Bharat Ratna Mother Teresa

Contribution of Christian missionaries in India

8. Bharat Ratna Mother Teresa

A 19-year-old young European girl arrived in Kolkata in 1929 with a mission to serve the people in India and thereafter got identified with the city. This nun who is known all over the world as Mother Teresa of Kolkata, later got identified with this historic city. She drew attention of the entire world to the most neglected sections of the society, the lepers, the sick and aged destitute dying on the streets. She emphasised that these persons had right not only to live but also to live with honour and dignity.

Mother Teresa was born in a village Skopje of Yugoslavia on August 27, 1910. After the partition of Yugoslavia, now this village falls under the new country called Macedonia. Her original name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhius. Her father's name was Nicholas and mother's name was Dranafile Bernei. Agnes lost her father when she was seven years old. Her mother brought up three children. Agnes' elder brother's name was Lazar and elder sister's name was Agatha.

In 1928, at the age of 18, Agnes took leave of her mother and siblings, to become a nun and joined the Sister's of Loreto congregation. Agnes' mother expired at the age of 83. But Agnes never met her mother after leaving the home to become a nun. Loreto congregation used to run schools in India and thus young Agnes came to India to teach in one of the schools run by this congregation.

Agnes had now become Sister Teresa. She had chosen the name after St Teresa of the child Jesus, a Carmelite nun who is also referred to as 'Little Flower'. This nun was made a saint in 1925 and in 1927, she was declared as a patron saint of the missions.

On May 24, 1931, Sister Teresa took her first vows of poverty, chastity and obedience in Darjeeling. The three vows were to be renewed every year until the person took the final vows many years later.

Sr. Teresa worked as a primary teacher and subsequently as the principal of St. Mary's School of Loreto congregation in Entally, a suburb of Kolkata for many years. She was living with other nuns in Loreto Convent. The girls studying in St. Mary's School were from the upper strata of the society. Sr. Teresa had almost no contact with the socially and economically weaker sections of the society.

Fr. Henry, the priest of the Catholic parish Entally, used to work in slums of Kolkata. Sr. Teresa accompanied him during his visits to the slums. The visits offered her insights into the lives of the people living in these slums.

Sister Teresa never had an opportunity to know the poor people while she served in St. Mary's School. When she walked on the streets of Kolkata, she used to feel pity for the lepers begging on roads, skinny rickshaw-pullers suffering from tuberculosis and still pulling rickshaws to survive and the old sick people on the verge of death. The sights of these people made her restless, as she was unable to do anything for them. She had come to India with a mission to serve Christ. Now she felt sad that even as a nun, she was unable to improve the lives of these underprivileged people.

Every congregation of the Catholic priests and nuns selects a particular field of service for their activities. Of these, some congregations are active in the fields of education, medicine, social or religious mission. The Sisters of Loreto congregation had chosen the field of education. After 1939, Sr. Teresa felt a strong urge to establish her own congregation especially to serve the poor from slums of Kolkata.

For this purpose, she needed the sanction from the Pope, the spiritual head of the Catholic Church. She received the permission from the Vatican and in 1948, Sr. Teresa got out of the Loreto congregation to establish her own religious order and to serve the most needy sections in society.

As a nun not affiliated to any congregation, Sr. Teresa now did not have a roof over head. She was not sure of getting two meals a day. Her educational experience was also of no use to serve lepers, sick people or orphan infants lying on roads, footpaths or near dustbins. To serve and nurse these needy people, she took training in nursing. Now she was well equipped to serve the sick and the dying people lying on the streets of Kolkata.

Sr. Teresa named her congregation as Missionaries of Charity. As a member of the Loreto Congregation, she used to wear a long white robe and a black headgear. For her new congregation, she chose a uniform, which was purely Indian. The uniform was a white cotton sari with a blue border, which was worn, in Bengali style.

After leaving the Loreto convent, Sr. Teresa spent the nights at the convent of the Little Sisters of the Poor. She used to run a school for children of motijhil slum throughout the day. The Little Sisters of the Poor congregation paid for her tram fair. Sr. Teresa used to beg in Kolkata city for money to provide bathing soap for slum children, medicines for the sick and food to the hungry.

Later, never ever a generous rich person denied money to this nun because they were sure that she was not asking for money for herself but for the people who needed health and care the most. But such situation did not prevail in the 1950’s when Sister Teresa had just launched her work.

In those days, Sr. Teresa used to move from door to door and beg for alms. Each time, she was required to explain the reason for begging alms. Some people would refuse help while a few others offered a little help.

Some days later, Sr. Teresa got a room to stay in an old building. There, she did not have anything except a wooden box. The Missionaries of Charity congregation took its shape in this room only. The young girls who started working as novices of the Missionaries of Charity used to stay in that room. Sr. Teresa stayed there for four years, till 1953.

While Sr. Teresa was working all alone in slums, one of her former students, Subhashini Das, came to meet her one day. That 18-year-old girl wanted to work with Sr. Teresa. Subhashini was the first girl to join the Missionaries of Charity as a novice. Subhashini Das became Sister Agnes. She later became the second in-command, next only to Mother Teresa, in the Missionaries of Charity. After Mother Teresa's death, Sr. Agnes took over as the head of the congregation.

The head of a Catholic nuns' congregation is addressed as the 'Mother'. Thus, Sr. Teresa became Mother Teresa. She became the mother of the destitute, the poor and the neglected people. She and the nuns in her congregation took care of these people with love and affection.

After starting a school in Motijhil slums, Mother Teresa opened a dispensary there. Coolies from Kolkata, rickshaw pullers and other poor people visited the dispensary to receive treatment for various ailments. Among them, the number of tuberculosis patients was the highest. Mother Teresa established an alms house for giving free food to people staying on roads and to people who were reduced to skeletons due to hunger. She opened sanatorium for lepers and Shishubhavan for looking after abandoned infants found in dustbins, on the steps of dispensary and near gutters. The young girls joining the institute started working with the Mother to serve these destitute abandoned by the society.

Missionaries of Charity have many convents or centres the world over. Out of these, the most acclaimed centre is Nirmal Hriday or Home for the dying destitute. Some of these people are orphans and some are those abandoned by their relatives due to leprosy and some other dreaded or chronic diseases. Mother Teresa established Nirmal Hriday to offer affection and care to these people even when though some of these persons were almost on deathbed.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation gave a piece of land for Nirmal Hriday near the famous Kali Mata Temple on the banks of Hoogli River. Since then, for the last five decades, thousands of dying destitute have experienced the nuns' love and affection at this centre and then breathed their last.

Jesus Christ has said - 'Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me'. And so, Mother Teresa and her nuns saw Jesus Christ in these lepers, Dalits, orphan infants and children, the hungry and thirsty. Some people accused Mother Teresa and her congregation of exploiting the helpless destitute and converting them to Christianity. Christian missionaries have always faced this accusation. But Mother Teresa never retaliated. To retaliate to the criticism of people was not her nature. She continued to quietly serve people in distress. Due to progress in medical science, many diseases that were considered incurable earlier can now be treated and cured. But Mother Teresa used to say that being deserted and neglected by our own people was the most serious disease and that any amount of money, medicines or therapy would not cure such a disease. Serving these neglected people, giving them warmth of love and affection was the only assured cure for that disease.

The Mother would often say that the government administration would provide shelter to destitute, the sick and the aged in orphanages or other centres. But who would satisfy their hunger for love and affection?

