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INDIAN CATHOLIC
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Catholic feud shoots down Bible quiz
Published : December 01 2009
The event was to be held last month at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in the southern city of Bangalore. But Kannada Sangha (Kannada forum), a group of Catholics who speak Kannada, Karnataka's state language, threatened to disrupt the proceedings. The group complained that Tamil children won most prizes last year.
Tension has grown for more than 30 years between Tamil speakers, migrants from neighboring Tamil Nadu state who form the majority of Catholics in the archdiocese, and native Kannada speakers, or Kannadiga. Vocal members of each group want their language to be the primary language used in liturgies.
Confrontations have included Mass boycotts and even physical disruption of Masses, including a bishop's ordination, for which some priests have been arrested.
The Bible quiz had been held at St. Peter's Pontifical Seminary for more than a decade, drawing more than 3,000 students each year from parish catechism classes. The program includes drama, song, dance and other cultural activities, besides a quiz. It ends with a visit to the Bible Museum in the seminary.
In recent years it was shifted to parishes to make it more participatory, according to the seminary's rector, Father K.J. Thomas.
The Bible Museum took the initiative to organize the program to unite people, but lately the event has been generating "tension and controversies (more) than nurturing biblical values," the priest explained.
"Finally, we had to cancel the event this year since we found the dispute defeated our original motto," he said.
Father Amrith Raj, the cathedral parish priest, confirmed that some Kannada Sangha members had threatened to disrupt the event if it was held in the cathedral. Several skirmishes between the two feuding groups have already taken place there.
The bible quiz "was a most awaited event of the archdiocese," Father Raj lamented. He said Kannada Catholics protested this year because of some controversy last year. "They alleged the Tamils bag most prizes while Kannadiga Catholics get a 'stepmotherly' treatment."
A parish priest, who requested anonymity, told UCA News the recent crisis began after seminary officials rejected Kannadiga seminary students' demand for a Kannada Mass on Nov. 1, the day which marks the establishment of the state of Karnataka.
The seminary celebrated the main liturgy in English.
Courtesy : UCAN
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