It would be good for the Church as a whole to have a Dalit cardinal. It is a community of people who are perhaps one of the most oppressed and marginalized in the world. They number over 250 million — half of the whole of the European Union — and form the majority of Christians in India.
Solidarity of the Church with the excluded, which Pope Francis makes us realize by his words or gestures, will find its crown if he elevates one among the poorest of the poor groups to the dignity of the cardinalate. It will be a great witness to the Gospel and a clear sign that the Church translates into action what it preaches in words about the poor and the suffering. Moreover, the image of the Church as universal, inclusive and compassionate to the last and the least will come out most clearly and distinctly.
The elevation of a Dalit to the rank of cardinal will be a positive recognition and affirmation of this community who form the majority of Christians in India. We all witnessed what the elevation of Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo of Ranchi from among the tribal people meant for them, and the sterling leadership he has given not only to the tribal people but to the whole country as president of the national bishops’ conference. Given the opportunity, a leader of that rank from the Dalits will bring in the renewal of the Church in India and open up new paths to the Gospel.
At a time when Christian Dalits are fighting against the discrimination they suffer from the state, as they are denied the same rights as Hindu Dalits, the creation of a cardinal from among them will strengthen the cause and send out a clear message to civil authorities. If a Dalit cardinal is created, the Church will have strong moral ground to ask for the rights of the Dalits from the state. It can proudly and justifiably claim the rights of Dalits because it has done justice to their cause. Moreover, the creation of a cardinal will bring to the consciousness of the entire Christian community the issue of the Dalits and help it overcome the spirit of casteism.
The Church has created cardinals on the basis of ritual identity with a cardinal each for the Syro-Malabar Church, and more recently for the Syro-Malakara Church, about which we are happy. At the same time, a unique social identity stigmatized as “untouchables” needs to be taken into account, which will also show that the universal church is aware of the deeper and more complex issues of Indian society and of the Indian Church.
In short, the creation of a Dalit cardinal will be perhaps the greatest contribution as it can work to abolish caste in India, something that 400 years of missionary work did not succeed in doing
The Indian constitution has positive provisions meant to overcome the disabilities attached to this identity. There are no such provisions in the Church. The creation of a Dalit cardinal would show society and the world how the Church follows the spirit in which special provisions are made for the weaker and oppressed sections.
On the other hand, this is not new to the Church. The neglect and discrimination the Hellenists suffered led the apostles to solve the problem by selecting deacons from among them who understood the discriminated group and ministered to them (Acts.6:1-6). As a result of this provision, “the word of God increased; and the members of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem “ (Acts.6:7). With the Dalits today, we are in a similar situation calling for a leader of high rank from among them.
Finally, we note how strongly ritual concerns are represented at the level of the central government of the Church, and rightly so. However, the Church in India needs a spokesperson from among the Dalits at the level of cardinal to be able to bring the voice and concerns of Dalit people to the pope, who wishes to be in touch with realities on the ground, and to the entire Church including its central administration.
Unfortunately, the influence of caste in the Church and among its leaders, the overwhelming majority of whom are from the middle and upper castes, has not permitted an adequate representation of the issue of Dalit Christians. Appealing for a cardinal from among the Dalits is not to foment casteism in the Church. On the contrary, it will be an important means to abolish caste, since the Dalit people are the ones in the country who have fought most against this system since they know from bitter experience the evils of the caste system.
In short, the creation of a Dalit cardinal will be perhaps the greatest contribution as it can work to abolish caste in India, something that 400 years of missionary work did not succeed in doing. If this happens, which we hope it will, Pope Francis will go down in history as a unique champion of the cause of the “untouchables” of India.
The article that appeared in Jeevadhara theological magazine in 2014, Indian theologian Father Felix Wilfred explains the need to create a Dalit cardinal and its pan-Indian ecclesial and political significance. His argument underlines the importance of Pope Francis on May 29 announcing that Archbishop Anthony Poola of Hyderabad, a Dalit, will be among 21 new cardinals created in August.

Felix Wilfred
Republished from Jeevadhara (2014, pp. 76-78) with permission from the author. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial position of UCA News.