Only a visit to one of the centres runs by the Missionaries of Charity would offer an insight into the noble and most difficult work carried out by these nuns. Some of these patients' limbs are decomposed, some have become spastic due to old age, and other inmates are a few-day-old infants abandoned on roads by their parents. Here at these centres, every person, irrespective of his or her caste, religion, language and region are served with the same affection and care. Mother Teresa asked her nuns to go to the places wherever natural or human-made calamity had struck and serve there the victims and the needy people.

In 1960, Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the Home for the dying destitute in Delhi. It was the first branch of the Missionaries of Charity outside Kolkata. In 1965, the congregation opened its centre in Venezuela to serve the needy at global level.

The money required for food, medicines and shelter of these needy people, orphans and sick people would not last long. But while running these centres for nearly 50 years, Mother Teresa never ever felt frustrated due to financial difficulties. She never shirked from her mission to serve people on the grounds of paucity of funds. The Mother was an incorrigible optimist. She was gifted with inexhaustible optimism that, some miracle would take place and her financial problems would be solved. Her work went on all over the world, notwithstanding numerous problems and its scope widened on a large scale.

There were many veteran personalities from India and abroad who brought help for Mother Teresa's mission. The important personalities who personally met the Mother and gave a helping hand in her mission included former prime ministers Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, Princess Diana, former US President Ronald Regan, Queen Elizabeth II, former Chief Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu and so on. Many of them visited the Mother's house and Nirmal Hriday and witnessed her work.

People the world over became familiar with Mother Teresa, walking with a bend due to her old age, soft spoken and always having a cheerful smile on the face.

This nun remained humble and polite even after winning several accolades at national and international levels. In one of the functions of the United Nations Organisations (UNO), the world body's former Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar introduced Mother Teresa as 'the most powerful woman in the world'. He was obviously referring to her moral strength gained due to noble mission. Mahatma Gandhi too with his simple living style and moral strength had become powerful enough to ask the British to quit India and thus shake up the mighty British Empire. Mother Teresa would remain in the limelight with various State heads and famous people from different fields for a while and then would return to her work.

Mother Teresa was showered with numerous laurels. The millions of rupees she received in the form of these awards enabled her to help more and more needy people. The centres of the Missionaries of Charity spread all over the world needed thousands of kilos of rice, wheat and vegetables everyday and this funds helped to meet this need.

The Missionaries of Charity opened their house at Amravati in Maharashtra in 1962. The congregation had taken a giant step from Kolkata. The nuns there had to converse not in Hindi or Bengali but in Marathi language.

Mother Teresa traveled extensively in different parts of India and abroad. The train journey would however take long time and the air travel of course was too expensive. So she approached the government of India to give some free tickets to travel by Indian Airlines and Air India. After the initial hesitation, the government administration conceded her request. The ministry of Railways also had made such a facility available to her for her railway journey.

In 1962, the government of India honoured Mother Teresa with the title Padma Shree. She was perhaps the first Catholic nun to receive this national civil honour. Later, in the same year, she received Raman Magsaysay award. The Nobel award for peace received by her in 1979 was the most prestigious award offered to her. In 1980, the then President of India Neelam Sanjiva Reddy honoured Mother Teresa with the country's highest civil award, the Bharat Ratna.

Mother Teresa was opposed to legalisation of abortions. She treated foeticide or abortion due to any reason as a sin. She never changed her views even after India and many other countries had legalised abortions. Although, many people did not agree with her views on abortion, she voiced them forcefully at various platforms. She would say that if a person or a family did not want their new born infant, they should send the baby to the Missionaries of Charity soon after its birth and the congregation would take up the responsibility to look after the child. Many unwanted infants have survived due to the humanitarian stance taken by Mother Teresa's congregation.

Mother Teresa passed away on 5 September 1997 in Kolkata, the city that she had come to be associated with. At international level, she is also referred to as Mother Teresa of Kolkata. Many world leaders attended her last rites and paid tributes to this humble nun. Soon after her death, the then Pope John Paul II initiated the process to canonise her. Of course, the Mother during her lifetime itself was called a living saint.

References :

1) 'Mother Teresa' (Marathi)- Asha Kardaley, Rajhans Prakashan, 1025, Sadashiv Peth, Pune 411 030 (1994)

2) 'Mother Teresa - Missionary of Charity' - Sam Wellman, Om Books, P O Box 2014, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, 500 003 (First Indian edition 2003, reprint 2005)

NUNS HAIL RELEASE OF MOTHER TERESA COIN

NUNS HAIL RELEASE OF MOTHER TERESA COIN
- CAMIL PARKHE Wednesday, 18 August 2010 - 12:09 PM IST
Tags: Mother Teresa, nuns, Christian, church, coin, Camil Parkhe

Nuns belonging to the Missionaries of Charity, a congregation founded by Mother Teresa, have expressed their joy over the government’s decision to release a coin in honour of the Nobel laureate on the occasion of her birth centenary later this month.

The coin would be released by President Pratibha Patil at the launch of year-long birth centenary celebrations in Delhi on August 28. 

The Missionaries of Charity, who have three homes for orphans and destitute in Pune, Chinchwad and Wakad, have planned a number of activities to celebrate their founder’s birth centenary and also on her death anniversary on September 5.

Sr Mary Angelic, superior of the Missionaries of Charity’s home at Tadiwala Road, said that it was indeed a noble gesture to honour the Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata.

Sr Angelic said that the design of the coin manufactured by the coins and currency department of the finance ministry has not yet been revealed.

The design of the coin has been approved by Sister Prema, Kolkata-based head of the Missionaries of Charity.

There are over 100 aged destitutes in the congregation’s Pune and Chinchwad convents, while the convent at Wakad has 200 destitutes including mentally challenged girls and 18 HIV-positive orphaned children.

Most of the inmates at the three houses are children and aged persons belonging to various religions and who have been abandoned by their relatives. These people are offered food, shelter and healthcare free-of-cost.

UNIQUE HONOUR

It would be the first time that a coin would be released in the memory of a Christian missionary. In the past, the government has released postal stamps to honour St Francis Xavier, linguist Rev William Carey, Sanskrit scholar Fr Robert De Nobili, and social reformer and Bible translator from Maharashtra, Pandita Ramabai.

 

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Rev. Baba Padmanji, first Marathi novelist, missionary

15. Rev. Baba Padmanjee, first Marathi novelist, missionary

Rev. Baba Padmanji (Padamanjee) well known as the first novelist in Marathi literature. The novel 'Yamunaparyatan' written by him in 1857 is recognised as the first novel in Marathi language. The novel highlighted the problems faced by widows in the 19th century and advocated remarriages for them. Padmanjee wrote about 150 Marathi books including collection of essays, autobiography, and dictionaries. A missionary to the core, Padmanjee was a social worker as well. He exposed and criticised many evil customs in the society of his time, through his literature.

Baba Padmanjee was born in Belgaum in Karnataka in May 1831. His full name was Baba Padmanjee Mulay. However, as per the custom prevailing then, he did not use his surname. He belonged to the 'Kansar' (metal vessel makers) caste. His father Padmanjee Manikjee who was a sub assistant surveyor and a builder in South Konkan was posted to Belgaum. Padmanjee studied at the The London Mission School in Belgaum. He later joined Elphinston School of Mumbai in 1847.

Merely a year later, he married as per Hindu rights and quit the school. Due to his father's posting, he stayed in Eden in 1848. On his return, he joined Free Church School at Kalbadevi in Mumbai in 1849. There was a teacher, Narayanshastri Sheshadri, who was originally a Chitpawan Brahmin but got converted to Christianity.

