Dear Dr. Rajesh,

Thanks for the question.

I can't comment one your first paragraph below because it deals with Hinduism, a religion based on pantheism: that God is everyone.

While Christians do believe God does manifest Himself through other people and through nature, we do not believe He is physically everywhere. We believe God the Father sent His Son Jesus to save all mankind, including Hindu's, from their sins. In Christianity there is only one God, Jesus the incarnate God and Man.

You said:
My questions are:

• Did Jesus speak about a caste system?

No, He didn't.

You said:

• If yes, when and where?
  
• If no, then why is a caste system followed in the Church all over the country of India?

I can't speak to this as I am not knowledgeable enough with the development of the Catholic Church in Indian history and culture though I believe St. Thomas was sent there to evangelize the Gospel. The concept of a caste system in the Church makes no sense to me.

Yes, there is a hierarchy of clergy in the Catholic Church but it is a call to various degrees of service, not separation for any social or other cultural reasons.

You said:

• Why are parish priests keeping quite in this issue?
  
• What is the purpose of their silence?
  
• If that silence is for:
  • money and
  • power and
  • to get a mass movement of people to join the Church
    
    
• What does that say about Jesus and His preaching?
• Is it a fake Church?

Maybe my colleagues can provide addition insight on this subject that I am unaware of.

• From Wikipedia: The Caste system in India within Christianity
  

Sorry,

Mike

Dear Dr. Thangaraj —

Jesus did not speak specifically to the caste system, as it He preached primarily to Jews living under Roman rule so there was no specific caste system as found in India. However, Jesus did speak to the issues surrounding social justice . . . commanding us and all men to love God and one another as they love themselves. That includes feeding the poor and so forth. It also includes treating all men justly so the principles of the Indian caste system are not harmonious with the principles of Christianity.

Priests are called to preach the entire Gospel, starting with the needy to come to Christ and including all His teachings on faith and morals.

As I understand it, the situation in India is such that conversions are not allowed. You are whatever religion your parents are and no religion is allowed to proselytize . . . at least this what an Indian priest told me who is a friend of mine. That being the case, Catholic priests in India may be restricted in what they say about other religions. Certainly Catholics are not allowed to observe the caste system or participate in the injustices of this system.

Christianity however is different than other religions because it is not a religion of works so before the Gospel speaks to social issues, it's primary purpose is to bring you Christ. The closer you get to Christ, the more you convert your heart to the truth and turn away from sin and injustice so a priest's first job is bring people to Christ.

This is the same in every nation. We have many injustices in the United States. Today the greatest is abortion. In prior centuries, it was slavery. Catholic priests speak out against these evils but it isn't their primary role. Their primary role is to instruct us in the faith and to allow God to make those changes in our heart that lead us away from such evil. An addition problem we have is even when priests do preach, they often will not speak out enough. That is because even priests are men. They are not perfect.

The Church's primary function is not to change men, by changing society. The Church's function is to save souls, so that the Holy Spirit, might change men's hearts, so that men will change society and rectify injustices.

If Catholics in India observe the caste system then it is they, as individuals including priests, who are not being faithful to the Teachings of Christ just as in the West, we have Catholics who violate Church teaching by supporting:

• legalized abortion
• homosexual marriages or
• whatever other sinful behavior.

I'm not diminishing the responsibility of the Church as a whole to speak the truth in love but the Church from day one, has had it's share of sinners. I can't speak to the specific restrictions and persecutions that may burden the Church in India, hence the Church must balance the pastoral need to protect Her members, with the need to speak the truth at the risk of persecution.

We live sadly in an imperfect world.

With your permission, I would like to forward this exchange to Father Allen Anonymous in India. He was here in Boston studying at [Educational Institution blocked out] and also assisted at my parish. We became good friends. Perhaps he might give us insights and perhaps he would be willing to engage in a dialogue with you and help answer your questions.

I hope this helps,

John DiMascio

Dear Dr. Rajesh,

I don't know much about this topic, but a search on the internet has brought me these reports of efforts against the influence of the caste system:

• November 2003: Pope John Paul II tells Indian bishops to oppose caste system.
• November 17, 2003: Address of John Paul II to the Bishops of India on their "Ad Limina" Visit.
• May 2007: India's Bishops Praise U.S. Proposal on Castes.
• December 2008: India's Bishops Defend Caste System's "Untouchables".
• September 2010: Indian Dalits find no refuge from caste in Christianity.

This article notes that some Christians do have a caste mentality, in the words of Cardinal Gracias.

• February 2012: Christian equality irritates the caste system.
  [Since its posting this article removed from the lastampa.it website.]
• July 9, 2012: Caste First, Christ Second, for Some Indian Christians

Also, I found a recent appeal from three bishops to Pope Francis. [PDF] They describe the multiple forms of discrimination in society and even in the Church against Dalits, and they appeal to the Pope to appoint more Dalit bishops and reduce discrimination within the Church.

I hope this information will be useful.

With best wishes,

Richard Chonak