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Nunico reiterates Indian Church's support for Dalit empowerment

Caste practices and their consequent effects have no place in Christianity, states Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli
Nunico reiterates Indian Church's support for Dalit empowerment

Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the apostolic nuncio to India and Nepal, meets with a delegation of Indian Dalit Christians in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, on Feb. 2. (Photo supplied)

Published: February 09, 2022 05:29 AM GMT
Updated: February 09, 2022 03:37 PM GMT

Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, the apostolic nuncio to India and Nepal, has denied recent reports of discrimination in the selection of priests and bishops in the Catholic Church.

The issue was raised by a group of Indian Dalit Christian leaders who met the papal representative on Feb. 4 to demand an end to caste discrimination within the Church and seek the appointment of a Dalit to head the Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore.

The delegation of the Dalit Christian Liberation Movement (DCLM) had later in a statement said they were disappointed with the response they received from the nuncio.

In response, Archbishop Girelli’s issued a statement on Feb. 7 saying “there is no discrimination in the selection of Episcopal candidates and in the appointment of new bishops” in India.  

The statement further clarified that “the responsibility of the apostolic nuncio is only to verify the priestly integrity of the candidates in order to establish their suitability for the office of Bishop, making no distinction based on ethnicity, caste, language or social status.”

“In doing this, the Apostolic Nunciature stringently follows clear principles of the Holy See in the process of determining the Church’s leadership (Canon 377-378),” the statement added.

The prelate said he listened attentively to the grievances presented by the DCLM and is aware of the contribution of the Dalit people in the Catholic Church in India. 

He also pointed out that the episcopal ministry in the Church is intended as a service to the people and not as a position of power. 

Archbishop Girelli further said he fully supported the adoption and implementation of the policy of Dalit empowerment by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI).

“Caste with its consequent effects of discrimination and 'caste mentality' has no place in Christianity,” the statement added.

In the Catholic Church, “the mutual sense of belonging is prior to the emergence of individual groups,” the statement said.

The Dalit Christian leaders who meet the apostolic nuncio at Vellore in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu had pointed out to him that there was only one Dalit bishop now out of the 18 Catholic dioceses in the region even though Dalits comprised about 75 percent of the Catholics, making their representation negligible.

DCLM president Mary John said the organization had been raising this issue during the past three decades with numerous letters and appeals to the Indian Catholic hierarchy, the apostolic nuncios and the Vatican.

“We took to public protests to show our agony and anger, hoping to raise the consciousness of the Catholic Church over the caste injustice,” John said. 

They also had made several representations to the Vatican including the Pope, but the Dalit people's situation in the Church has not improved, he said. 

Some 60 percent of India's 25 million Christians are estimated to be of Dalit and tribal origins.

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