Indian priests at Marquette talk of anti-Christian violence

MJS ^ | GEORGIA PABST

[NYer]

Father Ranjit Tigga has spent most of his life as a Jesuit missionary in rural India working with poor tribal villagers near the state of Orissa, southeast of Calcutta near the Bay of Bengal.

Father Francis Ezhakunnel, another Jesuit missionary, was the director of a leprosy center in the state of Jharkhand, just north of Orissa.

And Father Nicolas Santos teaches college in western India.

All three Indian priests are now at Marquette University studying for advanced degrees in business administration and communications, so they can return to India and aid in the advancement of those they serve.

Although immersed in their studies here, they keep a watchful eye and receive regular bulletins on events unfolding around Orissa, where they say attacks and persecution against Christian communities remain a constant and growing threat.

Recent violence was so deadly that the bishops of India asked all Catholic schools across the country to close for one day last week “as a protest against the atrocities on the Christian community and other innocent people,” according to a report in The Catholic Reporter.

And Sunday has been designated as a day of prayer for peace and harmony in India, said Tigga.

But the priests say few in the U.S. are aware of the religious and political conflict affecting the Orissa region. Tensions between Christians and Hindus date back centuries, said Tigga.

But in the past, Hinduism was always accommodating to other religions, including Christianity, Buddhism and Islam, he said. “In general, there had been peace.”

Most of the more than 1 billion residents of India are Hindu, with Christians accounting for only 2.3% of the population, he added.

But since the early 1980s there’s been a rise of Hindu fundamentalists — many of whom are members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the political party that rules Orissa — and violence has broken out, the priests said.

“They work in the name of Hindutwa, which is an ideology that means there should be one culture and one ideology in India, and that should be the BJP,” said Tigga.

Hard-line Hindus accuse Christian missionaries of using education, health care and other services to convert low-caste Hindus.

“It’s not an issue of becoming Christians, it’s an issue of insecurity by the BJP because as missionaries we work with the poor to give them dignity and human rights,” said Ezhakunnel. “They become closer to us and may eventually accept religion, but that takes time. It’s not the first step. ”

“They get education and health care and social and political development and start demanding their rights, and that makes them a threat,” said Tigga.

While all Hindus are not alike, so too, some Christian groups may try more aggressive conversion tactics, and that makes the issue more complex, said Santos.

The latest violence erupted in late August after a Hindu leader was murdered in a tribal area where he was leading a local campaign to reconvert Hindus from Christianity, according to news reports the priests received.

The killing sparked more violent clashes, and about 26 people have died in the unrest that followed, said Tigga, quoting from information he’s received from the archbishop of Bhubaneswar.

He said 50 places of worship have been destroyed, 15 churches and convents destroyed and more than 4,000 homes of Christians in the villages in the Kandhamal district burned.

The Vatican condemned all sides of the violence. Pope Benedict XVI called upon religious and civil authorities “to work together to restore peaceful co-existence and harmony between the different religious communities.”

“It’s getting worse,” said Tigga, who had brushes with violence while he was working near Orissa.

“It’s dangerous to work there,” he said.

The priests at Marquette would like those in the U.S. and elsewhere to be aware of what’s happening in their homeland.

They also urge everyone to join them in their national day of prayer Sunday.

[NYer]

Father Francis Ezhakunnel (from left), Father Ranjit Tigga and Father Nicolas Santos, Indian missionary Jesuit priests who are studying for advanced degrees in business administration and communications at Marquette, speak about anti-Christian violence perpetrated by Hindu fundamentalists in India.

[NYer]

They also urge everyone to join them in their national day of prayer Sunday.

[NewCenturions]

Bookmarking

[Salvation]

Our priest has also prayed for the people in India each day this last week. God bless him.

[Salvation]

Vultus Christi

Today: Pray and Fast for the Christians of Orissa

By

Father Mark

on September 5, 2008 7:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The violent persecution of Christians in Orissa, India, remains largely ignored in the American media. AsiaNews offers ongoing coverage of the tragedy. For the liturgical memorial of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta -- today, September 5 -- the superior general of the Missionaries of Charity appealed to all Indians to break the chain of violence taking place in Orissa. The Italian bishops' conference also proclaimed a day of prayer and fasting for September 5, as a sign of solidarity with the persecuted Christians.

Calcutta (AsiaNews) - An appeal to all India, that it break the chain of violence and "the abuse of religion" has been launched by Sister Nirmala Joshi, superior of the Missionaries of Charity. In the appeal sent to AsiaNews, the sister, who succeeded Mother Teresa, says "let us put down the weapon of hatred and violence" and "reach out in love to each other" following the example of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, in order to build "the civilization of love" in India and in the world.

Sister Nirmala's words come after the cycle of violence that broke out against Christians in Orissa following the assassination of the Hindu radical Swami Laxamananda Saraswati, carried out by a group of Maoists. So far at least 20 have been killed, hundreds wounded, 45 churches have been burned, social centers, hostels, orphanages, and hospitals have been sacked and destroyed, and hundreds of homes have been burned. Tens of thousands of people who fled from the violence are still living in the forests or in shelters set up by the local government. The sister asks for eternal rest for Swami Laxanananda and for the massacred Christians, calling upon the "brothers and sisters" of India not to "use religion to divide us" or use it as an instrument of violence.

Sr Nirmala's appeal comes just a few days before the liturgical feast of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (September 5). For the occasion, the Italian bishops's conference has also decided to call for a day of prayer and fasting "as a sign of spiritual closeness and solidarity with our brothers and sisters so harshly tested in their faith".
Here is the complete text of Sr Nirmala's appeal:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Orissa and all over India,

Let us not forget our true identity as the beloved children of God our Father. We are brothers and sisters of one another no matter what our religion, race, culture or language is, whether we are rich or poor. Nothing should separate us.

Above all, let us not use religion to divide us. Essence of all religion is love - love of God and love of one another. Violence on the ground of religion is an abuse of religion.

"Religion is meant to be a work of love. It is not meant to destroy peace and unity. Works of love are works of peace. Let us use religion to become one heart full of love in the heart of God". (Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta).

Dear Brothers and Sisters, in the name of God and in the name of our own humanity, created for greater things, to love and to be loved eternally, and in the name of our country and its noble heritage, and in the name of the poor, the children, and all our suffering brothers and sisters who are victims of this senseless violence and destruction, I make this appeal: let us pray, opening our mind and heart to the light and love of God. Let us put down the weapon of hatred and violence and put on the armor of love. Let us forgive one another and ask forgiveness from one another for the wrong we have done to each other and reach out in love to each other.

Let us pray for the repose of the souls of Swami Laxamananda Saraswati and his four associates and all our brothers and sisters who have lost their lives during this violence. Let us pray for each other and ask our Mother, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta to pray for us so that we may become channels of God's own peace, love and joy to one another and builders of the civilization of love!

God bless you,

Sr. M. Nirmala, M.C.
Superior General

Vultus Christi

Today: Pray and Fast for the Christians of Orissa

By

Father Mark

on September 5, 2008 7:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)