PRESS ROOM
Low-caste bishop's transfer in India brings mixed reaction
Source: Catholic
News Service or www.catholicnews.com
March 29, 2000
HYDERABAD, India (CNS)
The appointment of India's first "dalit'' (low caste) archbishop evoked mixed reactions among church people in the southern state of Andhra Predesh. While some have criticized the Vatican for ignoring "ground realities'' in transferring Bishop Marampudi Joji of Vijayawada to Hyderabad, others said his promotion as the state's metropolitan archbishop will bring "new life'' to the 1-million-strong Andhra church. Expressing shock over the appointment, outgoing Archbishop Samineni Arulappa of Hyderabad said, "Rome is being taken for a ride. Rome does not know the ground realities,'' reported UCA News, an Asian church news agency based in Thailand.