in India” that was discerned and declared by the CBCI itself in 2016. It is completely ignored in the process, and also it is not implemented all these years.
The report speaks about ‘socio-political participation and the Church’. It says, “The Christian community needs to address socio-political issues in a timely manner. Training lay faithful for public life, speaking up against injustice and violations of the rights of the marginalized is a prophetic role that the Church can expose more actively. The Church is invited to be the conscience of the society and collaborate with persons of goodwill in eradicating the evil effects of the caste system, child labor, illiteracy, gender discrimination……”
It is well said, but the hierarchy as well as clergy and religious are the ones acting completely against these observation, especially when it comes to the Dalit Catholics justice, equality and right, and they malign their movement demanding these. This hypocrisy is a biggest obstacle in creating a synodal church in India.
Speaking of ‘Inclusion’, the report says, “To address issues of discrimination based on caste, gender, language, ethnicity and social status, create a database to identify such persons and groups to give them equitable representation in participatory structures and leadership roles”. …. It further says, “The faithful have expressed a strong desire to belong to the Church and to bear witness to Christ by reaching out to the voiceless, powerless and the marginalized”. But, the Catholic hierarchy and leadership is not willing to hear the cry by the historically oppressed. Is it not their hypocrisy?
Further the report says, “The diversity within the Church–on account of caste, culture, rite, language, region and ethnicity–must become a space for celebration instead of division”
But how can we Christians celebrate castes as mere diversity, which divides people as high and low, which is based on inequality, injustice and indignity, and treats the Dalits as outcasts? This statement should be seen as a veiled acceptance and assertion of the casteist attitude and mindset of the Catholic hierarchy and clergy, and their domination over the Dalits. The statement is adding insult to the injury of Dalits who suffer under the caste system. The main office bearers of the CCBI who authored the report are now sitting in the synod of in Rome. What can Dalit Catholics expect from them?
The report says, “Living a life centered on the values of God’s kingdom in the best way of Evangelization …… Catholic Schools and institutions need to become evangelizing platforms in a new way”. But on the best way of evangelization, the Kingdom Values of equality, justice and right to the poor and oppressed are not explicitly emphasized in the report.
Outcasts Close to Pope’s Heart
Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Guadium (EG), emphasizes the importance of inclusion, peace and social dialogue (as key element of evangelization) today and says, “Our Faith in Christ who became poor and was always close to the poor and the outcast, is the basis for the integral development of society’s most neglected members” (no.186).
Regrettably, the Catholic hierarchy in India and the institutions have not yet taken seriously this call by Pope Francis, for whom the ‘Poor’ means not just the economic category, but first and for most the people who remain historically oppressed and socially excluded which are the root cause of poverty and inequality. His vision of modern evangelization is ‘inclusion’ of these people, both globally and in each country.
How can Catholic Institution become evangelizing platform in a new way when what Pope Francis has said is not adopted by them? Dalits in particular, as well as the poor in general are kept at the fringe of these well established and leading Catholic institutions in the Country, especially in higher and professional institutions.
It is noteworthy that, at the eve of the Synod on Synodality in Rome, a participant Sr. Maria Nirmalini from India raised concern in the media about gender justice, that is, women’s participation and equal leadership in Catholic Church, and rightly so as a woman. She has also rightly raised concern on the voices of lay people being suppressed and their equal participation and leadership deprived by the clericalism in the Church. But, she does not make even a hint on the blatant injustice, inequality and discrimination suffered by Dalit Catholics, which is unique to the Indian context.
She is now the president of “The Conference of Religious in India” (CRI) which is an important leadership position. The CRI manages a vast network of educational and professional institutions, but Dalit Catholics are kept on the fringe of these.
However, she should be appreciated for raising the question of including women in all leadership position in the Church. Will she be able to or bold enough to raise a cardinal question, “why not women bishops and archbishops in Catholic Church?” If this happens it would be making history during the tenure of Pope Francis. Our Dalit Christian Liberation Movement (DCLM) is concerned also about the question of equality for women and lay faithful in Catholic Church.
However, I have to say that it would be a historical failure of this synodality journey of the Catholic Church in India if injustice to Dalits is not addressed with steps to resolve it.
The legitimate demand of Dalit Christians during the past three decades to appoint Dalit bishops and archbishops in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry is not heard by the caste hierarchy, but rather uses all means of its authority to suppress their voice. During the past 20 years, there has been about 15 appointments bishops and archbishops consecutively, but not one among them a Dalit bishop. It is an insult and it is derogatory to the faith of Dalit Catholics who comprise more than 70% among the Catholics here.
It has to be pointed out here that, the last of these appointments in Sivagangai diocese was just in last September. The present president of the Tamil Nadu Bishops Council (TNBC) Archbishop George Antonysamy, who is also the present vice-president of CCBI, has worked behind the screen with the Vatican and saw to it that a priest of his own caste was appointed there. He is a leading participant in the Synod on Synodality in Rome now. How can we expect him to speak for Dalit justice in the Church? What is the synodality he is talking about as the president of the TNBC?
It may be all right for the perpetrators to walk together in silence over injustice. But how can the victims of injustice do it? Even if they do it, is it real synodality inspired by the Holy Spirit?
With the caste hegemony against Dalits continuing, the claim that the synodality journey is progressing well in India with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is a barefaced lie.
We cannot create a synodal catholic church in India with grave injustices of inequality, exclusion and marginalization continuing within, especially for Dalits. It will be only a hoax, a pseudo synodality. We pray louder, we sing louder, preach louder, etc. but keep silence over the injustice and discrimination.
I do not think that this call for synodality journey should end up in walking together and discerning together with silence on injustice. The truth and justice of Dalit Christians is not discerned, but deceived by the Catholic hierarchy. In fact, it is not the lack of their discernment, but their deliberate denial of it. The synodality process now should be a moment to discern this and vow to end this.
To conclude, the synodality journey is a call by Pope Francis for “Communion, Participation, Discernment and Mission.” What do all these mean for the Catholic Church in India that is entrenched in casteism? This question by the victim Dalit Christians stands and stares at the face of India’s Catholic hierarchy. There should be no room for pretention and make-believe exercise. The hierarchy should act with determination, deliberately and transparently on questions of justice, equality and inclusion, more particularly in the case of the Dalits within Catholic Church.
By Prof. Dr. M. Mary John is President, Dalit Christian Liberation Movement (DCLM), Chennai, India.