By His Grace Most Rev Prakash Mallavarapu, Archbishop of Visakhapatnam –
Fr. Stan Swamy and his death in the hospital on 5th July, 2021 after a ninth-month long life of confinement in the jail has made many, not all, to stop to think about what is happening and why things are happening the way they are happening. A committed crusader for justice for the voiceless tribals was not so widely known until he was arrested and jailed under NIA. The matter is not of a Catholic priest of Jesuit Order dying before getting the bail and without a trial in a court of law.
Across the nation individuals, institutions, NGOs, and the media voiced their reactions and responses to Fr. Stan Swamy’s arrest, the treatment while in jail as regards his health issues, and his last days in the hospital. Justice delayed is justice denied is what exactly happened to this 84 year old priest who had no earlier record of involvement in any criminal or anti-national activity! A suspect and an under-trial had to wait for nine months before the doors of death were opened and not the doors of the jail!
Here questioning is not just about the good and the bad of the NIA but about how it can put fair trial and justice at risk! It is gratifying to the Christian community that there was such a wide spread analysis and critical comments from across the country, and that too from different quarters – political, social and religious! We should also be happy that this sad event of Stan Swamy’s arrest, jail life, and death led to a public debate in the media and different for a about the unjust policies and laws that go against the fundamental rights!
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body…” (Mt 10:28). These words of Our Lord Jesus are part of the instruction and exhortation given to the twelve apostles while sending them on mission. As men on and with a mission, they have to be fearless and bold in proclaiming His message. Due to fear one can hold back and go into silence. A person is silent not necessarily because he or she does not have anything to say but one is silent because one is not ready (as yet!) to face or bear the possible consequences for one’s life or for one’s family or profession.
Fear can actually help us to avoid the dangerous or harmful or sinful situations. Fear of God helps us to grow in wisdom and fear of sin helps us to be upright and just before God and before other human beings.
Everyone should have both, fear of God and fear of sin (evil). But, if fear is incapacitating a person from doing the good one can do or one is supposed to do, it should be a matter of concern. In a given society only a microscopic minority is prepared to stand up to speak in favor of truth and justice with this preparedness to say, “we have nothing to lose!” It is in this spirit and with this attitude Fr. Stan Swamy and the like are in solidarity with the tribals in Jharkhand and elsewhere in the country!
Not all among us can grow to that stature! But, true stories of persons like Fr. Stan Swamy can animate and motivate us to aspire to be “men and women with a mission” and for the sake of the mission at hand, one is ready to have the attitude, “we have nothing to lose!” Courage and boldness should come from faith in what we see as value and something for which we are ready to lose everything else! A secure and confident person can possibly say that way and live that way. They are least bothered about their comforts or assets, name and fame!
Continued Tomorrow: Fr Stan’s Work is the Message