PONTIFICAL
MISSION
SOCIETIES
IN INDIA
By: Msgr. Siluvai
National Director – PMS India

To execute the last testament of the Risen Lord.

“The missionary mandate of the Risen Lord
accompanies us into the Third Millennium & urges
us to share the same enthusiasm of the very first
Christians as Peter, Paul , John etc..”
NMI – Pope John Paul - II
THE SAINT
THE ERA
STATUS
St Thomas & St
Bartholomew
1st Century
Apostles of India
St Francis Xavier
1506 – 1552
Apostles of the Indies
St Gonzalo Garcia
1556 – 1597
The Pearl of Bassein
St John de Britto
1647 – 1693
Martyr of Oriyur

The 1500 years saw the Growth of Christianity in
the Subcontinent –Malabar (Kerala) & Madras

The 15th Century marked the 2nd Spring of
Christianity in India.

Arrival of the Portuguese and Missionaries like
St Francis Xavier, St Gonzalo Gracia and
St John de Britto

Christianity spread across the East & West Coast

The “Missionary Zeal” saw Mission Hospitals &
Mission Schools bring +ve Relief, Charity, Zeal &
Empowerment

1969 National Bishops Conference to
implement the Vatican Council II

1973 Consultation on Evangelization took
place in Patna
Role of the Church in India

-
The BISHOP will promote:
Evangelization work among the faithful
The Papal Mission Works

-
The PRIESTS should:
Stir up and persevere amid the faithful a Zeal for
evangelization of the World
The LAITY will:
Cooperate in the Church’s work of
Evangelization as witnesses
- As living Instruments, they share in her saving
Mission especially if they have been called by
God and accepted by the Bishop

-
The Religious Institutes are:
Bound to practice with greater perfection their role
in active and contemplative life
- Obliged & impelled to a truly Catholic spirit of work
in and through prayer, suffering and works of
penance & charity

-

-
Professors in Seminaries & Universities shall:
Teach young people the true state of the Church
and focus on the “Missionary Elements” while
teaching on the Dogmas, biblical, moral and
historical branches, to form missionary awareness
in the future priests

The Whole people of God shall:
Lead a profoundly Christian Life
Have a lively awareness of their responsibility to
the world
- Foster in themselves a truly catholic spirit
- Spend their forces in the work of evangelization
-
Church In India
Archdioceses
Dioceses
Total
30
130
160
a) Latin
23
105
128
b) Syro-Malabar
5
21
26
c) Syro-Malankara
2
4
6
a) Diocesan
29
123
152
b) Coadjutors
-
1
1
c) Auxiliaries
10
-
10
d) Apostolic Visitator
-
2
2
e) Retired
11
33
44
3 (3)
-
3 (6)
1. Ecclesiastical Units
2. Rite
3. Bishops
4. Cardinals
PRIESTS / BROTHERS / SISTERS
NUMBER
Total number of diocesan priests
14, 000
Religious Priests
13, 500
Religious Brothers
4, 300
Religious Sisters
90, 000
Total no. of Religious Congregations
300
For men
70
For women
230
SERVICE AND HEALTHCARE
NUMBER
Technical Training Schools & Polytechnics
1, 524
Hostels & Boarding Houses
1, 765
Orphanages
1, 085
Crèche's
228
Hospitals
704
Dispensaries & Health Centres
1, 792
Leprosaria
111
Rehabilitation Centres
102
Homes for Aged, Destitute & Physically Challenged
455
Educational Institutions
Institutions
Students
K. G. & Nursery Schools
3, 785
6,00,000
Primary Schools
7, 319
30,00,000
Secondary Schools
3, 765
20,00,000
Colleges
240
5,00,000
Medical/Nursing
School/Colleges
28
10,000
Engineering College
5
1,500

Where is Christ in these Institutions?

Are these expressions of Christ’s presence
in society?

“Our Institutions Lost Charity in the 1970’s, Lost
Service in the 1980’s and Mission itself in 1990’s
….. Anonymous

“The Catholic Institutions reflect the Colonial
Architecture but they are hiding the face of Christ”
......Blessed Paolo Manna

New Opportunity to Evangelize
Video Source: youtube.com

Significant increase in religious vocations

Priests and Missionaries from India travel the
World to announce the Gospel

Catholic Charismatic Renewal Service's role in
Faith Building and Formation of the Laity

Proclamation Commission’s for the Active
Proclamation of God’s Word using novel methods

Missionary work in remote corners of
the country
“Your sons, O India, will be the ministers of your
salvation”
…..Pope Leo XIII

Traditionally tolerant Hindus turn hostile toward peace
loving India Christians

How can a 2.3% Christian population threaten 85%
Hindu population ?

India a land of religious people and several ancient
religions like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism,
Zoroastrianism, Sufi etc are religions born in India

India is also home to Christianity, Islam, Parsi.. all of
different ethnicities, languages and strong tradition
that is deeply ingrained in the spirit and composition of
the Indian

Existence of Caste System among Christians.
(It is the grading of humans based on caste from High to Low,
based on the degree of purity or impurity reputedly inherited by
birth)

Indian Christians treated as anti-national by the
Majority Community and Government

Atrocities against Christians
Motivating
the Bishops

Christians in Gujarat being Systematically
targeted since 1990’s

Burning and killing of Dr. Staines and his 2 sons

Rape of Catholic Nuns in Jhabua (MP),
Khandhamal (Orissa)

Fr. Christudas paraded naked in MP

Churches - vandalized, burnt down, desecrated
in various parts of the country

Atrocities in Orissa - Dec 2007 to Aug 2008
-
33 Christians Killed
-
Thousands of Christian Houses Burned
-
Over 50,000 Christians run into the forests and
make shift refugee camps
-
Aug 24, 2008 saw a Catholic Nun in Kandhamal
dragged and gang raped by Hindu extremists in the
presence of police, while she pleaded for help.
“Truly it was a rape of the Love, Compassion
and Service, that she stands for”

Victims & refugees of Khandamal, in the forests
insist on contributing towards Mission Sunday
and collect INR. Rs. 30,000/-(US $750)

Manipur : 1952 – 350 New Baptized Catholics
: 2008 – 80,000 Catholics

Kohima : 1950 – No Catholic Presence
: 2008 – 56,000 Catholics
(Catholic nun from Spain sent by the Governor of Assam to cater to
sick. Her prayer , zeal and evangelizing effort, sees 56000 Catholics
in Kohima today)

The 2nd Vatican Council spoke of the Church
being “Missionary by it very Nature”

Just as in the 1st Millennium, the cross was
planted in the soil of Europe and the 2nd
Millennium on that of Americas and Africa, WE
PRAY that in the 3rd Millennium a great harvest
of faith will be reaped in this vast and vital
continent ASIA
…… Pope John Paul II
(Ecclesia in Asia)
Video Source: youtube.com