Catholic Church in India

The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in velankanni

Santhome Basilica in Chennai is a place of Roman Catholic (Latin Rite) worship and pilgrimage. There are over 17 million Catholics in India.

The Catholic Church in India is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church under the leadership of the Pope and the curia in Rome.

There are over 17.3 million Catholics in India, which represents less than 2% of the total population and is the largest Christian church within India. There are 157 ecclesiastical units in India comprising 29 archdioceses and 128 dioceses. Of these, 127 are Latin Rite, 25 Syro-Malabar Rite and 5 Syro-Malankara Rite.

All the bishops in India, both Western and Eastern, form the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, which was founded in 1944. The Holy See's representative to the government of India and to the Church in India is the Apostolic Nuncio to India. The diplomatic mission was established as the Apostolic Delegation to the East Indies in 1881. It was raised to an Internunciature by Pope Pius XII in 1948 and to a full Apostolic Nunciature by Pope Paul VI in 1967.

History

Early Christianity in India

Main article: Saint Thomas Christians

Relationship of the Nasrani (Saint Thomas Christian) groups

Christianity in India was introduced by Thomas the Apostle in 52 AD. These Saint Thomas Christians were known as Nasrani Christians, which means believers in Jesus the Nazarene. This community was governed by the Assyrian Church of the East until the arrival of Portuguese.

Early missionaries

John of Monte Corvino, was a Franciscan sent to China to become prelate of Peking in around 1307. He traveled from Persia and moved down by sea to India, in 1291, to the Madras region or “Country of St. Thomas” .There he preached for thirteen months and baptized about one hundred persons. From there Monte Corvino wrote home, in December 1291 (or 1292).That is one of the earliest noteworthy account of the Coromandel coast furnished by any Western European. Traveling by sea from Mailapur, he reached China in 1294, appearing in the capital “Cambaliech” (now Beijing)

Friar Odoric of Pordenone arrived in India in 1321. He visited Malabar, touching at Pandarani (20 m. north of Calicut), at Cranganore, and at Kulam or Quilon, proceeding thence, apparently, to Ceylon and to the shrine of St Thomas at Maylapur near Madras. He writes he had found the place where Thomas was buried.

Father Jordanus Catalani, a French Dominican missionary, followed in 1321-22. He reported to Rome, apparently from somewhere on the west coast of India, that he had given Christian burial to four martyred monks. Jordanus is known for his 1329 “Mirabilia” describing the marvels of the East: he furnished the best account of Indian regions and the Christians , the products, climate, manners, customs, fauna and flori given by any European in the Middle Ages - superior even to Marco Polo’s.

In 1347, Giovanni de Marignolli visited the shrine of St Thomas near the modern Madras, and then proceeded to what he calls the kingdom of Saba, and identifies with the Sheba of Scripture, but which seems from various particulars to have been Java. Taking ship again for Malabar on his way to Europe, he encountered great storms.

Another prominent Indian traveler was Joseph, priest over Cranganore. He journeyed to Babylon in 1490 and then sailed to Europe and visited Portugal, Rome, and Venice before returning to India. He helped to write a book about his travels titled The Travels of Joseph the Indian which was widely disseminated across Europe.

Arrival of the Portuguese

Introduction of Catholicism in India, begins from the first decade of 1500, with the arrival of the Portuguese Missionaries there. In the 16th century, the proselytization of Asia was linked to the Portuguese colonial policy. With the Papal bull - Romanus Pontifex written on January 8, 1455 by Pope Nicholas V to King Afonso V of Portugal, the patronage for the propagation of the Christian faith (see "Padroado") in Asia was given to the Portuguese, who were rewarded with the right of conquest.The missionaries of the different orders (Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits, Augustinians, etc.) flocked out with the conquerors, and began at once to build churches along the coast districts wherever the Portuguese power made itself felt.

The history of Portuguese missionaries in India starts with the neo-apostles who reached Kappad near Kozhikode on May 20,1498 along with Vasco da Gama, who was seeking to form anti-Islamic alliances with pre-existing Christian nations. The lucrative spice trade was further temptation for the Portuguese crown.

During the second expedition, the Portuguese fleet comprising 13 ships and 18 priests, under Captain Pedro Álvares Cabral, anchored at Cochin on Nov. 26, 1500. Cabral soon won the goodwill of the Raja of Cochin. He allowed four priests to do apostolic work among the early Christian communities scattered in and around Cochin. Thus Portuguese missionaries established Portuguese Mission in 1500. Dom Francisco de Almeida, the first Portuguese Viceroy got permission from the Kochi Raja to build two church edifices - namely Santa Cruz Basilica (Founded : 1505) and St. Francis Church (Founded : 1506) using stones and mortar which was unheard of at that time as the local prejudices were against such a structure for any purpose other than a royal palace or a temple.

