One must appreciate the lengthy report by Ladislaus D’souza on the status of women religious in India, as published in The Secular Citizen (9/8/21). It is based on an international webinar organised by Voices of Faith on 10/7/21, occasioned by an 86 page book “It’s High Time: Women Religious speak up on gender justice in the Indian Church”. There were 370 participants in the webinar. While largely agreeing with the same, one needs to also see things from a lay perspective to arrive at a balanced view. I am responding to the various points mentioned in the report by the writer, and not on the book itself, as I have not seen the same.
CLERICALISM: This is the bane of the Catholic Church, and no less a person than Pope Francis, has repeatedly drawn attention to it. This attitude is in no way limited to women religious.
SACRAMENTAL BLACKMAIL: This seems grossly exaggerated. In over 50 years of public life in the church I have never heard of a single case of this. There may be stray cases, but as the old saying goes, one swallow does not a summer make. On the other hand it is more often the laity, especially the poorer and voiceless ones, who are sometimes denied the sacraments on specious grounds. Lest we forget, at the Last Supper itself, Jesus did not deny the “sacrament” to his betrayer Judas. Was Jesus then guilty of sacrilege? Perish the thought.
MALE-FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS: Making a comparison with Sts Francis and Claire of Assisi is odious, to say the least. How many contemporary religious (Franciscans and Clarists included) are in any way close to the heroic virtues of penance, prayer and sacrifice that these saints of Assisi practiced? However, there is a growing tendency among priests and religious that non-sexual friendship is OK, even if it is far from platonic. New age psychologists and counsellors advocate these relationships, especially at some seminars or centres of “Psychology & Spirituality”. Again, to quote an old saying, “Fire and ice cannot co-exist. Either the fire will go out, or the ice will melt”.
LOW WAGES: This is absurd. Are nuns serving without seeking reward, or are they employees? On the one hand they want to be exalted as “Sisters” in parishes, being seated at the high table, and on the other they are now claiming workers’ rights. I suggest that they first look at the status and emoluments of paid catechists, often referred to as church bearers. A recent study conducted by Rev Gilbert Choondal SDB establishes beyond doubt that they are more often than not, treated as personal servants of the clergy; with no rights, pathetic wages, and no hope of upward social mobility, to which all workers aspire.
The report further states that the nuns are used for such menial tasks because the clergy distrusts the laity. This is no doubt true. But I am here reminded of the wisdom of the late George Menezes, my mentor in public life. I once went to him complaining that I was a victim of circumstances. He shot back at me, “Nobody is a victim unless they allow themselves to be victimized”. This may not be entirely true, but if nuns feel that they are being victimized or exploited in the parishes then they need to stand up and be counted, just as we lay leaders do.
LACK OF CLERICAL UNDERTSANDING: This is stating the obvious, yet not quite right. Clerics spend years in formation and are taught everything about religious life, lay participation, Vatican II ecclesiology, Canon Law etc. However, they deliberately choose to ignore these teachings. It is not because of a lack of understanding, but a lack of willingness to surrender and share power in a participatory fraternal church.
ONGOING FORMATION: This is hilarious. Nuns are always taking off for courses in various centres. They have ample opportunities for ongoing formation in multiple ecclesiastical institutes, including in seminaries; and even abroad. To the contrary, it is the diocesan priests who lack ongoing formation because they believe that getting ordained is the summit of their existence. They have arrived, and do not require anything more. If at all any section of the church is denied ongoing formation it is the laity. Their “formation” ends with their Confirmation classes. Finito.
SURVEY NOT PALATABLE: Naturally; such a survey will never be palatable or acceptable to bishops. Will a business honcho ever accept the findings of a survey conducted by his “subordinates”?
CRI COLD FEET: This is the ultimate irony. The Conference of Religious India (CRI) is like all other “recognised” national Catholic organizations like the CBCI, CCBI, CPI, AICU, NCCWI, and many others with an “I” in their names. I have not seen any of these august bodies coming out strongly against errant bishops like Gallela Prasad of Kadapah, Frightening Franco of Jalandhar or William the Conqueror of Mysore. Nor have I seen any of these bodies speaking up in support of the purging and reform agenda initiated by our dear Pope Francis.
CONCLUSION: In an earlier similar report one of its authors had claimed that women religious are treated worse than the laity! This is the height of absurdity. Ask any real “mother” standing outside the gate of a convent school seeking to meet the “Sister” principal for the admission of her child. Dear women religious of India, many of you like Mother Teresa, Sr Rani Maria FCC and Valsa Mathew SCJM have sacrificed your lives for those whom you sought to serve. You also have the wonderful example of the Medical Mission Sisters who gave up their prestigious Holy Family Hospitals in Bombay, New Delhi, Patna and Mandar (Ranchi) to go back to serving the poor in the villages. Such lives are an inspiration, surveys notwithstanding. If you are victimised, fight back and stand up; and if you are inspired by the Lord Jesus, then press on regardless.
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