Thursday, March 1st, 2012 | Posted by News Desk
Autobiography of a Dalit Catholics Priest Unfolds a Tale of Atrocities
Letters can be a great instrument to showcase the socio-political
landscape of any society and culture and many people have used this as
a great tool to express their feelings – both sorrow and happiness.
Letters written by Dalit priest Father William Premdass Chaudhary have
also been used to reveal quite a dark world of discrimination and
untouchability widespread in the grandiose Catholic Church system and
debunks many myths surrounding Church.
Father William Premdass Chaudhary attacks on the problem directly in
his latest published autobiography 'An Unwanted Priest'. He has an
inimitable style of writing; he describes life in the Church and
priest and presents insight hitherto unknown to most of the people.
Father William Premedass Chaudhary does not mince words when he picks
pen. He goes on analyzing very far and peels the problem layer after
layer with a great precision.
Analyzing the deep rooted feeling of caste discrimination in the
forewalls of Church, Father William writes at one place in response to
letter written by Vincent M. Concessao, Archbishop of Delhi, "I am a
Dalit priest not a beggar. I am not begging you for the parish. I am
not the Manglorian priest so that you will care for me. I don't
require your permission and position (parish) to preach the gospel.
Jesus is my master and not you. I am Jesus' slave and not yours. Even
without parish what I have achieved, I am fully satisfied.
I am a Dalit priest so it is my duty to safeguard the dignity of Dalit
Catholics………." He further goes on saying, "Why, I ( local Dalit
Priest) am not assigned pastoral ministry consecutively for four years
but you have assigned pastoral ministry to other Priests of Delhi
Catholic Archdiocese though no one have gone for long retreat". You
have written in your letter that you cannot assign me a parish because
of my shortcomings which are fabricated, as neither of my shortcomings
has been proved by you……."
The book reveals inside world of Church, clash of ego and raises
questions on the style of functioning of the grand institution and
clearly depicts the injustice meted out to Dalit people and priests.
The book exposes many things and breaks many myths. Father William
raises a big question on the financial mismanagement of certain
influential officials in the Church.
When he writes about Dominique Immanuel, another priest, that "Please
tell Fr. Dominic to put on the website of the Delhi Catholic
Archdiocese. He had Income and Expenditure for dubbing the movie into
other languages. The same Income and Expenditure must be put on the
website. When the movie was produced, the name of the Sadbhavana was
added. Why it was so? Chetanalaya was the only producer. I heard that
Fr. Dominic Emmanuel was telling others that Sadbhavana had
contributed the money towards the production of movie….."
It does not seem farther from the truth that there is greater need to
put proper accounting checks on the income and expenditure of Church.
Similarly, at one place in the book he gives an interesting instance
and that actually became basis for the title of the book which goes
like this…
"I am an unwanted priest because I am a Local dalit Priest",
Archbishop of Delhi Catholic Archdiocese told Fr Premdass. One day I
was having heated argument with one of the inmate priests at clergy
house. As argument went on, the priest called me an unwanted priest.
The book also compels Hindu society to think about the Dalit brothers
who in order to get the social respect and equal treatment opt for
Christianity. The Dalit converts think that they are liberated. But,
here too, they don't get any reprieve. As, discrimination in the
Church system is very subtle the situation for a dalit priest like
Father William becomes worse and it becomes almost impossible for him
to stay in the mainstream of priesthood.
Father William has dared to write something that not many would even
dare to say or confess even in dream. He accepts the harsh reality of
conversion and the dilemma before a dalit brother. He writes, "Mostly
dalit Hindus were and are poor because they were and are exploited by
upper caste Hindus and they were and are doing labourer jobs and
menial works. After the conversion dalit Catholics were and are
exploited by the authorities of Catholics Churches. Hindu Dalit's
condition did not improve but remain the same. They were not allowed
to come up by the upper caste people in the society (Hindu). The dalit
Catholic's economical condition also was and is not good and their
standard of living was and is very poor even after becoming Catholics
in Delhi diocese and in North India…."
However, the book also points out some other type of discrimination
such as dominance of South India on the Church system. South Indian,
are cared more by Delhi diocese and they have plum positions in
Catholic institutions while local people and dalit don't get their
rights and they are more or less like slaves for their Catholic
masters.
The problem is at several levels. Though, the form and strength of
Indian Church is very much derives from large population of Dalits and
Triblals who have reposed their faith in Jesus but the structure of
Church has remained elitist and pro-upper caste. This need to change
and this is precisely why wave of confrontation has started taking
shape. Book mentions about Poor Christian liberation Movement (PCLM)
that advocates the cause of dalit Christians strongly. Father William
Premdass Chaudhary has chosen a very ideal platform to answer several
questions surrounding him.
The book – An Unwanted Priest: An autobiography of Father William
Premdass Chaudhary – will help the religious believers, religious
institutions, government, bureaucracy, judiciary, academicians,
researchers and media professionals in understanding the various
problems of Dalits and Tribals and the darkness behind the white robe.
This will help in understanding the politics of Conversion. And, it
will certainly educate all that only economic development of Dalits
and Tribals, and not mere Conversion, can bring social change in
India.
By R L Francis
President, Pclm
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