VITA DELLA CONGREGAZIONE
Introduction
India has 3.166.414 kmsq. as superficies, with 918.570.000 inhabitants of which 27% are urban population. The population growth rate is 2,1% per year. The life expectancy is 61 years. The literacy rate is 52,1%. The national language is Hindi and English is recognised as the authoritative legislative and judicial language and other 17 local languages are recognised by the Constitution. Also there are around 200 spoken languages and hundreds of dialects. There are 17 principal ethnic groups in India like, Indo-European (north and central part), Dravidic (southern part), and other minorities. India is a very religious country with Hindus (83%), Muslims (11,2%), Christians (2%), Sikhs(1,89%), Buddhists (0,7%) and Jainists (0,48%). The rest are Persians and Hebrews. There is a minority of Animists too. India is divided into 25 states and 7 Union territories directed by the Central Government. India follows the system of Republic Parliament. The GNP is 319.000 millions US $ with the annual growth of 6,9% (1996), and per capita income of 350 US $. The inflation rate is 6,8% and the external debts are 93.800 millions US $. The principal supplier countries are UE (25,9%), USA (9,7%), other Asian countries (41,8%) and the principal clients are UE (27%), USA (11%), and the Asian countries (37,7%).
Christianity in India owes its origins to St Thomas the Apostle (52AD) and its spread to St. Francis Xavier (1542). At present there are 15,7 million Catholics (1,7% of the population) with 1 Patriarchate, 24 Archdioceses and 106 Dioceses. They have one patriarch, 3 cardinals, 23 archbishops, 126 bishops, 16.317 priests (9.460 diocesans, 6.837 religious), 2.793 religious brothers, 72.778 religious women and 9.414 seminarists. There are 1.600 foreign missionaries in India. 68% of the Indian clergy and religious are from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the southern states of India. The Indian church has sent 2.000 Indian missionaries abroad.
A brief history of our presence in India
The brief history will touch on the more significant “moments” in our short time in India.1 They are:
a) Arrival on 6, October,1994;
b) Opening of Dehon Bhavan the minor seminary, in South Kumbalanghy, Cochin on 18 March 1997;
c) Opening of a temporary residence for philosophy and theology students in Aluva, Cochin in1997 and we have moved into our own residence on 25 March,1999;
d) Opening of a temporary novitiate in Ponnarimangalam, Cochin in April 1998;
e) Opening of a formation program in collaboration with the diocesan minor seminary of the Diocese of Guntur, Andra Pradesh in June 1998.
An immediate decision to set up formation programs: from the very beginning it was understood that our first and primary ministry would be to recruit candidates for our community and provide formation. The impetus for this came from the local ordinary who recognised the abundance of vocations in his diocese and the greater need for missionaries in North India and in other countries.2 We are one of the several religious congregations invited into his diocese to prepare young men for the missionary vocation. Understanding our charism, he expressed his desire to strengthen the devotion to the Sacred Heart in his diocese and begin a ministry of human development and social justice. We accepted the offer of the Bishop. Our missionaries from abroad would prepare Indian youngsters to be missionaries to their own people and to other Asian countries.
It is a-typical beginning
In a short period of time we have a remarkable number of vocations, four formation communities and 10 missionaries from 6 different provinces (Holland, Italy, Brazil, USA, Poland and Indonesia) who look after the candidates. Now we have 2 novices scheduled to take vows in May 1999 and we have 3 postulants on 29 October, 1998.
It is a pleasant beginning. Yet in some respects we had some limitations from the very beginning: we did not have sufficient time to know and build up relationship with one another before we began to work together; we did not have time to learn about the secular and ecclesial history, secular and religious cultures and traditions, religious life in India, languages etc.
We recognise these limitations and the difficulties which they create. And so we are setting up a schedule by which some of us, for the next few years, will commit themselves to the study of these issues.
The decision for this beginning in India was much influenced by the encouraging and extraordinary help of the Bishop of Cochin. For example, he entrusted us a property for our use at no cost; it was he himself who recruited our first candidates and accommodated them in his seminary providing them education at a nominal cost, and also he provided us with a newly built rectory as a temporary residence for SCJ. To the decision-makers, it seemed a graced moment to which we should respond positively.
The international character
The decision to give an international character to our mission in India was the fruit of a very mature thinking and planning which has proved to be very positive and fruitful.
1. The mission is not unduly influenced by the characteristics of one province, rather, there is a blending of the best characteristics of several provinces.
2. We are forced to learn and use a common language, English, which is the second language of the states of South India.
3. We model a brotherhood that transcends nation boundaries- an important factor in a country that has problems in transcending state boundaries.
No method is free of limitations. The mixing of men who have no prior knowledge of one another, with little understanding of another's ecclesiology, missiology and the visions on religious formation is sure to cause misunderstandings, differences, and tensions. Some program for a prior mutual understanding would contribute to greater ease and effectiveness in working together. However, inspite of all these, we have done rather well upto now. Yet some preparatory program, if possible, is recommended.
Our link with the local Church
Our connection with the local Church: we are located in two dioceses and have been very well received by bishops, priests and laity. The fact that both the bishops knew our congregation and have had very positive experiences with our members in others countries is really a plus point! We interact with priests and laity in various ways like, some parish ministries, recollection sharings, retreats, social gatherings etc. We, with other religious communities, are the principal means of the mission ad gentes for the local Church. The hierarchy of Kerala has a well-defined awareness of the needs of the Church elsewhere, especially in North India, and is pleased to have missionary communities recruiting the young people of Kerala for future ministry in these mission areas.
