Priests expel Indian Catholics over child marriages
Pastor Dale Morgan
Wednesday February 14, 4:36 PM Reuters
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Priests expel Indian Catholics over child marriages*
By Bappa Majumdar
KOLKATA, India (Reuters) - The Catholic Church in an eastern Indian
state is excommunicating Christians under its fold who are found to be
forcing minors into marriage, senior diocese officials said on Wednesday.
"We will not baptise children of guilty people and will prevent families
from attending church functions," Bishop Joseph Gomes told Reuters in
Kolkata, capital of West Bengal state.
Women have to be 18 and men 21 to legally wed in India but child
marriage is common in villages where deep-seated tradition has proved
hard to change and law enforcement is poor.
At least 65 percent of girls are married before 18 in India, government
data shows, and activists say at least 150 cases of child marriage are
reported every day.
Children as young as six have been married off.
Now Gomes and other priests in a populous diocese in the south of the
state are fighting back, and say they will impose a fine of 3,000 rupees
(35 pounds) on people flouting the law.
At least a dozen families have already been banned from receiving the
sacrament for three years for supporting child marriage in Nadia
district, which neighbours Kolkata.
"Churches have been unable to persuade everyone to leave age-old Hindu
customs like child marriage," Herod Mullick of the United Forum of
Christians of All Denominations said.
The diocese, which runs dozens of churches, has a strong influence among
the state's one million Christians, a sizeable minority of West Bengal's
80 million people.
"The disciplinary action is part of our reforms programme and we want to
ensure that everyone follows the laws of the country," Joseph Biswas, a
Catholic priest, said.
In December, India tightened its laws against child marriage, allowing
courts to jail and fine priests, police officers and local leaders who
permit the practice.
But Bishop Gomes said there would always be a way back to the church for
those who admitted their error.
"Jesus does not reject a person. He may punish, but he forgives if
someone is repentant," he said.