ACN-USA News
10/6/2010
Faith and outreach in India
Catholics in India – undaunted by increasing anti-Christian violence in key parts of the country – have stated in an official survey that their faith should be placed at the heart of the Church’s outreach to the poor and disadvantaged.
The results of the comprehensive consultation in Simla-Chandigarh, in the north of the country, showed the faithful identifying authentic Christian witness as the top priority for the diocese in the coming years.
The survey’s findings were highlighted in an Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) interview with Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas, who commissioned the investigation soon after taking his post last year.
The results come at a time of reports of increased violence and intimidation against Christians in India, including the widespread attacks in Kandhamal district, Orissa state, in the east of the country in 2007-8.
Bishop Mascarenhas told the Catholic charity for persecuted and other suffering Christians that he would redouble efforts to prioritize Christian outreach “through our schools, our preaching, our service – telling people it is Christ’s love we are sharing, and not being too afraid.”
“Our institutes must remember they exist to bring Christ’s love.”
The second priority listed by the faithful in Simla-Chandigarh was education, with a particular commitment to give more poor children places in Catholic schools.
Noting how support for youth emerged as the third most important issue, Bishop Mascarenhas cited reports that India currently has the highest number of young people in the world – explaining that it is normal for families to have three to four children.
He said the Church would focus on increasing young people’s faith and promoting Christian ways of living in contrast to the contrary messages appearing in the media.
Their fourth priority was social development, “helping poor people to stand on their feet, forming self-help groups.”
The bishop outlined the need for a special emphasis on the rights of women and girls, explaining how they are perceived as a drain on the family, who are required to pay a dowry when they are married.
Because of this they are frequently neglected and many die.
Bishop Mascarenhas explained that the Church has been caring for unwanted girls in hostels run by religious Sisters.
He said the perception of girls as a burden is slowly changing, “but it will take time.”
The final priority was expanding health care.
The bishop said, “The missionaries started schools, healthcare, and social development – in fact Christians are well known in India for social development.”
Teams have been set up to help implement these five priorities as part of the Church’s mission.
The consultation exercise in Simla-Chandigarh diocese was difficult to organize as it covers 32,000 square miles – four times the size of Maryland.
Out of about 20 million people living in this vast area, there are only 20,000 Christians – about 0.07 percent of population – most of who live in small villages.
Especially since the recent attacks on Christians in India, Aid to the Church in Need has made it a priority country and in 2009 gave more than $5 million to projects to help the Church there.
The charity’s aid for India includes Mass stipends for priests, distribution of ACN Child’s Bibles and other religious education literature, training of seminarians and novices, building churches and other Catholic structures and providing vehicles for clergy ministering in remote and dangerous regions.
Editor’s Notes:
Directly under the Holy Father, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity - helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.
Founded in 1947 by Father Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity,” the organization is now at work in over 145 countries throughout the world.
The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 43 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.
For more information contact Michael Varenne at michael@churchinneed.org or call 718-609-0939 or fax718-609-0938. Aid to the Church in Need, 725 Leonard Street, PO Box 220384, Brooklyn, NY 11222-0384. www.churchinneed.org
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