During this period, Baba Padmanjee's views about customs in Hindu society and casteism underwent change. He became a member of the Paramhans group, a reformist organisation functioning secretly. The objective of Paramhans group was to bring about reforms in Hindu society by abolishing casteism, eschewing idolatry, and propagating remarriages for widows. However, considering the strong opposition of the orthodox people to these reforms, the group met and held discussion with great secrecy. Later, one of the members of the group betrayed the group and disclosed the list of members in public. The release of the list created a great sensation and turmoil in society. There was a rumour that these members had an inclination towards Christianity and all of them would sooner or later get converted to Christianity.

Learning of this development, Baba Padmanjee's father immediately summoned Baba to his home at Udatare near Satara. His relatives persuaded Baba not to embrace Christianity. Under tremendous emotional pressure, Baba took a vow that he would not accept Christianity at least during the lifetime of his father. With this assurance, Baba was allowed to return to Mumbai, two months later.

Baba Padmanjee embraced Christianity in September 1854 at Belgaum. He was 23 years old then. He has explained the reasons for his conversion in an article published in Christian Marathi periodical 'Dnyanodaya'. The news of his conversion was published in many other Marathi periodicals and caused a great sensation in society. In the Marathi periodical 'Dnyanaprakash', following comment were published –

"Baba Padmanjee Kansar of Mumbai embraced Christianity on the 20th of the last month at Belgaum. This news has been published in several newspapers. One of our friends has received a personal letter, which reveals that, this person (Baba) also tried to take his wife along. But she refused. Baba Padmanjee has learnt English. His inclination towards Christianity has been there for a very long time. He has authored books in Marathi on subjects like women's' education, anti-idolatry and essays on various subjects."

In another periodical 'Vartamandipeeka,' the following news was published with a satirical comment - "There was news everywhere, which we according to a reliable source confirm to be true. We cannot call him 'Rajashri' but Baba Padmanjee could be called as 'Mister', who at Belgaum embraced Christianity by getting baptism from Rev. Taylor. His knowledge of English is good. Let Baba get salvation at least in Jesus' holy name. Hopefully, he does not pick up a new religion every day like Baliram.''

After embracing Christianity, Padmanjee persuaded his wife to embrace Christianity and to stay with him. However, having failed in his endeavor, he divorced his wife in1858 and married Serabai according to Christian rights in 1860. Twelve years later, when she died, he married her sister Hannabai. The second Christian wife also died in 1879 and he married for the third time in 1881. This wife died in 1890.

After conversion, Baba lived in Pune for nearly 16 years. He was a teacher in Free Church School. On April 7,1867, he was ordained a pastor of the Free Church Mission. Having worked as pastor for about five years, Baba devoted himself to writing fulltime. He ran many periodicals. In 1878, Padmanjee accepted editorship of the Bible and Tract Society in Mumbai. During this period, Baba wrote a lot. As the editor at the Bible Society, his responsibility was to correct Marathi translations of Bible and also proof read the matter. He was also a member of the translation committee of the Bible Society.

Baba Padmanjee appears to have been quite popular in the Christian community. Special functions were organised to celebrate the 40 and 50 years of his conversion and these functions found mention in newspapers of those time.

Rev. Baba Padmanjee enriched Marathi literature as he wrote for 50 years, from 1852 to 1906. He earned a prominent place for himself in Marathi literature due to the large number of essays, dictionaries, thesaurus, biographies and autobiography written by him. Poet Narayan Vaman Tilak acknowledged him as the father of Marathi Christian literature and research scholar Rev. Bhaskarrao Ujagare has described him the 'Bhishmacharya (pioneer)  of Christian Literature'.

Baba was a prolific writer. Some of his works became extremely popular. His autobiography 'Arunoday' has been translated into many languages. Besides, he ran periodicals like 'Udayprabha', Satyadipika (Dhakati), 'Satyadipika (Thorli), 'Satyawadi', 'Kutumbmitra', and 'Aikyadarshak'. He wrote in different forms of literature in these periodicals for 30-35 years and addressed several social problems.

Baba Padmanjee and Pandita Ramabai, another veteran missionary and social reformer from Maharashtra, were contemporaries. Prior to their conversion, both were scholars of Hinduism and therefore, their conversion to Christianity caused a sensation in society. Later, both these scholars devoted themselves to missionary work. However, the paths of these two veterans were totally different. Pandita Ramabai on becoming Christian took a vow of social service and dedicated herself for welfare of child widows, orphan children and their education. For several years before and after her conversion, she was constantly in the limelight and had to face severe criticism of the orthodox sections of society. This was the same fate meted out to other social reformers like Mahatma Jotiba Phule, his wife Savitribai, and also Gopal Ganesh Agarkar. Ramabai faced the criticism bravely and refused to abandon the path she had chosen. Baba Padmanjee too was a social reformer to the core, but his main arena was literature. He had a strong difference of opinion with Pandita Ramabai on certain issues. He too had severely criticised her in the 'Dnyanoday', a Marathi periodical published by the Christian missionaries.

Baba Padmanjee had very cordial relations with Mahatma Phule, one of the pioneers of social reforms in Maharashtra. Padmanjee used to write many articles signed as B.P. He wrote a preface to 'Brahmanache Kasab' (Skill of the Brahmins) authored by Mahatma Phule and signed it as B.P. Baba had also done proofreading of ' Shivajicha Powada' (A song in praise of Shivaji Maharaj) written by Mahatma Phule. The life and works of Mahatma Phule inspired Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar to fight the evil custom of untouchability.

When Mahatma Phule launched his work for the upliftment of neglected sections of society like child widows, women, and other downtrodden sections, he had to face tremendous opposition. Padmanjee always stood by him as a friend and writer. Senior researcher Y. D. Phadke in his book 'Visavya Shatakatil Maharashtra' (Maharashtra in the 20th century- Volume - I) has noted that, missionaries like Baba Padmanjee, through his periodicals 'Satyadipika', and ' Dnyanodaya', always stood by Phule.

Padmanjee’s literary works in Marathi were regularly published with several editions to follow. Of course, his advertising acumen and his marketing strategies for reaching out to the readers proved very useful.

Padmanjee retired at the age of 71 in 1902 after working for 25 years as editor of the Bible and Tract society. For the remaining years of his life, he got pension from this institution. This great scholar and a social leader passed away on August 29, 1906 in Mumbai at the age of 75. He was interred at the Shivadi graveyard in Mumbai. A plaque in his memory was erected at the cemetery on the occasion of his 100th death anniversary in 2006.

Dr Keshav Sitaram Karadkar, a biographer of Baba Padmanjee, has lauded the literary and social values of the Marathi novel, 'Yamunaparyatan' written by Padmanjee. The book deals with the predicament of widows in the 19th century. The state of widows and their remarriages was a flashpoint in the 19th century. This novel had a 27-page Sanskrit preface written by a veteran social reformer Dadoba Pandurang. The author along with the novel also published the Marathi summary of this preface, consisting of 18 pages. In his preface, Dadoba Pandurang emphasised remarriage of child widows. The subtitle of the novel was 'Hindusthani Vidhavanchya Sthitiche Nirupan' (The exposition of state of Indian widows).

Yamuna, the protagonist of the novel 'Yamunaparyatan', embraces Christianity. This seems to have put off many literary critics and scholars who alleged that Baba Padmanjee had written the novel only to propagate Christianity. As a result the novel was denied it’s due literary value and rightful place as the first novel in Marathi language. Some of these critics went to the extent of denying it the status of first novel in Marathi language due to its 'pro-Christianity' angle. The recognition and honour of being the first Marathi novelist eluded Baba Padmanjee for a long time. It was left to his biographer, Karadkar, to conclusively prove the literary value of this novel and to restore Padmanjee's honour as the first Marathi novelist after his death.
   
