P.T. Kuriakose

The Final Statement issued by the Catholic Bishops Conference of India at the end of their 34th Plenary Assembly held in Bengaluru on the theme Dialogue: The Path to Truth and Charity is a refreshing document. It is well conceived and written and the bishops must be congratulated for their contribution to the ongoing discussion on the need for dialogue within the Church and with the outside world.

At its outset, the Statement refers to the Biblical foundations for a clearer understanding of the necessity for dialogue among peoples and cultures. It says that “dialogue with other religions is integral to the Biblical Revelations” Almost as if to underline their commitment to dialogue, the bishops declare that “all through her history, the Church has made earnest efforts to engage in dialogue at different levels.” The Statement goes on to list certain priority areas such as dialogue with the poor and tribals, with Nature, etc as broad areas in which dialogue is needed. These are emphatic and positive declarations by the Catholic Bishops of India.

Despite the very positive tone of the Statement, I cannot hide a few reservations I have about the Final Statement. This is because the statement gives me the impression that it is only a statement on intent and not a clarion call to action. Otherwise it should have mentioned at least a few specific areas in which the Church at the parish level and above can discover a sense of urgency to start a dialogue process within its areas of competence. It is no secret that the CBCI is not a novice in the dialogue process. It has held numerous seminars, workshops, etc, about dialogue. Yet there is not much concrete evidence on the ground (leaving aside St John’s Medical College) of any substantive results.

While establishing three separate rite based Churches in India, Pope St John Paul II had insisted on retaining the Catholic Bishops Conference Of India consisting of all the bishops of India as a symbol of Church unity for common thinking and actions in order to promote the process of dialogue and integrated action by the three Churches. That Papal hope still remains largely unfulfilled. Each Church has developed a fortress mentality and tries its best to guard its separate identity as if it has to protect itself from encroachers of divine calling.

The gap between precepts and practice is further found in Kerala where the three Churches co-exist but carry on as distant relatives often do. If there is one place in India where the three Churches can demonstrate that they are parts of the same mystical body of Christ, it is in Kerala. The same thing can be said about the Catholic Church’s approach to other Christian Churches in Kerala. It is an unfortunate situation because united action undertaken after proper dialogues held at different levels can have even political benefits for the Christian community in Kerala. I look in vain for ecclesiastical leaders of Christian Churches who initiate serious dialogue processes to further consolidate the Christian presence through common dialogue and action. That is why I have described the Bengalure. Statement as more of a statement of hope rather than a clarion call for innovative intellectual and imaginative action. Despite my reservations mentioned above, I do not want to describe the Bengaluru declaration as a disappointment. Not at all. This is perhaps the first time the CBCI, as a collective body representing the entire Catholic Church in India, has proclaimed the supreme importance of dialogue. Let us hope that with this new beginning, our bishops will lead the way to further promote dialogue and strengthen the foundations of the Church in India and Kerala in particular.