Bp Deepak Valerian Tauro
Auxiliary Delhi

When and where is you your Episcopal Ordination?
My Episcopal Ordination will be on the 29th September, 2021 at sacred Heart Cathedral, New Delhi.

What is going to be the motto you wish to take for your pastoral mission, and why do you take that?
My Motto is, “To be humanly Holy.”
I chose this motto first of all to acknowledge that I am a human being created by God in His own image. I firmly believe that God became man so that humans become like divine. Therefore, with His help, I wish to and will strive hard to be holy in all walks of my human life.

All through your life as priest you were involved with training of priests, how important is the training and how do you evaluate their reception of Catholic identity, spirituality and theology?
Whenever God called people, he gave them formation to equip them to be His messengers. We have beautiful examples of Moses and Isaiah. Jesus too kept his apostles with himself and formed them in God’s ways. Therefore, Formation today is very important to shape the formees in the image and likeness of God who has called them.
When it comes to the reception of Catholic Identity, theology and spirituality by the formees, I feel that times have changed now. We can no longer apply the standard of our formative years to them. The formators, today, have to go down to the level of seminarians to raise them up to the standard of the Church. As a formator for 18 years, I see a mixed result. Some formees understand their vocation well and respond positively to the formation and turn out to be assets to the Church. Sadly, some look at their vocation as profession and you know the results, I don’t have to mention it. Formation is a big challenge today.

You are becoming the Auxiliary bishop of Delhi which also our capital being ruled by the Hindutva party, there is widening of fundamentalist tendencies all over our country, how do you go on with the mission of Christ in such a situation of anti-Christian feeling? What is our response to fundamentalism?
The Church is doing a wonderful work in India. The contribution by Christians to the growth of the Nation is tremendous. However, this fact is not recognized and accepted by some narrow minded fundamental forces. Their main fear is conversion. At the same time, I am well aware of the existence of some Christian outfits/denominations who go around and create confusions. They also defame the established Churches and their good works.
I feel, that there is a big misunderstanding between the Fundamentalists and the Church and also a misconception about the mutual existence and mission. I believe in a positive and healthy dialogue. The Church needs to take initiative to dialogue with fundamentalists in a non threatening way and make them realize the contribution of the Church to the growth and progress of the country. At the same time we need to strongly condemn any form of fundamentalism that is against our Constitution.

Do you consider that the consumer culture has entered the sanctuary of the church? Do you think that the whole value system has been perverted by the market orientation?
Yes, there is no doubt about it. But the whole value system is not lost yet. We need not be too negative about it. Let us not forget that we are created in the image of Good God and we still have this value in us. Most of the Christian faithful are still good. Our faith formation has to be modernized and tuned to the life style of our people, certainly within the context of Gospel Values.

Does talking or discourse resolve all problems of our humans?
Certainly not. Words have to be substantially supported by deeds.

Pope Francis is very critical of clericalism and careerism, do you think these are issue of our life as well? How do you en-visage a spirituality of authenticity and honesty in priests and religious?
I admire Pope Francis. He is honest and does not hesitate to point out the shortcomings of the Church and its clergy. We need constructive criticism to grow. We Priests and Religious must acknowledge that we are weak humans and not super humans. It is time to realize that the kingdom of God can be built up in this present scenario only based on spirituality of authenticity and honesty. The life of Jesus is that spirituality the Church personnel need to adopt immediately. Yes, we have faltered, let us rise and begin again with a positive outlook and new strength from God.

You are entering the leadership of the Indian Church, how will you exercise your leadership with what Pope Francis calls synodality?
I am just entering the Indian Church leadership. I will not be able to answer it now. All I would say is that authority in the Church is meant for humble service. I will certainly work with and for the Church.

What will be your priorities in your episcopacy in Delhi, which has about 100,300 faithful spread over 61 parishes? They are served by 132 diocesan priests, 157 religious priests and 413 women religious.
My priority is Pastoral work, Celebration of Sacraments and Sacramentals and administration wherever it is required. I wish to build up and maintain a good rapport with the Archbishop, Clergy, Religious and the faithful first. I will wait for the time to reveal to me the priorities of Delhi Archdiocese.

What is prayer for you; How and what for do you pray?
Prayer for me is my relationship with God who has raised me to this level. I find more joy and satisfaction in personal prayer that is speaking and listening to God my savior and Lord. I pray for the welfare of the world, the Church my country India and for the current needs of all.

Bio-Data
Born on August 2, 1967, at Chikmagalur in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Did his minor seminary at Muzaffarpur and studied Philosophy at Morning Star College, Kolkata. He completed his Theology at St. Albert’s College in Ranchi. He was ordained a priest on May 10, 1996, for the diocese of Muzaffarpur He has a Masters in Spirituality and Counselling from Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram in Bengaluru, capital of Karnataka state. He served as the secretary to the bishop for three years from 2007.
He was professor and spiritual director at Ranchi’s St. Albert’s College, Ranchi during 2011-2015. Since 2012, he has served as the secretary of Bihar, Jharkhand and Andaman’s Bishops Council and since 2015, the rector of St. Albert’s College, Ranchi.
Pope Francis on July 16 appointed Father Deepak Valerian Tauro, rector of St Albert’s College in Ranchi, as the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Delhi.