In the beginning of the 16th century, the whole of the east was under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Lisbon. On June 12, 1514, Cochin and Goa became two prominent mission stations under the newly created Diocese of Funchal in Madeira. In 1534, Pope Paul III by the Bull Quequem Reputamus, raised Funchal as an archdiocese and Goa as its suffragan, deputing the whole of India under the diocese of Goa. This created an episcopal see - suffragan to Funchal, with a jurisdiction extending potentially over all past and future conquests from the Cape of Good Hope to China.

After four decades of prosperous trading, the missionaries started the proselytization around 1540 and the newly founded Society of Jesus arrived in Goa. The Portuguese colonial government supported the mission and the baptized Christians were given incentives like rice donations, good positions in their colonies. Hence, these Christians were dubbed Rice Christians who even practiced their old religion. At the same time many New Christians from Portugal migrated to India as a result of the inquisition in Portugal. Many of them were suspected of being Crypto-Jews, converted Jews who were secretly practicing their old religion. Both were considered a threat to the solidarity of Christian belief. Saint Francis Xavier, in a 1545 letter to John III of Portugal, requested the Goan Inquisition, which is considered a blot on the history of Roman Catholic Christianity in India, both by Christians and non-Christians alike.

In 1557, Goa was made an independent archbishopric, and its first suffragan sees were erected at Cochin and Malacca. The whole of the East came under the jurisdiction of Goa and its boundaries extended to almost half of the world: from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, to Burma, China and Japan in East Asia. In 1576 the suffragan See of Macao (China) was added; and in 1588, that of Funai in Japan.

The death of the last metropolitan bishop - Archdeacon Abraham of the Saint Thomas Christians, an ancient body formerly part of the Church of the East in 1597; gave the then Archbishop of Goa Menezes an opportunity to bring the native church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. He was able to secure the submission of Archdeacon George, the highest remaining representative of the native church hierarchy. Menezes convened the Synod of Diamper between 20 and 26 June 1599, which introduced a number of reforms to the church and brought it fully into the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. Following the Synod, Menezes consecrated Francis Ros, S. J. as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Angamalé for the Saint Thomas Christians - another suffragan see to Archdiocese of Goa and Latinisation of St Thomas Christians started and most, eventually accepted the Catholic faith, but a part of them switched to West Syrian rite. The Saint Thomas Christians were pressured to acknowledge the authority of the Pope. Resentment of these measures led to some part of the community to join the Archdeacon, Thomas, in swearing never to submit to the Portuguese or to accept the Communion with Rome in the Coonan Cross Oath in 1653.

The Diocese of Angamaly was transferred to Diocese of Craganore in 1605; while, in 1606 a sixth suffragan see to Goa was established at San Thome, Mylapore, near the modern Madras. The suffragan sees added later to Goa. were the prelacy of Mozambique (1612) and in 1690 two other sees at Peking and Nanking in China.

Missionary work progressed on a large scale and with great success along the western coasts, chiefly at Chaul, Bombay, Salsette, Bassein, Damao, and Diu; and on the eastern coasts at San Thome of Mylapore, and as far as Bengal etc. In the southern districts the Jesuit mission in Madura was the most famous. It extended to the Krishna river, with a number of outlying stations beyond it. The mission of Cochin, on the Malabar Coast, was also one of the most fruitful.Several missions were also established in the interior northwards, e.g., that of Agra and Lahore in 1570 and that of Tibet in 1624. Still, even with these efforts, the greater part even of the coast line was by no means fully worked, and many vast tracts of the interior northwards were practically untouched.

With the decline of the Portuguese power, other colonial powers - namely the Dutch and British and Christian organisations gained influence.

Later conversions

Other than the St Thomas Christians, people of other faiths were converted zealously by the Portuguese. This started with Goa, then spread to fishery coast of Cape Comorin, inland districts of Madurai and the western coast of Bassein, Salcette, Bombay, Karanja, and Chaul. With the advent of suppression of Jesuits in 1773 the missionary expansion declined in India along with the need for organisations within the Church in India. Especially when the Vicar Apostolate of Bombay was erected in 1637 which was under the direct ruling from Rome, caused misunderstanding between the Portuguese missionary and the Apostolate. The Inquisition of Goa had caused strained relationship and mistrust with the Hindus of India The strained relations between the Church and the Portuguese missionaries reached a climax when in 1838 the Holy See cancelled the jurisdiction of the three suffragan Sees of Crangaqnore, Cochin, and Mylapur and transferred it to the nearest vicars Apostolic, and did the same with regard to certain portions of territory which had formerly been under the authority of Goa itself. Finally in 1886 another concordat was established, and at the same time the whole country was divided into ecclesiastical provinces, and certain portions of territory, withdrawn in 1838, were restored to the jurisdiction of the Portuguese sees.

