A New Indian Catholic Community in Israel
When one thinks about religious life in India, it’s usually Hindus and Muslims that come to mind. However, there is also a sizable Catholic minority in India. Over 17 million strong, Catholics in India make up 2 per cent of the population. The Catholic community in India is divided into 29 archdioceses and 128 dioceses and dates back to the arrival of Vasco da Gama at the end of the 15th century.
What does this have to do with Israel? Israel, like India, is a religiously diverse country; a place that over two thousand Indian Catholics have decided to call home. They live mostly in Israel’s urban centers such as Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Tiberias and Haifa.
Despite having masses they could participate in throughout the country, the religious life of the Indian Catholics living in Israel has recently become much better organized with the appointment of three Franciscan fathers from India as priests in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The new mission to take care of Indian Catholics in Israel is in addition to many other missions catering to diverse Catholic groups in the Holy Land. These communities include English, German, French, Polish, and Filipino speakers as well as many other linguistic and ethnic groups.
In addition to Israel’s Indian Catholic community, there is also a significant community of Indian Jews living in Israel. Most of the 85,000 Indian Jews in Israel immigrated to the country after it gained independence in 1948.
Photo of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem courtesy of Randall Niles on flickr, used under Creative Commons License. The church, built on the spot which according to tradition is where Jesus was crucified, is home to six Christian denominations including Roman Catholics.
4 comments:
I like this piece of news. I’m a great supporter & admirer of Israel.
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Informative article
Thanks for constant updates
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We Indians do not have a single anti-Semitic cell in our bodies. In other words we don’t particularly hate(or love !) Jews. And our ‘hatred’ of people, if any, is just plain ordinary hatred; maybe a rush of blood and someone does something silly. The European models of ‘hatred’ are plain out of our comprehension. Pogroms, Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing etc are things that we read about and wonder in grief.
The brave people of Israel, having suffered so much throughout History, would be in a great position to understand the sufferings of others. The Lord has given you a tree of freedom. It is up to you to sow a few seeds from it, so that the tree doesn’t just whither away.
It must be obvious that, like Sharon Thambala, I too admire Israel. I bring you greetings from Bangalore, India; I wish Israel all the very best; and last but not least, I ask Israel to always respect the diversity which unifies you.
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Dear Mr. AnanthMurthy M B
I thank you for your support of Israel!
As far as European models of “hatred”, unfortunately my experience in India has identified that Indians are just as capable as any other group of incomprehensible hatred. I don’t think we need to look any further than the oppressive and inhuman cast system that exist in your country, not to mention the corrupt and oppressive treatment of Christians in Bangalore at the hands of the BJP and other militant Hindus and Muslims. This I have witnessed with my own eyes. And let us not forget that there are churches in Bangalore where people of lower casts are not welcome.
Having spent considerable time in Israel, it is my opinion that it is much easier to be a Christian in Israel than a Christian in Bangalore.
With respect to you and to the people of India,
Tim
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