Does the Catholic press have a role in society in India?

Frankly, it’s marginal

The tomb of Sr Rani Maria in Udainagar, Madhya Pradesh

A Radical Change of Heart

“Christians are India’s hope,” Samandar Singh

Christian India at a glance

• 25 million Christians• 17 million Catholics• 3 Catholic rites• 160 denominations• ? Millions new

Evangelical churches• Overall composition 2.5

per cent (or less) in a population of 1.2 billion

• Kerala Christians make up nearly 20%

• Punjab is 1% Christian, mostly evangelical, with names like Mohar Singh

• Bihar has around 1%• Tamil Nadu and Andhra

Pradesh have 6% and 9 and 19%

• Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland between 67.58 to 85.47%(www.indianfolklore.org)

What do we do?

• Run schools, colleges, medical and engineering. Technical, management

First one in 1541 in Goa.

Today, nearly 15,000 schools, teaching more than 7 million students. 60 per cent in rural areas. 41% below poverty line.

More girls than boys

Many leaders, politicians, economists have had Christian education.

(India ranked 84 on TI’s Corruption Index for 2009)

Run healthcare services

Hospitals, primary health centers in rural areas, special institutions for the physically and mentally disabled, hospices, old age

homes, training centers in first aid and midwifery, home science and hygiene

Do social service by empowering the marginalized through education,

counseling, interventions and training

The Manoharpur horror

Killer – Ravindra Kumar PalVictims- Graham Staines &sons

The popular perception

• That we turn the other cheek because it’s a part of our Christian philosophy

• That we are conciliatory rather than confrontationist• That we’re part of the ‘white noise’ that forms the

backdrop to democracy in India• That collectively, we are a poor community, even though

some of us may be rich (We have at least one Forbes billionaire within the Christian community!)

• That we are usually employees, seldom employers.

Somehow, you don’t look Christian

2009 April

The Times of India came out with this magazine

The End