'Yamunaparyatan', which brought an important social issue of the nineteenth century on the anvil, drew a great response during Baba's lifetime itself. To facilitate these literary works reach maximum readers, Padmanjee adopted various marketing techniques like pre-publication discounts and advertisement of his literary works. Consequently, during his lifetime, three editions of this novel were sold out. Notwithstanding the comments about the literary and other values of the novel, there was a great applause from the readers.

In the second edition of the novel, Padmanjee published a list of those who purchased copies of the novel. The list comprised of veterans like Dadoba Pandurang, Jagannath Shankarsheth, Lokahitwadi Gopal Hari Deshmukh, Mahatma Jotiba Phule, Sheikh Dawood Gulam Mohammad, educationist Rev. John Wilson and Rev. Narayanshastri Sheshadri, Marathi dictionary composer James T. Molsworth, and others. Baba Padamanjee's novel was selected for studies at University level and later it became a subject for Ph. D. thesis.

Baba Padmanjee published a thesaurus titled 'Shabdaratnawali' in 1860. This was the first thesaurus in Marathi. It was based on 'Roget’s Thesaurus', a dictionary of parallel words written by senior English dictionary composer Peter Mark. The first edition of Roget’s Thesaurus was published in 1852. Rev Padmanjee published 'Shabdaratnawali' eight years later.

Padmanjee published  'A Comprehensive Dictionary- English and Marathi' in 1860. The second and third editions of the dictionary with more than 20,000 words were published in 1870 and 1889, respectively.

'A compendium of Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary' was yet another dictionary brought out by Baba. The first edition of this dictionary was published in 1863. The revised editions were published in 1875, 1882, and 1890. These editions indicate the response from the readers.

Dr. Bhimrao Kulkarni, in his preface to the Marathi book  'Baba Padmanjee: Kal Wa Kartutwa' writes - " Ever since his childhood the power of religion had captured Padamanjee's mind and when still young he converted to Christianity. Through his devotion to Jesus, he wrote a commentary on the New Testament. He carried out a comparative study of Christianity and Hinduism. He published many periodicals, wrote booklets and ran schools. He was extremely dedicated to writing and printing about European Christian missionaries. He enclosed bibliographies  even for small booklets for the convenience of readers. He resorted to attractive advertisements to communicate to readers. He ensured that his books reached readers by offering pre-publication discounts. His role appears to be mainly of an author of an encyclopedia, when one studies his compilation of essays, commentary on Bible and clarifying ideology of Hinduism."


References:

1. 'Baba Padmanjee: Kal Wa Kartutwa' - Dr. Keshav Sitaram Karadkar, Maharashtra Rajya Sanskruti Mandal, Mumbai 400 032. (1979).

2. 'Yamunaparyatan Athawa Hindusthanatil Vidhawanchya Sthitiche Nirupan' -  (Marathi) Baba Padmanjee, Snehwardhan Prakashan, Publishers - L. V. Tawre, 4, Sharda, Pashan Road, Opp Abhimanshree Society, Pune 411 008 (Fifth edition 1994).

3. 'Visavya Shatakatil Maharashtra (1901-1914)' (Marathi) First volume - Yashawant Dinkar Phadke, Publisher - Saswad Ashram Wishwast Mandal, Dist: Pune, Distributors - Shrividya Prakashan, 250, Shaniwar Peth , Pune-  411 030 (1989).

Graham Staines Burnt alive while in service of lepers

Contribution of Christian missionaries in India

10 Rev. Graham Staines: burnt alive while in service of lepers

Not many people might be familiar with the name, Graham Stuart Staines. But if he is described as the Christian missionary who along with his two minor children was burnt alive in Orissa, his identity would be established immediately. The whole world was stunned to hear of this horrible incidence, which took place on the threshold of the 21st century, on January 23, 1999, at Manoharpur in Odisha.

Staines who served lepers in Orissa was brutally burnt to death with his two young sons, Philip (aged 9) and Timothy (aged 6), while they were fast asleep in a jeep. This incident evoked a strong reaction in India and elsewhere. Dr Staines, along with his sons, was given the death penalty because he was a Christian missionary who was serving the lepers and other tribals in remote parts of Orrisa State. It is said that his major crime was that he preached Christianity among the tribals.

Until the brutal burning of the missionary and his two young sons, not many people outside Orissa had heard of Graham Staines or his wife, Gladys. After their killings under the cover of darkness, the whole world came to know about the Staines couple and the service they were rendering. Many years before this incidence, the Staines couple was serving lepers in the remote place of Orissa but they had never come into the limelight.

Graham Stuart Staines was born in Palmwoods, Queensland in Australia on 18 January 1941. He was the third child of his parents. He was baptised in a Baptist church. Bera Stevens, an Australian missionary serving lepers in Orissa, went on leave to Australia when he met young Staines. Staines got impressed by the work of Stevens and decided to join the missionary work in India.

At the age of 24, Graham Staines reached India in January 1955. Thereafter he started working in an ashram established in Baripada in Orissa to serve lepers. He spent remaining 34 years of his life in that ashram. Later his wife Gladys also extended a helping hand in his work.

Gladys Staines was born in 1951 in Australia. She had completed her training in nursing, in Australia and worked in Singapore, Malaysia and Europe for sometime. She met Graham Staines at Mayurbhanj in Orissa. Although they both had spent their childhood in neighbouring districts in Australia, they met each other for the first time in India only. Two years later, in 1983, they tied a nuptial knot and Gladys started working with her husband in leper's ashram in Baripada.

Esther Joy was born on November 7, 1985. Philip was born on March 31, 1988 and Timothy was born on May 4, 1992. Philip and Timothy were burnt alive along with their father on that fateful night.

In Baripada, Staines used to run a medical centre and a rehabilitation centre for lepers. There were nearly 80 lepers staying in that centre.

Due to progress in medical sciences and increasing social awareness, society has changed its view about leprosy and lepers. Leprosy is now curable. Still many of us are not mentally prepared to sit next to a disfigured leprosy patient in buses or in public places. Staines cleaned wounds of such lepers who were excommunicated by society, he supplied medicines to them and rehabilitated them. Leprosy patients and tribals in Baripada and nearby areas had great respect for him and his wife.

Staines was not the first missionary to take up social work among tribals of rural Orissa. The leprosy home was established in Mayurbhanj in 1895 at the instance of the then Maharaja of Mayurbhanj. A missionary woman by name Kate Allenby had established the home when she was 24-years-old. Many missionaries had served leprosy patients there even before Graham Staines came to India. These missionaries were role models for Graham Staines and his wife. Due to the brutal murder of Graham Staines, the world realised that Christian missionaries were serving the underprivileged and the most ignored sections of society in various remote areas under most difficult and adverse circumstances.

No one really had a grudge against Graham Staines working with the lepers. It is said that he propagated Christianity among the tribals and some considered this was a crime committed by the missionary. Hence, he was burnt to death along with his sons. Of course, those people who make such comments do not necessarily justify the death penalty given to Staines and his young sons. But it is argued that Staines received the death sentence for hurting sentiments of a particular group.

People who argue that Staines was burnt to death for his crime of propagating his religion forget very conveniently that the Indian Constitution permits religious conversion. Any true democracy allows any citizen to embrace a religion of his or her choice. In the same manner, if some one wants to live without following any religion or proclaim himself to be an atheist, the person should not be compelled to follow any religion.

Very few incidents in recent history had evoked such strong spontaneous indignation all over the world as these brutal killings. Newspapers in India and also all over the world wrote about the incident and also commented on it. Many national magazines also published cover stories on the killings.

