Bp Lourdu Anandam, Sivagangai

When is your Episcopal ordination?
It is going to be on the 26th of November, on the solemnity of Christ the King.

What will your motto be? Why do you take that as a motto?
The motto is ‘to be consecrated in truth’ (John 17:19).This was also my motto for priestly ordination. I have taken it also for the episcopal ministry as my motto: Because Jesus came to bear witness to the truth; truth is not only what is right and what is actual. Finally, it is God who is the truth. Secondly, we have to work for these truths and bear witness to the truth. That is an important mission for every human being; even the motto of the Indian nation is Sathyameva Jayathe. So that is the truth, and it may win. At all levels, the truth should win. I should be an instrument or servant of the truth. That is the reason why I have chosen this motto.

Is the truth objective or subjective for you?
It is objective. Because God is objective. Of course. Partly, he became my subject. And that could be subjective. But the truth is objective, to which we have to dedicate ourselves.

You are a priest from Sivagangai but was for the archdiocese of Madurai, how will you explain your diocese of Sivagangai, how many Catholics, what is the real issue at stake for the lives of the Catholics who are mainly fisher men?
First of all, when I was born. Sivagangai was part of the Madurai diocese. When I joined the Madurai diocese, Sivagangai did not exist. Only after my ordination Sivagangai was bifurcated in 1987. So it is correct that I was born in today’s Sivagangai and brought up there. But I became a priest in the Madurai archdiocese. At that time, Madurai was the diocese. Sivagangai is always part of the Madurai diocese, both geographically and culturally, And since I was born there, I know people and the place very well. The Catholics would be close to 3 lakh. And you have said in your question that the majority of Catholics are fishermen; this is not exactly correct. In the island of Rameswaram, all the Catholics are fishermen. In the main land the occupation of the people is mainly agriculture. If the monsoon is regular, the farmers will have a good yield and a good life. And if the political situation is conducive, fishermen will happily have their livelihood. Now, you know, the political situation changes now and then. We will have to also see to it and work out that all the men of good will ensure a peaceful situation for all people and for fishermen on the coast.

What is the pressing need? The necessity and the great anxiety of the people of God in your diocese?
I think, as it is everywhere, the renewal of faith, is the first need. My first concern is to build up people in faith. And to do it, we need to have, at the vicariate level, a lot of renewable programmes. Charismatic retreats and seminars on the Word of God.

What will be the trust of your pastoral activity for the diocese?
The development of the people. Socio-Economic development.

What is your priority there?
Our priority there is, naturally, to ensure that the poor people, the small farmers, and the small vendors have their loans without interest so that they can have an income for themselves. So to foster and help the small vendors, the small farmers, and the children of these parents to study, maybe without payment or with a lot of concessions, etc. So this will be the second priority. The third one to put up Churches. Because the church is not only a building, it is a symbol of faith and place of all the activities of the Catholics. Finally, we need to procure a lot of land. So that after 50 or 100 years, they have a place for further development. So these are my priorities.

You are a teacher of the seminary and you are also a journalist. What will be the role of the bishop in your diocese? How do you consider the role of the bishop and leadership?
The bishop is the leader of the faith community. So I have to help the faith grow and form faith communities. Naturally, as a Christian journalist and as a professor of theology, I will try to build up Catholic life on the Catholic dimensions. For example, the veneration to our beloved Mother Mary and our patron St. John the Britto, who shed his blood there and became a martyr in Oriyur. First of all, I am the leader of a faith community. I have to help the faith grow and deepen. And the people become real-faith communities. Every activity should be motivated by faith. Secondly, as a theologian and a journalist, truth must prevail. As journalist, no one writes for himself. He writes for society. Not for the past and the present, but for the future. So I would guide my people towards the future, motivated and rooted in faith.

The Tamil church is becoming stronger and stronger. And how do you see the role of the church? The Tamil Church from the whole perspective of India?
I think God has given that chance to the Tamil church. In southern India, a lot of the division is perpetuated and created. And here, all the Tamils in the first place are still Tamil; that is a good background for us. As Tamil Catholics, we are united with all the Tamils. And all the Christians put together, and with the Muslim minority, we believe it will be about 11% to 12%. So we can also, in a democracy, have our influence. Until now we have stood be Kingdom value. We work with all men of goodwill. It will disseminate to the rest of India, I believe.

