Struggling with Covid and decrying nuclear weapons in India

The diocese of Simla Chandigarh sits in the north of India, bordering both Pakistan and China. It is as big as the whole of Ireland at 83,560 square kilometres, and consists of three states of India, namely, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Predesh and the union territory of Chandigarh.

Over the past year, the diocese, whose first three bishops were Irish, has been at the frontline of severe tensions between China and India. Simla Chandigarh diocese is still dealing with the Covid pandemic, which has devastated the country, by helping the poor and sick.

The diocese has gone through many changes over the years, but when it was created in 1910 it was known as the Archdiocese of Simla”

Despite its large size – the diocese has a population of 67 million people – there is a small, but dedicated, following of 30,000 Catholics.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Bishop Ignatius Loyola Ivan Mascarenhas of Simla Chandigarh diocese, who was educated in St Columbas school in Delhi which was established by Irish Christian Brothers, said the diocese has a strong connection with Ireland.

The diocese has gone through many changes over the years, but when it was created in 1910 it was known as the Archdiocese of Simla. Fr Anselm Keneally OFM Cap., Superior General of the Friars Minor Capuchins, was appointed as the first archbishop of the archdiocese. He was consecrated in Rome in January 1911.

Bishop Mascarenhas said: “So we had Irish capuchins and we also had many Irish soldiers serving in the British Army in India. And in part of our diocese, particularly in the mountain regions, many Irish soldiers have served and there are graves even now in our diocese, and also in certain churches on the pews some of their names are written. We have a lot of association with Ireland, our diocese, roots with the Irish capuchins, missionaries.”

Currently the diocese is facing a challenging time, with the bishop describing India’s pandemic situation as a “devastating tsunami of Covid right now”.

“It is on a catastrophic scale,” Bishop Mascarenhas said. “This could have been prevented, but there was a toxic cocktail of poor planning, not seeing the warning signals, hiding the facts. So we have a toxic cocktail, which is happening in the world, part of that is also reflected here in our country.”

However, despite the “very grave crisis” India is facing, the bishop said the government is “waking up” and are now trying to do their best.

Suffering

“The poor and many have suffered and are suffering. This is a grim situation. We also have a population of 1.3 billion people with 122 languages and many religions, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, tribals, etc… So it’s a rich tapestry of culture and religion, but we are going through a very, very hard time. You can see it in the news and also in our parishes.

“In the first wave in India, we were in control. But as the time went on, we slipped in being careful and taking precautions and that’s why now we are hit with the second wave. But during the first wave, in all our parishes, we have helped people with rations, medicines, food. Now in the second wave, again, we have started sending rations and food, delivering it to people at their doorsteps because many of them cannot come out because they are in containment zones,” Bishop Mascarenhas said.

While some are skilled and others unskilled, lockdown has meant large numbers of the diocese’s population have been unable to work”

There is a large number of migrant labourers in the diocese who do not have job security and have really suffered throughout the pandemic. The bishop explained: “They are not able to go to work because we are in lockdown. When we go into lockdown, nobody’s allowed to open shops, no movement on the roads, everything is closed and we are also confined to our own boundaries, but with special permission we are allowed to go and deliver these foodstuffs, medicines and sometimes even to take patients to the hospital. They are migrant workers, who are facing a very tough situation.”

Although some of the migrant workers have been through education via diocesan schools, some work in the fields, in cleaning, sanitary and factory jobs. While some are skilled and others unskilled, lockdown has meant large numbers of the diocese’s population have been unable to work.

Bishop Mascarenhas said: “And if they don’t go to work, there is no money for them to feed their families. So that is where we step in. We are reaching out, my priests are also reaching out and I’m encouraging our finance administrators to advance money for foodstuff, food grains, so that these people receive something to eat in their homes, which will be delivered.

“We are facing a war and we all have to put our hearts, minds and hands together to do something and we are trying, all of us, everyone,” he added.

Church and faith services

Regarding access to Church and faith services, the bishop said he had concerns about the Faithful’s spiritual nourishment due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic. This was tackled by making sure every parish in the diocese was able to stream Mass live via YouTube on Sundays. In some parishes they also livestream in different languages.

“It has affected some of the poor because attending church services is now very, very limited. And now we are in lockdown. But when we opened up after the first wave, our churches once again started getting the numbers, congregations were coming in, the churches were getting full. We had all our Holy week services, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, holy vigils on Saturday, Easter Sunday as normal in all our parishes. That part is strong, but definitely regular coming to church, that has not happened. And that does affect what we are doing but we are trying to do whatever we can.

