By Sr. Robancy A Helen –
The Indian Christians of Dalit forum on October 15 called for a conference at Acharapakkam of Chengalput diocese in Tamil Nadu.
They demand a separate rite called Indian-Dalit Individual Church or Rite as the allege that Catholic Church continues to practice caste discrimination within.
The Dalit Christian Liberation Forum in Tamil Nadu invited 260 participants which include Dalit leaders, activists, Journalists, teachers, youth, priests, nuns and members from 27 Dalit movements from all over Tamil Nadu.
It is the first introductory state meeting where the Dalit Catholics and other denominational Churches came together to reflect over for a separate Dalit Rite under the Roman Catholic Church.
The Indian Dalits are deprived of socio-economic and political rights. When St. John XXIII, the Pope opened the Vatican Council II said on October 13, 1965, opening a window, let the fresh air come in. It is not only the fresh air but also fresh thoughts and changes in the Church, said Father S. Lourdusamy, the Regional Secretary of the Laity Commission of Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council.
“We need to have new thoughts in the Roman Catholic Church. We need a Church that says no to caste,” he added.
Pope Francis has called for a Synodal Church inviting all for communion, participation and mission. This conference in Tamil Nadu was to discuss, reflect and act upon a Church where the Dalit Christians celebrate their music, culture and traditions as the Syro–Malabar and Malankara Rites.
The Dalit Rite in the Catholic Church would nurture the Indian Church. It would pave the way for unity in diversity and be an example for multiplicity, said Father Cosmon Arockia Raj, the former national secretary for Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes.
“The Dalit Rite is a proposal, and it is God’s will and it is the need of the hour to form the fourth rite under the Roman Catholic Church. We, the Dalits, are the body of the Christ Crucified on the Cross,” Father Cosmon to the conference.
The culture of Dalits and the dominant caste Christians are different. The Dalits have the right to autonomy, right to equality and the right to evangelize, the priest added.
The Dalit Rite would be in communion with the Pope and it would render hope and strength to the Church.
Father Cosmon along with Father Felix Wilfred, a noted theologian, authored an article titled “towards an Indo–Dalit Individual Church and Rite.
The booklet of the article written on Indo Dalit Rite was released in English by Juliyes Vanathaian, director of Life Empowerment Centre and received by Father Martin Joseph, the regional secretary of the Youth Commission of Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council.
The Tamil version was released by Ramya, an activist and received by Hartmann, the diocesan secretary for SC/ST Commission of Tuticorin diocese.
Referring ‘Orientalium Ecclesiarum’ of Vatican II, the expression “Particular Church” is used to refer to a group or family of Church with its tradition, liturgical rite, spiritual and theological heritage.
“Indian-Dalit Individual Church or Rite is our spiritual search and we have taken a baby step towards it. We have to recreate our map. The Dalits constitute 60% of the Catholic Church thus we need a separate Church,” said Dr. S. Lourdhunathan, a visiting professor, JNU, New Delhi.
He questioned the participants of the conference if they agree to have a Dalit Rite, all said “Yes” to the proposal.
None of the existing rites, neither the Latin nor the two Oriental Individual Churches can cater to the cultural specificity and religious sensitivity, traditions, and customs of the Dalit people. How much sense would it make for the Dalits to be members of the Syro-Malabar or Syro-Malankara Churches?
The lay people’s participation must be there in bringing up the Indo – Dalit Rite. It should not only be the responsibility of priests and nuns bemoans Vallabadas, the President a political party called Makkal Membattu Munnai (MMM).
The proposal of having a separate Dalit Rite is a welcoming idea and it would create credibility in the Church, said Father Martin Joseph.
Christianity preaches love and equality but there is no true love and equality in the Church. The Dalit Christians are discriminated against in the Catholic Church as well as in the Protestant churches.
“We do not want caste discrimination and welcome the idea of having a separate rite and National Dalit Christian Watch (NDCW) would support the move,” said Somu Sekar, the convenor of NDCW Tamil Nadu Chapter.
It is a dire need to have a separate Church and know the culture, theology, a tradition of the Dalits, said Professor Dr. Mary John, President of Dalit Christian Liberation Movement.
Dalit Rite is the Rite of the people. This would help the Dalit Christians to experience God’s love without any discrimination, said Sister Alphonsa, a member of the Aloysius Gonzaga Congregation and the coordinator of the Thurumber Liberation Movement in Tamil Nadu.
The following decisions were made in the conference justifying the need to have a separate rite.
- To disseminate the proposal of Indo Dalit Rite among the people and the church hierarchy widely
- To send a petition to the Pope and the Apostolic Nuncio to commission an Apostolic Visitator for studying the Indian Dalit Rite.
- To form a committee of priests, Dalit movements, experts, like-minded people to take forward the idea and the practical aspects of implementing it.
- To hold a national seminar in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio.
- To organize an international conference inviting the cardinal in-charge from Rome.
The conference was organized by Dalit Christian Liberation Forum (DCLF) Chengalput diocesan unit looked after the logistics.
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