Pope Francis is inaugurating the new synodal way of the church in Rome. The synod is taking place. How do you see the synod and this authority? How do you consider authority within the church and that of the bishop?
Jesus himself, who has shown us and given us three models: Servant leadership, Shepherd leadership and Steward Leadership. The leader is the one who knows the way, who shows the way, and who goes away, they say. But I would say, the leader is the one who not only knows the way, and shows the way but also hears the way, hearing what others say. We have to listen to people because the Lord speaks through every baptized. We have to make it really synodal so that everybody feels part of the church. That’s what this synod will try to achieve for the Catholic Church all over the world, I believe.

Are you optimistic about the synod and the way of the synod, which a way of speaking and of dialoguing?
I am optimistic because everything that comes new is the work of the Holy Spirit, yes. It is the Spirit of Christ that has led this church to be an instrument of salvation for the last 2,000 years. Although there are problems in the church, as our Lord said, the gates of Sheol will not overtake this church. So this synod is definitely the work of the spirit. It will have a positive impact.

Do you believe in collective leadership?
In the beginning, there were four centres of Christianity: Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. Now, Pope Francis is trying to listen to all the churches. So after listening, he will make a decision and make a proposal. And that is good for the church. And that’s how. I think the church should walk in the future.

We are facing fundamentalist attacks and persecution as Christians in India, how do you understand the rise of fundamentalism and the future of India? How do you think the Hindutva agenda is a national problem for the Indians?
I always differentiate between orthodoxy and fundamentalism; everyone needs orthodoxy. He has to be rooted in his source of faith. By being Orthodox, he doesn’t become an enemy to a man of another faith. He becomes a friend and a brother. But by becoming fundamentalist, he converts the other into an enemy or a rival. Fundamentalistic dimensions may be found in every religion. What we face now in India is a new development in the history. With all the men of goodwill, the democrats, the Hindu brothers and sisters, we should work to face this issue and not allow it to consume. India as in Gujarat and in Manipur. Hindutuva is a challenge to democracies. There is no doubt. But my strong faith is that democracy will finally succeed.

Do you think Hindutwa is based on the caste system, and you have a big controversy over the Sanatana dharma? How do you look at it?
Actually, sanatha dharma means the old way, It is the belief that one is superior to all others, and all others were created by God only to serve the first layer. Such an ideology is not democratic. Democracy says, all are equal. Anything contrary to equality has to be faced by all sections of the people; that is the way democracy has to assert itself.

Do you think there is a hate campaign in the country, especially against Muslims?
Also against Christians; that’s what we have seen in Manipur. And we have to create a very good rapport with all minorities. And all minorities should stand together. Also, the majority of the majorities are not fanatics. So we should join hands. And that’s what is going to save the country.

You have to lead the diocese of Sivagangai, which I am told has a Catholic population of 2.35 lakhs with over 200 priests and 435 sisters. How do you think of exercising your episcopal leadership in the diocese?
We have already participatory structures in the Church. In the diocese we have Parish councils, diocesan pastoral councils and for the religious, there is CRI (Catholic Religions of India). I have experience working with the religious in Madurai archdiocese as the Episcopal vicar for the religious. So I will make use of all these forums. To be synodal is to listen. And to implement with everyone.

How do you look at criticism and critical people?
You cannot be a leader without facing criticism. If they have constructive criticism, you have to take it. I am used to it. If it is destructive criticism, you pray for them. That’s all. You just don’t worry. And yet, you don’t exclude anyone. Even the critics are part of our Church.

What is it in the gospel of Christ? What is it that challenges most in the life of Jesus Christ?
The call of Christ for universal brotherhood is brought out in his apostolic exhortation Fratelly Tutti. Why do Christians irritate some fundamentalist groups? Because we have one God in heaven and all are brothers and sisters. So this universal brotherhood is a challenge. Definitely, we have to actualize it as a part of the kingdom on earth.

How do you pray? What do you pray for?
In my latest book on Christology, I have one full chapter on prayer. Prayer for me is being in communion and in relationship and conversation with God in depth. In my prayer, I listen to my creator, my saviour, and my consoler. And the holy trinity listens to me.

If you go to a synagogue, what you hear repeatedly is Shma Israel. That is also prayer. How do you think that the prayer of listening affects you as a leader of a Catholic community?
Shma Israel ‘Hear O Israel’ means ‘listen to God’ what are you supposed to listen to? That God is almighty. Yahweh is your God and Humans are your brothers and sisters. So for this, I have to continuously listen. The God of my salvation will extend this brotherhood to all on earth.