At the moment, there’ll be many people coming who cannot afford to go to hospital and other private clinics and pay”

“It’s an uphill task because sometimes you need a good internet connection. You need a good smartphone and some can afford, some cannot afford, so definitely the Faith has got a bit of a shake, but we are not in any crisis as such. At the same time, we don’t want to be like the ostrich with the head in the sand. We are also alert, being careful and constantly the priests are in touch with their parishioners through their mobile, etc… Whatever we can do,” Bishop Mascarenhas said.

Asked whether he felt the Indian government was doing enough to support people during the pandemic, the bishop said they have to deal with an enormous population and while they are “doing their part”, support does not reach everyone, which is where the Church tries to fill the gap.

The bishop said: “Some of our dioceses have opened a small number of Covid beds in their own institutions for Covid patients. We, in our diocese, also are planning to open a place for Covid patients because the numbers are spilling over, we need more beds.”

He said that his diocese is opening an emergency clinic in which people can receive Covid tests for a small amount of money – the equivalent of €0.30 – which will be open to people of all faiths.

“At the moment, there’ll be many people coming who cannot afford to go to hospital and other private clinics and pay. So they will get at least some kind of solace, some kind of help,” Bishop Mascarenhas said.

China

Tensions remain at the ill-defined 3,440km border between India and China, which has been long disputed, after deadly clashes between their respective militaries last year. Both countries have tens of thousands of troops deployed at the border despite almost a dozen military-level talks on troop withdrawals.

One of the most recent skirmishes took place in January and left troops on both sides injured in India’s Sikkim state, which lies between Bhutan and Nepal. Given both sides are nuclear powers, any escalation in tensions would be devastating.

With Bishop Mascarenhas’ diocese encompassing the border territory, he explained there is still “a very tense situation”.

“Today any war is catastrophic for everyone. We pray that nothing of this sort happens and we come to coexistence and cooperation. Our government is making efforts,” he said.

Speaking about the Pope’s repeated calls for disarmament and for countries to abandon nuclear programmes, the bishop said: “Pope Francis is like a lighthouse, showing the way to all of us who are on ships and boats sailing in rough seas, he is like a lighthouse, guiding us. Any war today, there is going to be no winner.”

Asked about India’s weapons and nuclear programme, and whether this investment should be better used especially during a pandemic, the bishop said: “When there is a situation like a war, the natural reflex response is always to protect your country. And therefore, there’s a lot of investment in the military. We are now at a more stable situation; the borders are not in as high a tension compared to some months ago. And now the government is definitely also making a lot of efforts for vaccine production, testing. Of course, we have a long way to go but the government is working on this but these things are happening. The amount of money, billions being spent on armaments being created and wars, is a tragedy, I don’t have any other word, it is a tragedy which is happening, a tragedy that the world is spending billions on arms and armaments and developing weapons. It’s not stopping.

We have to work together, helping one another, strengthening, comforting and inspiring in cooperation with each other”

“All governments, all these superpowers, all have to put their heads and hearts together and realise humanity is falling down in a tailspin. How can we be spending on these things [armaments] trying to kill, to destroy, when Covid is already destroying us and we are getting some more weapons to destroy us,” he said.

“I think all governments, all world leaders have to really rethink. Look at the tension now building up in Russia and parts of Ukraine. Look what’s happening in Israel, Palestine, parts of Africa, it is a very sad situation.

“Every government today has to rethink their priorities if they want the world to survive, we cannot create another catastrophe with armaments and such things. We can’t afford this. We’re already gasping, humanity is gasping today, we are gasping for life. And we cannot afford to put more poison into our systems.”

Looking towards the future, the bishop said he hopes his diocese and the world get through the effects and the “big blow” caused by the pandemic which has “toppled us and set us in a tailspin”. His particular hope is for the poor, who have to be able to rebuild their homes, lives and get their children back to school.

Bishop Mascarenhas added: “The economy, employment, people have to come back to their jobs. Life has to move back. Not like the selfish times, the pre-Covid times, where we were all in our own ivory towers, but we have to now rethink our priorities hold each other’s hand and walk together, accompany one another. We have to work together, helping one another, strengthening, comforting and inspiring in cooperation with each other.”