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INDIA: Catholics targeted by fellow Christians
By John Pontifex
Bishop Jose Mukala of Kohima, north-east India, with young Catholics.
Acts of violence and intimidation by some Protestant groups in north-east India are preventing thousands of people from converting to Catholicism – according to a leading bishop there.
Bishop Jose Mukala reported an upsurge in attacks and propaganda against the Catholic Church in the mainly Protestant region of Kohima, including thinly-veiled threats on his life, destruction of church buildings and a ban on conversions by village elders.
Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Mukala spoke out against some Baptist communities and Evangelical church groups in the mainly Christian region, saying that people were being denied freedom of religion.
In an interview during a visit to Aid to the Church in Need’s international headquarters in Germany, Bishop Mukala said: “There is a big increase in the number of people in the diocese wanting to become Catholic but there is very strong opposition among some of the local Protestant leaders. These issues have got a lot worse recently.
“If this opposition stopped, there would be a flood of conversions to Catholicism.”
The bishop said some Evangelicals – local self-governing Churches – as well a number of Baptists were alarmed at the rise of Catholicism in Kohima.
In Kohima district, in the border state of Nagaland, Catholicism arrived as late as 1951, when the first faithful were baptised. Now Catholics have grown to 58,000 in a total population of 1.9 million, most of whom are Evangelical Christians.
Bishop Mukala described how, on a visit to the few Catholic families living in a small village in the diocese, he was suddenly called to a parish meeting where the elder warned of “something happening” to him if he returned.
The bishop continued: “When he told me this, I replied that if something did happen to me, it would be the elder’s responsibility.
"So far, nothing has happened.”
In another village, Christian fundamentalists are accused of being behind the destruction of a Catholic church which could only be rebuilt under police protection.
The threat of further violence forced the bishop to take out law suits against individuals accused of carrying out the attacks on the Church.
Bishop Mukala explained that blame for the anti-Catholic activity did not lie with religious leaders but with local fanatics in specific towns and villages.
He said: “The opposition does not come from Protestant pastors, but from village leaders. They say there should be one state, one tribe and one religion. We are trying to convince them that they must allow people to be free.”
Explaining the popularity of Catholicism, the bishop stressed the success of diocesan schools, which he said had a better reputation than government alternatives. Of the 20 top-performing schools in the region, 16 were Catholic, he said.
The diocese’s 150 Catholic schools – most of them primary – provide for more than 30,000 children.
Underlining the role of religious Sisters in the schools, he said: “Our schools are much better than the other schools because of the Sisters present. Discipline is good and the management of the school is effective.
“The Catholic Church has placed an emphasis on integrity and hard work and that attracts people.
“There is also a genuine desire among people wanting to become Catholic. People want to know what we believe and why.”
Bishop Mukala went on to thank Aid to the Church in Need for its long-time support, saying that the charity had helped with 37 projects in the diocese over the past decade – including aid for poor and persecuted priests (Mass stipends), building new churches and presbyteries, and motorbikes and other transport for clergy in remote areas.
Among the top Aid to the Church in Need projects are printing and distributing the charity’s Child’s Bible in the local languages of Lotha and Angami and catechetical programmes.
Bishop Mukala said: “With all my heart I want to thank Aid to the Church in Need for what it has done to support the Church in our diocese. We always ask the faithful to pray for the benefactors.”
The bishop said he encouraged his faithful to give what they could to support projects including helping to build structures such as churches and provision of raw materials, for example timber and stones.