Raichur gets a shrine dedicated to unorganised labourers
Named after the Child Jesus, the shrine is located in the Diocese of Bellary (Karnataka). The idea came during the pandemic seeing the tragic flight of migrants forced to return to their home villages. The shrine will also be a place to help labourers. For Fr Paulraj, the workers welcomed the idea with enthusiasm and worked on the shrine’s construction.
Raichur (AsiaNews) – The Indian state of Karnataka will have a new Catholic shrine devoted to unorganised daily labourers who live in extremely precarious conditions. The Church of the Child Jesus was recently inaugurated in Vidya Nagar, in the city of Raichur, Diocese of Bellary.
“The Infant Jesus Shrine Church was opened and blessed on 31 May 2022,” said Bishop Henry D’Souza of Bellary. “It is specially dedicated to workers – unorganised labourers like masons, electricians, carpenters, construction workers, cleaners, cooks, attenders, servers, etc.”
“Catholics in Bellary Diocese predominantly belong to the economically poor and socially disadvantaged Dalit group,” the prelate explained. “Most of them are labourers, many of them migrants to cities like Bengaluru, Mangalore, Goa etc., seeking work in the construction industry.”
Work on a shrine had begun in 2012 but was interrupted for a number of reasons. The idea to dedicate it to the suffering workers affected by the pandemic came from seeing the latter’s effects on them.
“Bishop Henry D’Souza entrusted me with the responsibility of bringing to completion the Shrine of the Infant Jesus,” said Fr R Paulraj, also from the Diocese of Bellary.
Work restarted on 1 March 2020, but “the nation went into lockdown due to COVID-19 on 24 March 2020,” the clergyman said. “As I observed the flight of the migrants and many other suffering people, the Spirit of God inspired me to help them and it was later decided to dedicate the Church to them,” he added.
“Migrant workers hailed from Karnataka but also Rajasthan, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. We provided them with rations and shelter. Once the lockdown was lifted, we employed them to carry on the construction.”
The workers welcomed the idea with enthusiasm. “This was the first time for them to see a church dedicated to them.
“The painter Mr. Bhaskar a practising Catholic worked with great confidence towards the construction. In spite of his polio-affected leg, he climbed the 110 feet tower to carry out the task of painting. He said that Jesus the Worker protected him from all dangers.
“Granite migrant worker from Rajasthan Tillu Ram Vilas did the flooring work with great patience and beautifully chiseled the Altar which is dedicated to Father Patrick Doyle (1812-1877), an Irish missionary.
“Popularly known as ‘Dayalu Swami’, he served in the Bellary and Raichur missions for 37 years in the 19th century. He also built the St Lazarus Church in 1857 which is now St Anthony Cathedral in Bellary.
“Mr Pushparaj, a Catholic, and Mani Achary, a Hindu, are carpenters from Thiruthani. They designed the finishings and the main door in such a way as to reminds us of St Joseph the Woodworker.”
“The church,” Fr Paulraj noted, “must remain open to all people, especially to India’s construction workers.”
At present, “I plan to mark every year the day of the dedication of the Church to feed the constructions workers and give them clothes. A few more activities could be planned as time progresses.”
The children of the workers must also be educated. Raichur division has many poor people. “When I was working in Manvi, I noticed that the poor did not have many opportunities for education. I began sending some to Catholic boarding schools.”
Now, “This shrine gives them an identity and it will be good for us to go out and help them in educating their children.”
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07/02/2019 17:28
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