Social works

Mother Teresa

Concern with charity was common to Catholics and Protestants, but with one major difference: whilst the former believe that salvation comes from faith in God which manifests itself in good works such as charity, the latter could not rely on such a possibility, since they believe that only one's faith is a requisite of salvation, and that one's works are insufficient to gain or lose salvation. Consequently, Catholic charitable efforts in India have been extensive.

In Portuguese India, for instance, Saint Francis Xavier and his fellow missionaries were especially careful to help the local charitable institutions by tending to the sick, both spiritually and physically, and performing other works of mercy. The Jesuits' educational institutions, although never succeeding in missionary activities, had left a prestigious impact through their education institutions. Education has become the major priority for the Church in India in recent years with nearly 60% of the Catholic schools situated in rural areas. Even in the early part of the 19th century, Catholic schools had left its emphasis on poor relief and welfare.

Though Catholics make up less than 2 percent of India's population, the Church provides an estimated 22 percent of all health-care services, operating 5,000 facilities, and employs 33 percent of Indian health-care workers, including 40,000 Catholic nurses.

Provinces

Main article: Catholic Ecclesiastical Provinces in India

The provinces covered by the Church include 31 provinciates, which are broken down into 23 Roman Catholic (Latin Rite), 6 Syro-Malabar and 2 Syro-Malankara provinces.

Statistics

Statistics for 2011

• Bishop: 168
• Total number of diocesan priests: 9,301
• Religious Priests: 6,765
• Religious Brothers: 2,528
• Religious Sisters: 50,112
• Colleges and schools: 14,429
• Training Institutes: 1,086
• Hospitals and dispensaries: 1,826
• Publications: 292

Catholic Servants of God, Venerables, Beatified, and Saints from India

The following are some notable Servants of God, Venerables, Beatified, and Saints of the Catholic Church in India:

Saints

• St. Gonsalo Garcia (1556-1597), First person with to be canonized with partial Indian origin.
• St. Alphonsa (1910-1946), First official Indian Saint.

Beatified people

• Blessed Joseph Vaz, Apostle of Ceylon, (1651-1711)
• Blessed Kuriakose Chavara, (1805-1871)
• Blessed Mariam Thressia, (1876-1926)
• Blessed Euphrasia Eluvathingal, (1877-1952)
• Blessed Thevarparampil Kunjachan, (1891–1973)
• Blessed Mother Teresa, (1910-1997)

Venerables

• Fr Aurelian of The Blessed Sacrement OCD, born in Spain(1887-1963)
• Venerable Agnel D’ Souza, priest of the Society of Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier (1869-1927)
• Mar Thomas Kurialachery, (1872-1925)
• Fr Mathew Kadalikattil, (1872-1935)

Servants of God

• SG Devasahayam Pillai, Nagercoil (1712 - 1752)
• SG Mother Eliswa, (1831-1913)
• SG Mar Mathew Makil, (1851-1914)
• SG Fr Constant Lievens SJ, (1856-1893)
• SG Fr Joseph Vithayathil, (1865-1964)
• SG Tommiyachan Poothathil, (1871-1943)
• SG Msgr Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas, (1875-1960) the founder of the Congregation of the sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany
• SG Fr Varghese Palakkapillil (1876-1929)
• SG Fr Augustine John Ukken (1880-1956)
• SG Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, OIC (1882-1953)
• SG Fr Zacharias, OCD (1887-1957)
• SG Mgr. Joseph C. Panjikaran (1888-1949)
• SG Fr Augustine Thachuparampil (1894-1963)
• SG Msgr. Lawrence Puliyanath (1898-1961)
• SG Archbishop Mar Mathew Kavukatt (1904-1969)
• SG Msgr. Reynolds Purackal (1910-1988)
• SG Fr Theophane OFM CAP (1913-1969)
• SG Mother Petra DSS (1924-1976)
• SG Maria Celine Kannanaikal, UMI (1931-1957)
• SG Sr Rani Maria (1954-1995)

External links

• Giga-Catholic Information
• Catholic Encyclopedia article on India
• Catholic Bishop's Conference of India
• Syro-Malankara Church
• Syro Malankara Catholic Church International website
• Our Lady of Snow Kallikulam, Tamil Nadu, India
• Our Lady of Snows Church, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India