Condemning the burning of Graham Staines and his two sons, veteran journalist Abhay Mokashi in his column 'Nation State' published in daily Mid-day has written - "I do not know if Graham Staines, the Australian missionary who was burnt alive with his two sons Philip and Timothy, was involved in religious conversions. One thing he definitely did - he converted leprosy patients into human beings for the treatment meted out to them even by their near and dear ones was worse than that given to animals. Staines, his wife and his children, helped the leprosy patients live like human beings."

He further said, "The Hindu fundamentalists responsible for the killing of Stains and his two sons should know that the loss of these three lives is not to Christianity, but to humanity at large. The Hindu leprosy patients for whom he devoted his life have lost their saviour."

Immediately after the incident of burning Staines and his children alive, the then President of India K R Narayanan issued a communiqué and expressed deep regret about it. The Rashtrapati Bhavan never issues such a communiqué unless a very major incident takes place. President Narayanan had described this repulsive act as "one belonging to the inventory of black deeds of history" and as "monumental aberration from the tradition of tolerance and humanity for which India is known."

Veteran social activist Swami Agnivesh said the incident has justly pricked the conscience of the nation. The then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee commented, "my head hangs in shame".

One can't even imagine Gladys Staines' condition after her husband and two young sons were burnt to death. This incident snatched everything away from Gladys who had left her country for missionary work and settled in India after her marriage with Staines. Gladys herself and her 13-years-old daughter Esther had survived as they were not present in Manoharpura on that dreadful night.

Gladys said then," It's true that the incident has made me sad but I have no hatred for those people. I sincerely pray to God to forgive them because they do not understand what they do." Her last sentence was the one uttered by Jesus Christ when he was crucified.

After her husband and sons having been sacrificed to flames, Gladys never thought for a moment about her future course of action. Many had expected her to return to her native country as her husband's support was over and staying with a young daughter in India would be very unsafe. But Gladys proved them wrong. She continued her work with leprosy patients in Orissa and Esther also continued her secondary school education in India.

Gladys said," My husband and my sons have sacrificed their lives for this country. India is my country and I feel happy to live here. I intend to live in India and serve needy people. "

A couple of years later, in 2002, peace activists gave Gladys Staines the prestigious Gandhi Community Harmony Award.

Esther completed her studies at Ooty, while Gladys continued her work at the Leprosy Home. In 2004, Gladys Staines decided to return to Australia to look after her 91-year-old father, Besides her daughter Esther who had turned 18 wanted to pursue her medical education. But she said that she would visit India regularly to continue the work started by her husband in Orissa.

Commenting on her plans to return to Australia, Chandigarh-based 'The Tribune' wrote an editorial entitled 'Goodbye Mrs Staines: Her tragedy will remain on India's conscience' on July 16, 2004.

The editorial said: "Had Gladys Stuart Staines left in January 1999 when her husband and two little sons were burnt to death in what President K R Narayanan described as mankind's blackest deed, it would have been painful but understandable. But she had decided to stay put and carry on the missionary work started by Graham Staines. Her leaving the country now makes the parting all the more heart-rending and poignant."

Gladys has kept up her commitment to her mission in Orissa. She has been supervising the work of the proposed leprosy center that would be a memorial to her husband and also to her two sons. In 2005, the government of India selected her for the prestigious Padma Shri award. The President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam presented her the award in recognition of her distinguished service to the nation.

References :-

1. 'Jeevant Jalale' , Marathi translation of original English work ' Burnt Alive' - By Vishal Mangalwadi, Vijay Martis, M.B. Desai, Babu K. Verghese and Radha, Anil Dahiwadkar and Prof. David Aawale, Publisher - GLS Publishing, Udyog Bhavan, 250, D, Worli, Mumbai 400 025 (2000)

2. Daily 'The Tribune', An editorial entitled 'Goodbye Mrs Staines: Her tragedy will remain on India's conscience', July 16, 2004, Chandigarh

Social worker Manorama Medhavi

Contribution of Christian Missionaries in India

By Camil Parkhe

16. Social worker Manorama Medhavi

Towards the end of 19th century, a storm reached the western Indian state of Maharashtra. It was in the person of scholar-activist Pandita Ramabai who caused several upheavals in the social, political, cultural and literary fields of Maharashtra for next several years.

Ramabai Dongre's Konkanastha Chitpavan Brahmin family had settled in Karnataka. The young Ramabai traveled to Chennai with her parents and after the death of her parents, sister and elder brother, during their pilgrimage; she arrived in Maharashtra en route Bengal and Orissa. Ramabai brought along her small daughter, Manorama. When Ramabai decided to settle in Pune, she was a widow and her daughter was just one year old. Manorama accompanied her mother wherever she went within the country and also abroad.

It is said that Ramabai's rebellious nature and her equally strong attitude mellowed during her later years after she settled in village Kedgaon near Pune. Thereafter, the Pandita focused all her energies on the rehabilitation of child widows and abandoned women, besides the translation of the Holy Bible from the original texts in Hebrew and Greek to Marathi. It was during this period that Manorama who had lived in the shadows of Ramabai for several years established her own identity as a social worker even while helping her mother at the mission.

Some events in the personal life of Pandita Ramabai and her progressive views had created long lasting controversies in Maharashtra. However nothing of that kind happened with her daughter Manorama Medhavi. Manorama's life and missionary work was indeed much different from her mother. Right from her birth, Manorama had to face many storms as she lived with her mother throughout, braving the controversies due to the latter’s progressive views and work in social, educational, political and religious fields. Young Manorama must have watched her mother face many challenges and sometimes, she too may have borne the brunt of the critics’ attacks.

There are many European and American Christian missionary women who settled in India and educated the local masses, offered them medical help and improved their lot. Manorama Medhavi occupies an important place among Indian missionary women like Pandita Ramabai, Sundarabai Pawar, and Laxmibai Tilak. They are the pioneer Indian women missionaries in Maharashtra and perhaps also in India.

Marathi writer Mrinalini Joglekar has described Pandita Ramabai as 'The pioneer of women's emancipation in India'. Ramabai was among the first few women who attended the session of the Indian National Congress in Mumbai soon after the formation of the political organisation. She was a social worker who argued in favour of women's education before the Hunter commission. She was a social reformer who ran Sharda -Sadan and Mukti- Sadan for child widows and orphan women. She was also a scholar who gave lectures in Europe and America. We come to know about this well-known, multi-faceted lady as a mother through Manorama Medhavi's personality. Ramabai's biography, however brief, cannot be complete without a mention of Manorama and vice versa. Pandita Ramabai's public life begins soon after the birth of Manorama. The mother and daughter left this world within a few months of each other.

Young Ramabai along with her brother Shrinivas Shastri visited Kolkata in 1878. Her mastery over Sanskrit impressed scholars there and they felicitated Ramabai with the title 'Pandita' (scholar). Ramabai's brother expired some months after and lonely Ramabai married a gentleman, named Bipin Biharidas Medhavi. On April 16, 1881, a day prior to Easter, Manorama was born in Silchar in Assam. Bipinbabu made a note of her birth in his diary as - 'Saturday, April 16th, Easter eve, child born at 10 minutes to 8 p m.'

Manorama much treasured that page from her father's diary all her life. The reason was Bipinbabu’s sudden death within nine months of her birth. Two months after her husband's death, Ramabai along with her daughter came to Maharashtra from Assam. She settled in Pune and started participating actively in social and political fields. During those days, Pune was a major centre of social and political movement not only in Maharashtra but also in the entire country.

Ramabai Ranade - wife of Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade- and Pandita Ramabai became thick friends. Pandita Ramabai used to travel to Solapur, Ahmednagar, Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, for social work. Manorama was just an infant. It was indeed commendable that in spite of being a single parent, Ramabai continued her work while looking after her daughter at the same time.

