Editorial
Covid Tragedy: Where is the Catholic Church?
Opinion | Editorial | John S. Shilshi | 15-May-2021
Call it callousness, carelessness, incompetence, insensitivity or whatever; the collapse of health infrastructure all over the country, even as the second wave of COVID-19 struck hard, is unprecedented. It is harsher than we ever imagined, as we wake up every day to depressing tales of people dying, more often due to lack of medical support than the virus itself. We have heard stories of how parents have seen their children breathe their last as they watch heplessly, and children parting ways with their beloved parents despite putting in every effort to see them breathe little longer. The tragedy and helplessness has been all encompassing. None has been spared – the rich, the poor, the literate and the illiterate, no matter what religion or region one belongs to. This is a time when the world seems flat, as there is no difference between the rich living in high-rises or those living below in slums or villages in abject poverty.
In the midst of all these glooms, countless brave hearts and selfless individuals, other than the doctors, nurses and frontline workers have emerged as unsung heroes, serving humanity in some way or the other. Selfless and generous citizens have made headlines with their deeds as Good Samaritans, unmindful of what danger awaits them. Many institutions and organizations, both social and religious, have also risen to the occasion and reached out to those who need medical help, shelter, food and even disposing off bodies of the fallen victims. As we witness all these acts of humanity, the question that comes to mind is: Where are the Catholics - a Church and community so fondly known for yeomen services? The answer, sadly, isn’t as comforting as we would like it to be. They were there to nurse and serve their own people, who were bruised and tattered by the disaster, but confined, mostly to the Catholic community. They are not yet visible for others, therefore humanity not our religion yet. We wish the Church’s outreach was a little more proactive and inclusive.
This thought takes us back to August 2020, when Felix Machado, the Archbishop of Vasai, delivered his keynote adress to the All India Catholic Union during the Annual General Meeting. Speaking on “Equality and Dignity of Citizenship”, Archbishop Felix Machado had raised one pertinent point. He asked, “Are we an introvert, closed upon ourselves community, wanting only our rights, our privileges and lamenting over only our problems, our state of victimhood?” He went on to question, “We might be made to feel like this conveniently by those who consider us their adversaries; but are we going to play into their hands?” He then concluded by saying that such tendencies to politicize our citizenship as being a Christian community was dangerous, because it has the potential to push us into a “ghetto”. This considered view from one of the leading minds of the Catholic Church bears significance, especially in the light of the prevailing socio-politico-religious ecosystem in the country. The more we isolate ourselves, the weaker we would become.
Being in a “Ghetto” has never been the Catholic culture. We are known to live the Catholicism in its real sense. Our education institutions, hospitals, orphanage, old-aged homes, rehab centres etc. don’t cater only to Catholics, but to the entire society, across communities and religious affiliations. Therefore, there is no reason why we should not exhibit that Catholic spirit while sheltering, providing and caring for COVID victims now, and in the days to come. We should have no tag attached to our outreach and the service we extend. It should not stop short at the Catholic boundary, but move beyond. When Saint Teresa of Kolkata began picking up orphans, aged and the destitute - she didn’t do so by picking up Catholics first. She picked up every human being who needed care and compassion – Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, to name a few. Her acts therefore, were a strong reinforcement of the Catholic ethos. Therefore, in times like this, it is imperative and desirable that the Catholic Church rises to the occasion and shuns its tendency to become a recluse. In the current human tragedy, there is an opportunity to be grabbed and serve mankind, and serve we must without a ‘who’ or ‘whom’ scrutiny. Let us educate our youth to treat all human beings equally and not see them only through the prism of Catholicism. Like Archbishop of Raipur, Victor Henry Thakur said, “Now our religion is humanity as it connects us to God”, the Catholic effort to save life must be all encompassing.
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