Kannada Catholics Cry Foul Over “Step-Motherly” Treatment by Church Leadership
BENGALURU – The Akhila Karnataka Catholica Chraistara Kannada Sangha has issued a scathing indictment of the Catholic Church’s national leadership, accusing the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) of “pastoral failure” and systemic marginalization of the local Kannada-speaking faithful.
In a strongly worded press statement titled “Church Leadership’s Silence on Karnataka: The Cry of Kannada Catholics,” the Sangha expressed “deep concern and strong condemnation” regarding what they describe as a persistent refusal by Church authorities to address the unique grievances of the region.
A Crisis of Representation
The core of the dispute centers on the perceived lack of local episcopal leadership. The Sangha points out a stark disparity between Karnataka and its neighboring southern states, noting that while others have bishops rooted in their specific linguistic and cultural contexts, Karnataka continues to be denied similar representation.
“ಧಾರ್ಮಿಕ ನಾಯಕತ್ವದ ವೈಫಲ್ಯ: ಕನ್ನಡ ಭಾಷೆ ಮತ್ತು ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಯ ನಿರ್ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯದ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಂಘದ ಕಿಡಿ”
“Only Karnataka continues to be denied local episcopal leadership,” the statement reads. “When this injustice is questioned, Kannada Catholics are labeled as troublemakers rather than faithful seekers of justice”.
The organization further alleges that an “internal power imbalance” exists within the state’s ecclesiastical structures. They claim that elite groups from the coastal regions dominate these institutions, effectively sidelining local Kannadigas and other marginalized communities in their own land. This domination, the Sangha argues, has fractured trust and weakened the Church’s mission of evangelization.
Allegations of Cultural Neglect
The Sangha highlighted a perceived hypocrisy in how Church leaders engage with local cultures. While official programs in other states reportedly celebrate local languages and traditions, the group claims that in Karnataka, the Kannada language and culture are consistently “sidelined and ignored”.
This cultural disconnect was allegedly on full display during a recent gathering of CBCI Bishops in Bengaluru. The Sangha noted that while the Bishops met to discuss national issues and the Constitution, they failed to engage with pressing local concerns.
“They came, participated in meetings, enjoyed hospitality and the city’s pleasant climate, and departed without listening to the people of this region,” the statement alleged, characterizing the visit as part of a pattern of “step-motherly treatment”.
A Challenge to “Synodality”
The protest poses a direct challenge to the Church’s global emphasis on “synodality”—a concept championed by the Vatican that promotes a more “listening” and inclusive Church. The Sangha argues that the current leadership’s silence in Karnataka undermines this very claim.
“A Church that does not listen to its own people cannot credibly speak of synodality,” the Sangha declared, adding that a leadership ignoring local suffering forfeits its “moral authority”.
The statement, signed by President Isaac and other key officials including Secretary Berthalomeu and Treasurer George Kumar, concludes with a firm resolve: “The cry of Kannada Catholics will not be silenced”.
