‘We cannot become an exclusive Church’ - Indian bishop

For an Indian bishop, the Catholic Church cannot turn a blind eye to the problems of society and the everyday woes of the people.

“At present, we cannot become an exclusive Church,” said Bishop Kishore Kumar Kujur of the Diocese of Rourkela, India in an interview with Radio Veritas Asia.

“We have a mission towards others… We need to go out of our boundaries,” he said.

The bishop stressed that “the people’s problems are also the Church’s problem.”

“They look upon the Church because they trust the Church,” said the prelate.

Bishop Kujur talks about the mission of their diocese to reach out to the individuals living within their ecclesiastical jurisdiction, which are mostly tribal people.

The prelate shared how they assist these tribes, who are constantly displaced due to the takeover of their lands for mining purposes.

“People’s land is being taken out, they are homeless, [and] many of them do not get due compensation. And now the government is doing land grabbing,” he shared.

He also lamented the Indian government’s decision to paralyze their education system and the stark decline in Mass attendance.

Nevertheless, Bishop Kujur expressed his gladness that the Church is addressing these alarming social problems by inviting the faithful to embrace synodality.

He explained how they dialogue with tribal people to determine how to properly help them in their time of need.

“We like to see the people as rooted in God, sharing the ministry of Christ, recognizing their distinct vocation, and journeying together to establish the Kingdom of God,” said the prelate.

“We have to make the people vibrant in faith. God [is] experienced in holiness through prayer, personal life, adoration, pilgrimages, and different religious worships,” he also said.

Through these efforts, Bishop Kujur hopes that this will not just address the tribes’ displacement but also contribute to preserving traditions, upholding values, and promoting transformation through quality education.

Entrusted with such an overwhelming task, the Indian bishop remains positive because “God is assisting him” along the way.

“God is helping me in my work because nothing I can do on my own,” he said.