does the catholic press have a role in society in india? frankly, it’s marginal
TRANSCRIPT
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 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.