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INDIA: Survey reveals faithful's priorities for brighter future
By John Newton
A map of India, where Christians in the north of the country have identified authentic Christian witness as their top priority
Catholics in India have told an official survey that their faith should be placed at the heart of the Church’s outreach to the poor and disadvantaged.
Despite increasing anti-Christian violence in key parts of the country, 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 interview with Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas, who commissioned the investigation soon after taking post last year.
The results come at a time of reports of increased violence and intimidation against Christians in India. The situation has escalated since widespread attacks in Kandhamal district, Orissa state, in the east of the country in 2007-8.
Bishop Mascarenhas said that he would redouble efforts to prioritise 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. It was normal for families to have three to four children, he explained.
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.
But he explained that the Church had 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.
Bishop Mascarenhas 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 organise as it covers 84,000 square kilometres – four times the size of Belgium.
Out of about 20 million people living in this vast area, there are only 20,000 Christians – about 0.07 percent of the population – most of whom 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 £3 million to projects to help the Church there.
The charity’s aid for India includes Mass stipends for priests, distribution of 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.