Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore shares his vision, the priorities of the Archdiocese and his sources of inspiration. Here are the questions we sent him, and his simple but practical answers.
MAGNET: 1. At the 2020 CBCI Plenary, you presented your vision for the Archdiocese of Bangalore, with special emphasis on caring for the most deprived. A number of us found that vision inspiring. Please share those points with our readers.
Not anticipating COVID-19 or any other calamity, we had taken as the theme for the year 2020 for Bangalore Archdiocese: Year of the Poor. But it so happened that the concern for the poor was, for most part of the year, the welfare of the poor itself. I had suggested to our priests to adopt a simple life-style that befits the situation of the people around us and to avoid wastage. The consumeristic trend these days has ushered in a culture of waste. We, church personnel, should set an example by being the first to avoid waste. I had also taken other points for consideration in the year, such as, education of poor children, providing the hungry with meals, food kitchens, etc. Further, we had in mind also a scheme to reduce the medical bills of the poor by coordinating the efforts of the Christian hospitals with the services of the St Vincent de Paul Society. Visiting the imprisoned, welcoming the migrants, providing shelter to the homeless and arranging employment opportunities for the jobless – these were the other schemes that we had thought of in this Year of the Poor in the Archdiocese. During the lockdown, we were able to reach out to many poor and needy persons. Our animators and co-ordinators were able to organise shelter and transport to many migrants.
How did you develop this sensitivity for the problems and needs of the poor?
Coming to Bangalore from the poorer dioceses of Karwar and Belgaum, I saw there was more poverty in Bangalore, despite the facade of skyscrapers and painted development. When I began my ministry in Bangalore, I also saw a ready connect with the poor. Surprisingly, I also found a lot of generosity and willingness to help among the rich and middle class in Bangalore. My task was not formidable, and I found a ready response among the priests, religious and the faithful.
Institutions in your Archdiocese, both diocesan and religious, are doing much for those affected by COVID-19 and the lockdown. What is your main strategy for helping those most affected?
Yes, the institutions in the Archdiocese, especially among the religious, have done a lot for those affected by COVID-19. When we started the distribution of food kits for the poor in the Archdiocese, organised by our Social Service Centre, many religious institutions helped us financially. Others helped in packing and distribution. Besides this, the Jesuits, Salesians, Franciscans, Carmelite Fathers and Sisters had also their schemes of distribution of food for the poor. Many of the religious were also engaged as NGOs taking care of other needs in these COVID times, like the stitching of PPE kits for medical personnel, masks for the public, etc.
According to you, what is the main role of a bishop or major superior today in India?
The bishops and the religious superiors have to be humble enough to assert in the words of St. Paul, “to become all things to all persons” (1 Cor 9, 22). The pastoral office that we don behoves us to decipher the needs of the people—spiritual, emotional and material. Our duty is not only to do, but also to get things done. As such, we need to be foremost role models of support and service.
What is the Church in India doing well?
I think, given the circumstances, the Church in India is doing well. Of course, there are people who criticize the Church and wish the Church to be more pro-active. Being a bishop myself, I see the constraints and difficulties in trying “be all things to all.” I have realised myself, in all humility, that sitting in the chair of authority, it is not easy to please everybody! The Church and its institutions have great credibility. Organizations like Caritas India, St John’s Medical College, and the social transformation brought about among the tribals, Dalits and downtrodden, can make the Indian Christians very proud.
Where are we weak or failing, and need to improve?
We are perhaps weakest in our witness value. While our pastoral and spiritual services are accessible to all, our tall structures, rich institutions and our lifestyle distance us from the common folk. Very often, it is a vicious circle. In order to provide quality, we have to keep up the standards of teaching and working in our institutions. They then become unaffordable to the poor, who naturally feel abandoned. On the other hand, when we try to make our institutions accessible to the poor, we find it hard to maintain the standards and in the end, it is the poor themselves who do not frequent our institutions. I think that, over time, when the poor and the common folk are involved in our participating structures and decision- making process, things will certainly improve. There is scope for much improvement. There is certainly a lot of hope, especially with the involvement of the young.
Who has (have) been the main source(s) of inspiration in your life? How were you influenced by them?
Well, my own family was the biggest inspiration. Ours was a large family of eleven children. My parents weren’t rich, but we were never left wanting. “There is no gain without pain”; this was very true of my family.
My earliest education under the Carmelite Sisters and Jesuits shaped me to be what I am today. Besides, priests and religious of noble ideals, who helped me at different stages, stood as stalwarts before me. I owe much to my Seminary formation in Papal Seminary, Pune, too. Bishop William D’Mello, the pioneering Bishop of Karwar, who ordained me and who guided me all through my twenty-five years of priesthood, was a big influence in my life. You may be surprised to hear that many lay people, in their humility and simplicity and without any publicity, also cast indelible impressions in my life as a priest.
Many young Catholics feel cut off from the Church, or see it as irrelevant for their life. How can we make the Christian faith and life more relevant for today’s youth?
Yes, it is sad to note that many young Catholics feel cut off from the Church. As I said earlier, they find us lacking witness value and authenticity. Our lives are not as impressive as our words to them. Our liturgies, programmes and pastoral action do not appeal to them, in as much they are not involved or made to participate. I see this deficiency of involvement in my ministry too in the Archdiocese. Fortunately, the media and accessibility of Web-based programmes have brought many close to the Church. Incidentally, this was a positive revelation to us in Bangalore in this COVID period, when the churches have been closed and our liturgies and programmes have been available on the Web-based media. Involving all the sections of the people and reaching out to individuals will perhaps be the biggest challenge for us in the post-COVD era.
Bangalore has the largest concentration of religious houses in India. What recommendation would you make to them, and to the religious of India?
It is matter of joy and happiness to me in Bangalore to hear that Bangalore has the largest concentration of religious houses in India. Yes, it is like a mini-Vatican! The contribution of the religious in Bangalore is also enormous. They are serving the parishes; they have their own institutions, health centres, houses of formation and retreat centres. So, the services they render are all round. Many are also involved in innovative ministries, like prison ministry, anti-trafficking, women’s liberation, rescuing and rehabilitation of children – you name a ministry and we have it in Bangalore. Can you imagine that in this COVID period, some of the religious switched gears to stitching of PPE gowns and masks for the people?
By way of recommendation for the religious in Bangalore, I would like to request them to bloom where they are planted, immerse themselves in the culture and language of the people, be cohesive in their activities and coordination of their ministries, work towards a sense of belonging and unity in the Archdiocese and always be open to accommodate the poor by walking the extra mile in all their apostolates.
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