Ramabai went to England in 1883. Her infant daughter accompanied her there too. Ana alias Annapurna Tarkhadkar, Dr. Anandibai Joshi, and Pandita Ramabai are mentioned in a list of Indian women who first went abroad at the turn of the 19th century. But the two-year-old Manorama must have been the first infant girl to get an opportunity to go abroad.

The only means of traveling to Europe and America those days was by sea. Mother Ramabai definitely must have been worried about the small girl during the long and tedious ship journey. But where was the alternative? Ramabai wrote about her decision to take her daughter to England,

"I have not brought up my daughter so delicately- harvesting doubts like, an ant would bite her if I left her on the floor or a crow would lift her if she is left in the open ground. No! Her mother has traveled from one corner of India to the other in hot summer, when the girl was not even eight months old. I have understood a lot about her health during this journey."

We can learn about Ramabai's tough nature through various incidents from her life and various decisions taken by her about her beloved daughter. Pandita Ramabai had faced rough weather several times in her life. It appears that keeping her daughter's welfare in mind, Ramabai took many hard decisions with a heavy heart.

After reaching England, Ramabai stayed in a convent run by the Sisters of the Community of Saint Mary the Virgin at Wantage in Oxford district. Pandita Ramabai, along with Manorama, embraced Christianity at Wantage on September 29, 1883. During the stay at the convent, a bond of affection developed between Manorama and the nuns. Ramabai’s pet name for Manorama was 'Bobby' while the nuns at the Wantage convent used to call her ‘Mano’. The sisters also used to call her 'Daughter of the East'.

Young Manorama developed a special relationship with Sister Geraldine, who looked after her very well. Manorama used to call her granny. The relationship was sustained for several years even after Manorama returned to India. The two kept in touch with each other through regular exchange of letters.

While Manorama was settling well amidst the newly formed bond of affection, her mother got ready to leave England for America. She was planning to attend the medical convocation ceremony of Anandibai Joshi, a resident of Pune, at Philadelphia in America. In February 1886, Ramabai and Manorama sailed for America.

Anandibai and her husband Gopalrao Joshi waited at the berth for two days to welcome Pandita Ramabai to America. Dr Anandibai has written about this meeting. She says, "Pandita Ramabai arrived here safe and sound. She was delayed due to storms. I waited for her at the port for two days. Her daughter who is very pretty accompanies her. She looks like a beautiful, freshly blooming, tender rose bud. Her mother who has suffered a lot till date must be feeling happy because of her."

While in America, young Manorama got sick. Dr Anandibai, who had recently acquired a degree in medicine, treated her. Before returning to her motherland, Anandibai helped a pregnant woman who was in pain. These two find mention as the first two patients of Dr Anandibai who had the distinction of becoming the first Indian woman to acquire a degree in medicine abroad. Unfortunately, Anandibai's wish to serve patients in India was not fulfilled. Just three months after returning to India, she expired on February 26, 1887 after a brief illness. The Maharashtra government has instituted an award in health sector in memory of this pioneer woman.

When Ramabai's stay in America got prolonged, she sent Manorama from America to England by ship, as she did not want Manorama's education to suffer. For this journey full of hardships, she entrusted the responsibility of her daughter to the lady manager of the ship. Even today, one has to admire Ramabai's courage, because little Manorama who made the ship journey was only six-years-old.

After completing the tour of America, Ramabai went around the world and returned to India via Japan and once again little Manorama journeyed all alone by a ship from England and reached India. In Mumbai, Ramabai had started 'Sharda Sadan', an ashram for child widows. Manorama started living with her mother there.

Godubai was one of the first child widow inmates at the Sharda Sadan. Later Godubai got married to Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve and came to be known as Anandibai (Baya) Karve. While in Sharda Sadan, Baya Karve used to look after young Manorama.

After Sharda Sadan was shifted to Pune, Manorama started studying at Epiphany School near Panchhaud Mission. During this time, she had learnt her mother tongue, Marathi, once again. Manorama thereafter shifted to England and later to America for pursuing her studies.

In the year 1900, while studying for her higher education, Manorama returned to India when her mother got sick. Thereafter she started helping her mother in her work. In the meanwhile, Ramabai had shifted Sharda Sadan to village Kedgaon near Pune. A new era began in Ramabai's life after she settled in Kedgaon. Now she had her daughter to help her in her work. The girls from the Sharda Sadan used to address Pandita Ramabai as 'Aai' (mother); therefore Manorama who was just 20-years-old was naturally addressed as 'Taai' (sister).

Later Manorama went on a tour of Australia and New Zealand. The main purpose of the tour seemed to be religious. During this tour, she addressed several religious assemblies. She was only 22-years-old then. Devdatta Tilak, biographer of Pandita Ramabai, has noted - 'at this age, her mother had stormed Calcutta and whole India and now her daughter stormed Australia and New Zealand.

While in Australia, Manorama wrote a book on her mother. In 1887, during her stay in America, Pandita Ramabai had authored a book titled 'High caste Hindu woman'. Fourteen years later, her daughter wrote the sequel to the book, comprising 95 pages, when she was abroad. A daughter who was dedicated to social and religious work has written about the life and work of her great mother in this book. This book should be considered as an exceptional one in which a daughter has dealt on her living mother's work. This book describes the expansion of Pandita Ramabai's social work since her return to India from her first tour of America.

Manorama took up administrative responsibilities at Sharda Sadan, Mukti Sadan and other ashrams in Kedgaon. Manorama who was educated in England and America joined the Deccan College in Pune to obtain an educational degree, which was needed for teaching in India. Every day, she would drive down in a car from Kedgaon to Pune and after the college lectures, drive back home and look into the work and accounts of the school every day. She completed her BA in 1917. During this period, her health had started deteriorating.

Manorama was looking after the administration of the ashram and once she complained against a girl to her mother. Manorama who was much agitated by the girl's behaviour asked her mother to expel the girl from the ashram. She also threatened her mother that if the girl was not expelled, she herself would walk out of the Sharda Sadan. The threat however did not have any effect on her mother. Pandita Ramabai used to look after several orphan girls with love and affection and she would not give up any of them. She replied to her daughter, " You may leave the ashram if you wish! I will not expel the girl. She is an orphan. She has no one else but me. I won't let her be expelled." Manorama was trained under such a loving lady who also turned into an iron lady when required.

Manorama established a school for the blind at Kedgaon. This was one of the first schools for the visually impaired in India. Manorama had learnt the Braille script while staying abroad. The school was named as 'Bartamay Sadan'. Blind people were taught to read Braille at 'Bartamay Sadan' and were rehabilitated. Manorama gave lessons in Braille at the blind school. She also used to teach in this school. Blind girls and women were trained to make various articles there. It was indeed a difficult task to offer training and rehabilitate the visually impaired persons but Manorama took up this challenge in the beginning of the 20th century.

Manorama's yet another unique mission was the establishment of a girls' school at Gulbarga in Karnataka. She started the school 'Shanti Sadan' there in 1913. By this time, her mother, Ramabai, had concentrated all her attention on the Marathi translation of Bible. Therefore, the responsibility of looking after the administration of all the institutions came to Manorama.

After 1918, Manorama's health started deteriorating more and more. She was suffering from heart ailments. From Kedgaon, she was shifted to a hospital in Miraj. She breathed her last there on July 24, 1921.

By this time, Pandita Ramabai's translation of Bible into Marathi was in the final stages. Her health was also deteriorating. But she kept praying to God that he should not call her before the completion of the work. Ramabai completed the translation work nine months after the death of her daughter. After checking the last proof of translation, she sent it to the press and breathed her last the same night. It was April 4, 1922.