Expansion to Andra Pradhes3
Our reasons for this expansion were the following:
1. the diocese of Guntur in Andra Pradhes is greatly blessed with vocations (and there is well-founded concern that the number of vocations in Kerala will be on the decrease in some years due to much smaller families!);
2. the bishop is well-disposed to us and welcomes us to his diocese;
3. the locality is poorer and much more in need of help than Kerala;
4. We are in a much better position to recruit candidates from outside of Kerala.
In June 1998, we recruited 9 boys from Guntur, Andra Pradhes, and placed them in the diocesan minor seminary. Our fathers go often to Guntur to spend time with these boys and at times we bring them to Kerala for a gathering experience.
The Mission Statement
We have developed the following mission statement:
“We, the Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in India, with a consciousness of who we are and what we are called to be in Church and society, commit ourselves to the following:
1. We commit ourselves:
- to deepen our understanding, our love and our living of the charism entrusted first to Fr. Dehon and now to us (RL 2-7);
- to live the evangelical counsels in solidarity with those whom we serve (RL 29);
- to live together as religious brothers committed to common prayer, fraternal support and collaboration, and community of goods (RL 8);
- to develop a community that reflects in its members the rich diversity of the Indian nation.
2. We commit to the following mission:
- to promote and develop the spirituality of and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as found among the Indian people and in the charism of Fr. Dehon;
- to serve in the areas of India where the need for priests and religious is most urgent;
- to serve in those ministries, which best reflect our charism, for example, ministries relating to the poor, to justice, and to destitute youth;
- to give serious consideration to ways in which our Congregation can be present to the Syrian Rite Christians;
- in collaboration with other SCJs in our Asian Zone, to establish our Congregation in other Asian countries where we judge our Congregation and our charism are most needed.”
Commentary: for the most part, the Mission Statement is self-explanatory. The following, however, may call for explanation:
a) “To develop a community that reflects in its members the rich diversity of the Indian nation”: India does not have the degree of unity one encounters in many other nations. It is made up of diverse cultures, languages, religions, traditions, food, etc. It has the character of a confederation more than a strongly unified nation. Strong tensions are often experienced between individual States. Our capacity to embrace the diversity and be enriched by it is an important witness for India.
b) “To promote and develop the spirituality of and devotion to the Heart of Jesus as found among the Indian people…”: There is a very strong and age-old popular devotion to the Sacred Heart, which partially explains our good beginnings.
c) “…destitute youth…”: numerous children live on the streets, one of the effects of widespread poverty. They are exploited and abused for financial gain.
d) “Syrian Rite Christians”:4 they are a strong presence among the Catholic people, priests and religious in India, especially in Kerala. The Syrian Rite Catholics have a much longer tradition in India than the Latin Rite, going back ‘some say’ to St.Thomas the Apostle or at least to the 5th century of which we have evidence for the presence of bishops and priests from Syria. As a general rule, in comparison with Latin Rite Catholics, they are wealthier, hold positions in society, are of greater influence and consequently belong to a higher socio-economic class. Unfortunately, at present there is significant division and tension between the rites. As a consequence of this we are forbidden by our bishops from accepting Syrian Rite boys. Religious have dealt with this in various ways:
1. some have for many years accepted both rites and they seem to co-exist, yet one hears of tensions even in the older communities;
2. some have split forming independent provinces;
3. some foreign congregations (Latin) have established Syrian Rite wings, probably with an awareness of greater potential for development.
Our hope is to establish at some time, an independent Syrian foundation that could significantly benefit both our community and our ministries - and connect us with this very significant part of the Church in India. In addition, it would put us in a position to assist in healing a serious wound in the Church in India.
e) “…to establish our Congregation in other Asian countries…”: This is not meant to exclude service to the Church in the West, but to emphasise the building up of the Church in Asia where comparatively speaking, little has been done over the past centuries.
Conclusion
Our vocation and mission in India is just in the initial stage. But from the very beginning India offers us hope and joy. Yes," The harvest is full". And we also are the labourers among 918.570.000 inhabitants! We wholeheartedly expect and call for an international solidarity in this mission which the Lord has entrusted us with. This a-typical beginning is like a mustard seed; a beginning of hopes and, at times, of uncertainties, of smiles and sweats . In all these praised be the Master who has sent us to His field and has care of His labourers!
(Edited by Hadrianus Wardjito on January 1999)
NOTES
1. A more detailed history can be found in the news letter, The Mustard Seed, and Dehoniana, Year XXVII, 98/1.
2. The Diocese of Cochin was erected in 1557 by the Portuguese. There are 200.000 Latin Catholics among a population of 600.000. Msgr Joseph Kureethara, who died on 6 January 1999, the feast of Epiphany, had been running the diocese for 24 years. About 25 female and 10 male congregations have been implanted in India through the diocese of Cochin.
3. The distance from Cochin to Guntur, one of the dioceses in Andra Pradhes, is 1090 km, and it takes 25 hours by train.
4. In India there are 4 Archdioceses and 18 Dioceses for Syro- Malabar Church with 3 million faithful; one Archdiocese and 4 dioceses for Syro-Malankara Church with 300.000 faithful.