BENGALURU (UCAN): The superiors of Catholic religious congregations of men and women in India stressed the need for inter-congregational collaboration for the betterment of the Church amid increasing hostility against Christians.
The Conference of Religious India [CRI], the national body of major superiors of Catholic religious congregations, heard several such calls during its May 14-17 gathering in Bengaluru, a southern Indian city.
“When we come together, it not only helps us promote innovation and creative thinking among ourselves but also helps us effectively address several pressing problems,” said Apostolic Carmel Sister Maria Nirmalini, the forum president.
“We find the need to enhance inter-congregational collaboration for better networking,” Sister Nirmalini said on May 17, speaking on the sidelines of the conference, which was held after a six-year hiatus.
Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore asked the gathering to contemplate strategies to arrest the increasing persecution of Christians in the country.
When we come together, it not only helps us promote innovation and creative thinking among ourselves but also helps us effectively address several pressing problems
Sister Nirmalini
Christian leaders say that after the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] leader, Narendra Modi, became prime minister in 2014, violence against Christians increased,.
There were 147 cases of violence against Christians in 2014. The number spiralled to 687 in 2023. Nearly 531 cases occurred in four northern states—Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Haryana.
Eleven out of 28 Indian states, mostly governed by the BJP, have enacted sweeping anti-conversion laws ironically calling them “freedom of religion acts.” The draconian law is often used against Christians.
Attacks on Christians were discussed at the meeting, Sister Nirmalini said.
In his keynote address, Archbishop Machado, who has filed a case in India’s top court to end violence against Christians, asked the congregations to become a beacon of hope to the vulnerable.
Shedding light on the rising persecution, the archbishop urged them to envisage how innovative and relevant ministries could be evolved to reach out to the poor.
There were 147 cases of violence against Christians in 2014. The number spiralled to 687 in 2023. Nearly 531 cases occurred in four northern states—Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Haryana
Apostolic nuncio to India, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, exhorted men and women religious to work in tandem with the local Church.
Archbishop Girelli acknowledged the enormous contributions made by religious congregations throughout the length and breadth of the country.
More than 600 religious men and women, including major superiors, superiors, and other designated delegates, participated in the meeting with the theme: “Journeying with Hope: Relevance and our Prophetic Response.”
Sister Nirmalini called for inter-congregational efforts as vocations to religious life drastically declined in India.
She said religious men and women “are getting old.” We can “pool our resources” to take care of them, citing the findings of a survey conducted in July 2023.
“Many congregations lack facilities, resources, and manpower to look after their elderly. Everyone will benefit from this collaboration,” the she added.
Under Sister Nirmalini, the CRI initiated a healthcare programme for elderly nuns after the survey found that 64 per cent of them were elderly or infirm. Nearly 190 congregations participated in the survey.
More than 61 per cent of the elderly nuns are retired because of physical inability, the survey said.
The survey found that 40 per cent of the participating congregations had no facility to look after their elderly.