Pandita Ramabai and Manorama Medhavi are credited with the work of rehabilitating and educating the destitute women and children during the British regime. Very few women were involved in such work during those days.

Pandita Ramabai remained in the limelight for many years due to her extraordinary intelligence, participation in social and political fields and many controversial incidents in her life. It was not so with her daughter, Manorama. After staying abroad for many years, she chose to work in a small village like Kedgaon. Many incidences in her life were challenging. She was able to face them because of the support from her mother. Devdatta Tilak has written in his biography of Pandita Ramabai has said that - "Amongst the people around Ramabai, Manorama used to shine like a star."

Manorama Medhavi has a special place among women social workers in Maharashtra belonging to the pre-Independence era.

References: -

1. 'Maharashtrachi Tejasvini - Pandita Ramabai' (Marathi) (The bright woman of Maharashtra – Pandita Ramabai), Author, Publisher - Devdatta Narayan Tilak, Shanti Sadan, Agra Road, Nashik, Maharashtra (1960)

2. 'Stri-Muktichya Udgatya' (Marathi) (Pioneers of women’s liberation) - Mrinalini Joglekar, Swati Prakashan, Pune 411 030.

3. 'Vismrutichitre' (Marathi), Dr. Aruna Dhere, Shrividya Prakashan, 250, Shanivar Peth, Pune 411 030 (1998).

Padma Vibhushan Cardinal Valerian Gracias

Contribution of Christian Missionaries

14. Padma Vibhushan Cardinal Valerian Gracias

Cardinal Valerian Gracias is the first Indian to be elevated to the rank of Cardinal in the Catholic Church hierarchy. The Pope, the spiritual head of the Catholics in the world, is chosen amongst these cardinals. Gracias was chosen a leader of the Christian community in the country when India was about to break from the shackles of political slavery. Cardinal Gracias guided the Christian community in India for over two decades.
 
Cardinal Gracias’ family hailed from Naveli in Goa. His father, Juze Gracias, had migrated to Karachi in search of livelihood.  Valerian was born in Karachi on October 23, 1900. His father and mother, Carlota, were not educated. Valerian lost his father when he was just eight. Carlota looked after Valerian and his elder sister Pauline after the demise of her husband.

In 1917, Valerian took leave of his mother and elder sister and joined the St. Joseph Seminary at Mangalore to become a priest. Valerian was sent to this seminary by Mumbai archdiocese, which at that time comprised areas as far as Karachi in the north.  However, the climate of Mangalore did not suit Valerian. His religious superiors therefore shifted him to the seminary at Candy in Sri Lanka. Valerian studied there for four years. He was ordained a priest on October 3, 1926. His mother witnessed his ordination. It is indeed a matter of pride for any devout Catholic mother or father to see their son or daughter becoming a priest or nun. Carlota, of course, could never have imagined that her son would rise to become a bishop and later cardinal.

Fr. Valerian was posted as a priest in Mumbai. The tall and handsome Valerian was blessed with good oratory. He would hold the congregation, especially the youngsters, spellbound. Fr Valerian was appointed secretary to the Archbishop of Mumbai Joaquim D'Lima in 1929 and continued to hold the post till 1936. He was appointed as the parish priest of the Woodhouse Church in Mumbai. The local Christians were very happy to have one of their own as their head parish priest. Thereafter, Gracias held many high positions in the Church and became a respectable figure not only among the Christians but a cross section belonging to various religions in the country.

Mahatma Gandhi launched the Quit India movement against the British in 1942. It was a forgone conclusion that the British would have to leave India sooner than later. So far, the Portuguese, the British and the Dutch bishops had led the Catholics in the Mumbai diocese. In free India, it would have been most appropriate that the sons and daughters of the soil govern the church of their country. Therefore, Pope Pious XII appointed Fr. Gracias as the first Indian bishop of the Mumbai archdiocese.  He was consecrated bishop on June 29, 1946.

A non-Christian may not be well acquainted with the hierarchy and functioning of the Church. The Catholic Church all over the world has a hierarchy, which comprises the priests at the village or town parish level, bishops and archbishops as the head of a diocese and the cardinal at a higher level of responsibility. A diocese in India comprises few revenue districts. The Vatican-based Pope, of course, is a spiritual head of the Catholic Church.

The Church is spread all over the world and has set up its own administrative wings for proper coordination in spiritual and other matters concerning its folk. The parish priest and the assistant parish priests shoulder the spiritual responsibility of a village or town parish. Several villages and cities from adjoining districts comprise a diocese and its head is called a bishop. Area larger than the diocese is called archdiocese and its head is known as archbishop. Archbishops supervise the neighbouring dioceses as the representative of Pope. For example, the Archbishop of Mumbai, apart from carrying out the responsibility of Mumbai archdiocese, also supervises diocese of neighbouring Pune, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Belgaum, and Nashik and so on. Cardinal is a post of higher importance and responsibility.

A bishop has the authority to appoint, transfer priests in his diocese. He is also empowered to ordain priests. Fellow bishops or cardinals consecrate new bishops who are appointed by the pope. The pope himself appoints and ordains cardinals. A particular robe and different ornaments depict the hierarchy of the pope, cardinals, bishops, archbishops and priests. When these persons holding different posts in the church assemble for a function, their positions in hierarchy are revealed by the robes they adorn.

When Valerian Gracias took over as the bishop, he infused a new vibrancy in the Mumbai diocese. The country got independence soon after his appointment. Bishop Gracias later took over the reins of Mumbai Archdiocese as the first Indian Archbishop on December 1, 1950.  It was just two years later, on December 29, 1952, that the Vatican announced appointment of Gracias as the first Indian cardinal of free India. At an impressive ceremony held at the Vatican, this son of India received from the then Pope Pious XII his ceremonial wardrobe including the vestment and the cardinal's skull cap. Valerian Gracias had become the first Indian cardinal, a prince of the Church.

The announcement of Valerian Gracias appointment as the cardinal was well received in all the sections in India. The selection of an Indian for the post of a cardinal was an important moment in the history of Indian church. St. Thomas, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, had come to India 2,000 years ago and laid the foundation of Christianity. Since then, not a single Indian was ever elevated to such a high post in the church.

The Indian government welcomed it with great happiness. A message sent by the government to the Vatican said:  ‘We feel honoured at this historic event as a son of India has been appointed on such a dignified post in the Church’. Asat Ali, the then Indian ambassador to the Vatican, personally called on the then Pope PiousXII and conveyed the happiness of the Indian people and the Indian government over the appointment.

The happiness of the Indians and Indian government over the appointment underlined the importance of the cardinal's post in the church hierarchy and also at the international level. The Pope leads the Catholics the world over. However, the Pope needs help of the church's administrators such as the cardinals, archbishops and bishops to frame the church's policies and decide its stance related to various religious, ethical, humane issues arising in various regions, countries or at international levels. For day-to-day governance, the Pope delegates responsibilities in various fields to cardinals of different countries.

Although, the Pope is only a spiritual leader, countries all over the world also recognise him as a head of a nation- the Vatican City.  Incidentally, Vatican City with an area of 0.2 square miles is the world's smallest nation. The Vatican has a population of 770, none of whom are permanent residents as these persons are the cardinals, archbishops and other laypersons temporarily posted in the city. As the head of this tiny State, the Pope appoints archbishops or cardinals in different countries as his ambassadors. In New Delhi, too, the Vatican has its ambassador who is called the Pro Nuncio or the papal representative.

Some cardinals live in Rome itself to carry out the work assigned to them by the Pope. Other cardinals look after the spiritual and other responsibilities of their respective archdioceses. All cardinals have to visit the Vatican whenever summoned by the Pope for urgent consultations on various issues or to attend meetings of various committees.

