Church in Nepal Readies for 1st Bishop
Future Is Bright for Catholics in Hindu State, He Says
KATMANDU, Nepal, FEB. 21, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Soon to take the role of Nepal's first bishop, Father Anthony Sharma is optimistic about the future of the Church in the world's only officially-Hindu state.
On Feb. 10, Benedict XVI elevated the apostolic prefecture of Nepal to the rank of apostolic vicariate, designating Father Sharma, a native Nepalese Jesuit, as the first bishop.
Father Sharma, 69, who will be ordained bishop in May, spoke with the Fides news agency of the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Nepal, a country of 28 million people, perhaps best known for Mount Everest on its northern border, is about 80% Hindu and 10% Buddhist. Catholic missionaries, however, have been present for decades.
Father Sharma said the early missionary efforts in Nepal started in 1951, when "the Jesuit community in Patna, India, accepted the invitation of the last prime minister and future King Tribhuvan to extend their educational services to Nepal."
Missionary work
According to the bishop-designate, the first 30 years of missionary work were difficult, confined only to educational activities until 1982. No type of direct evangelization was allowed, aside from serving the expatriate Catholics and Christians.
Father Sharma recalled, "Anyone found preaching or involved in conversion work or even in possession of a copy of the Bible was liable to imprisonment or expulsion from the country."
As for the native laity, they "were not free to profess or practice their faith and could not even be known by their baptismal names as they would be discriminated against in jobs or other opportunities," continued Father Sharma.
Christians, Father Sharma explained, were considered "contaminated, dirty and evil through and through."
However, he maintains that, "such treatment or situations were indeed 'moments of grace' as they served to challenge us to witness to the Gospel and its values by deeds of Christian concern and care of those who needed us educationally and through social programs."
While the steady-growing Catholic population remains small, numbering around 6,600, Christianity in general is growing rapidly.
Since 1991, when the new Nepali Constitution permitted religious freedom, nearly 1,500 Christian church communities have formed. Father Sharma estimates "that the Christian population of the country may be close to a million strong."
Growing services
Father Sharma said he believes that due to the highly appreciated services made available in Nepal by Catholics, the "Church has a very good image in the country both with the people and the government. Our services are highly appreciated and much sought after."
Beyond education, other services provided by the Church include social programs and education for empowering women, health care, and assistance to the 1.5 million physically and mentally handicapped children in the country.
"Recently, we have been receiving free offers of land from non-Christians all over the country asking us to make our educational and social services available to them as well. We are heading toward the least developed parts of the country, the west and far west. The future looks challenging and promising," reported Father Sharma.
He said that he hopes to "invite more religious congregations, of both men and women, to join the Nepali Church on its onward journey and to work to encourage priestly and religious vocations from within the country."
Father Sharma said he also hopes to "initiate and activate lay movements in their vital role in the growth of the country and to encourage capable lay persons to take on political roles and government responsibilities."
Although uncertain about Nepal's future, a country nestled between China and India, Father Sharma remains optimistic.
"Whether Nepal becomes a secular state or retains its old Hindu image, our community will continue serving the way we have done," Father Sharma said, "and perhaps with more zeal and zest now that democracy is here to stay."