On the demise of a Pope, all cardinals based in various countries rush to the Vatican and participate in a conclave to elect one amongst them as the next pope. Cardinals below the age of 80 years only can contest the election and one of them is elected to the vacant post. The retirement age for the cardinals is 75 years and after that they continue to be emeritus cardinals devoid of any administrative responsibilities.

Incidentally, as per the church's tradition, a cardinal's title and name is written with the title appearing after the first name and before the second name. For example, Valerian Cardinal Gracias, Ivan Cardinal Dais and Simon Cardinal Pimenta.

A grand civic reception was arranged in Mumbai in honour of Gracias when he was appointed as the cardinal. Replying to the felicitation, the first cardinal of India said - “I have served people without discriminating them on the grounds of caste and religion, I will continue to do as in future also as I am indebted to people.” The cardinal abided by this promise all through his life.

The tenure of Cardinal Valerian Gracias (1950 - 87) is an important period in the history of the Mumbai archdiocese and also the Indian church. He represented India at the international level successfully. The country came to know this charismatic leader when on several occasions he displayed his extraordinary organising ability, his love for the motherland and concern for humanity.

Cardinal Gracias was the chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) during 1954 - 1972. He was longest serving chairman since the CBCI was established in 1944. The CBCI, the apex body of the Catholic Church in the country takes up various spiritual, social, educational and cultural issues, which concern the Indian Christians in particular, and also other communities. As its head, Gracias had an opportunity to shape the destiny of the Catholics in spiritual, educational and other fields in free India for over two decades.

Cardinal Gracias hosted the first all India Eucharistic Congress in Mumbai from December 4- 8, 1954. He was appointed the representative of the Pope for the important event.  The five-day congress was attended by thousands of Catholics from all over the country. After the conclusion of the religious session, a public meeting was organised at the venue. The dignitaries present at the function were the then Vice-President Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan and the then Mumbai State Chief Minister Morarji Desai.

The successful organisation of the Indian Eucharistic Congress brought Cardinal Gracias into limelight at the international level. The Vatican later entrusted him with the responsibility of hosting the 38th international Eucharistic Congress in India in 1964. The Holy See had taken note of Gracias' organising skill and ability to mobilise people in church's activities.

Most importantly, the Pope Paul VI had conceded to visit India to officiate at the World Eucharistic Congress. This would be the very first visit of any Pope to India. The news of the Pope's visit to India created a wave of enthusiasm among Indian Christians. The Indian government too welcomed the proposed visit of the Pope.

The 38th international Eucharistic Congress was held in Mumbai from November 28 to December 6, 1964. The then Vice-President, Dr  Zakir Hussein, Governor of Maharashtra Dr P V Cherian and Chief Minister Vasantrao Naik and other dignitaries graced the inaugural session of the Congress. Pope Paul VI arrived at the Mumbai airport on December 2. Vice-President Dr. Zakir Hussein, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, State Governor Dr Cherian, Information and Broadcasting Minister Indira Gandhi, and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Violet Alva received him.

When he was leaving India, Pope Paul VI said at the airport, “Here we live our heart, Jai Hind”.  President Dr Radhakrishnan complemented Cardinal Gracias for the excellent planning and organisation of the papal visit.
St. John Medical College at Bangalore is a gift of Cardinal Gracias for the cause of health service and medical education in India. The cardinal, then also the CBCI chairperson, envisaged and executed this prestigious project as the chief memorial of the 1964 World Eucharistic Congress held in Mumbai. During the Eucharistic Congress, Pope Paul VI blessed the corner stone of the proposed St John Medical College. The first phase of the college project was inaugurated by President Dr. Zakir Hussein in 1968.
Cardinal Gracias had raised a fund of Rs. 3 crore for the medical college. Students from every corner of the country and belonging to various religious communities have received training at this college. St John's Medical College is now one of the most reputed medical educational institutions in the country.

While discharging his duties and responsibilities as a priest, bishop and cardinal, Valerian Gracias contributed in the field of literature as well. He had taken up as the editor of a periodical ‘Messenger of Sacred Heart’ in 1935. Thereafter, he launched another magazine ‘Catholic Action’. For some time, he had also functioned as co-editor of the weekly ‘Examiner’, published by the Mumbai archdiocese since 1938.

Some of his literary works are ‘The Vatican and International Policy’, ‘Decline of Public Morals’, ‘The Features of Christian Life’, and ‘The Church in the Light of Vatican’. His articles were also published in reputed national newspapers and periodicals like The Times of India and The Illustrated Weekly.

St. Pious Seminary located at Girgaon in Mumbai is a gift from Cardinal Gracias not only to Mumbai archdiocese, but also, to the church of India. This seminary has trained hundreds of youth, aspiring to be priests. Earlier, the seminary was located on a small piece of land at Parel. Cardinal Gracias purchased 30-acres at Girgaon near the Aarey Colony to build a spacious seminary.  The seminary was inaugurated in 1960. The youth trained at the seminary have later functioned as priests, bishops, archbishops in different parts of the country and also abroad.

Cardinal Gracias was in Rome to participate in the Second Vatican Council when China invaded India in 1962. The Cardinal left the Council deliberations half way and rushed to his motherland. He had carried along a special message from Pope John XXIII for Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru during this hour of crisis. Later while leading prayers for the country’s sovereignty at Mount Mary's Church, Bandra in Mumbai, the cardinal said that a person is indebted to his father and his country after God. Loyalty to country and patriotism are deep-rooted sentiments, he said.

The deliberations at the second Vatican Council had reached an important stage. They were to shape the church's response to the modern world, its attitude to other religions and various ethical issues raised by science and technology. Cardinal Gracias, however, postponed his departure for the Vatican as India was still fighting the Chinese invasion. He remained in India to boost the morale of his countrymen until a cease-fire was announced.  He mobilised funds and essential commodities to help the Indian soldiers and the hundreds and thousands who were displaced by the invasion. He worked hard for ensuring uninterrupted aid for the wounded soldiers and the refugees. His patriotism and social work was lauded by a number of leaders in Maharashtra and in the country.
 
Cardinal Gracias was decorated by the government of India with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan title in recognition of his services to the nation. He was the only recipient of this great civilian honour announced on the occasion of the Republic Day in 1966.  He was also the first Christian to receive the Padma Vibhushan award. The church decorated him as cardinal and the government of India honoured him with Padma Vibhushan award.

President Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan presented the Padma Vibhushan award to Cardinal Gracias in New Delhi on April 20, 1966. The President referred to Gracias as an enthusiastic activist working to achieve human welfare and progress.

There is a famous verse of Jesus Christ - 'Give to Caesar what belongs to him, and to God what belongs to God'. Cardinal Gracias, honoured by both the church and the nation, had followed the verse in totality.

This great son of India breathed his last on September 11, 1978 in Mumbai. Although a priest belonging to a minority community, the Cardinal had attained respect of all his countrymen and leaders.

References:

1.‘Bharatache Pahile Cardinal- Valerian Cardinal Gracias Yanchya Vyaktimatwache Vividh Pailu’ (Marathi) - (India's first Cardinal Valerian Gracias) Fr Francis Correa. Publisher - Rev  Sabastian Vaz (On behalf of Catholic Vangmay Mandal) (1971)
2.‘Suputra Maharashtracha- Cardinal Simon Pimenta’  (Marathi) (Cardinal Simon Pimenta- A great son of Maharashtra) - Dr. Rajin D’Silva- Editor -Fr. Hillary Fernandes, Jeevan Darshan Prakashan, Girij, Vasai - 410 201 (1990)

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