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Analysis of the Religious Practices of Hindus at Saint Joseph's Oratory

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Analysis of the Religious Practices of Hindus at Saint Joseph's Oratory UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL Analysis of the Religious Practices of Hindus at Saint Joseph’s Oratory Transmission of Christian Faith after the Second Vatican Council Par John Jomon Kalladanthiyil Faculté des arts et des sciences Institut d’études religieuses Thèse présentée en vue de l’obtention du grade de Ph. D. en Théologie pratique Mars 2017 © Jomon Kalladanthiyil, 2017 Résumé Dès le début du christianisme, la transmission de la foi chrétienne constitue la mission essentielle de l’Église. Dans un contexte pluri-religieux et multiculturel, le concile Vatican II a reconnu l’importance d’ouvrir la porte de l’Église à tous. Basile Moreau (1799 – 1873), le fondateur de la congrégation de Sainte-Croix, insistait sur le fait que les membres de sa communauté soient des éducateurs à la foi chrétienne et il a envoyé des missionnaires au Québec dès la fondation de sa communauté (1837). Pour ces derniers, parmi d’autres engagements pastoraux, l’Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal, fondé par Alfred Bessette, le frère André (1845 – 1937), est devenu l’endroit privilégié pour la transmission de la foi chrétienne, même après la Révolution tranquille des années 1960. L’Oratoire Saint-Joseph accueille des milliers d’immigrants du monde entier chaque année et parmi eux beaucoup d’hindous. Pour beaucoup d’entre eux, l’Oratoire devient un second foyer où ils passent du temps en prière et trouvent la paix. Certains d’entre eux ont l’expérience de la guérison et des miracles. Le partage de l’espace sacré avec les hindous est un phénomène nouveau à l’Oratoire. Les hindous à l’Oratoire participent aux activités catholiques de dévotion. Parmi de nombreux autres chemins pour atteindre la moksha ou la libération, la bhakti, une dévotion intense à un Dieu personnel dans l’hindouisme, influe les hindous qui participent aux sacrements et aux sacramentaux chrétiens. Par mon analyse des pratiques religieuses des hindous à l’Oratoire – spécialement la pratique de l’utilisation de l’eau bénite et de l’allumage des cierges – j’explique en quoi l’Oratoire Saint-Joseph peut nourrir la piété et la dévotion des hindous qui s’adaptent à un milieu chrétien. J’explique comment les éducateurs et les éducatrices à la foi catholique peuvent mieux s’établir au service d’une population de plus en plus diversifiée et multiculturelle. Mon étude s’appuie sur une série d’entrevues qualitatives menées tant auprès d’intervenants que de membres de la tradition hindoue. Cette étude aide à découvrir des points de rencontre entre les chrétiens et les hindous et elle éclaire la transmission de la foi chrétienne dans le contexte actuel de la présence des hindous à l’Oratoire Saint-Joseph. Mots-clés : ārtī, avatāra, bhakti, catholicisme et les religions non-chrétiennes, concile Vatican II, congrégation de Sainte-Croix, Dīpavali, eau bénite à l’Oratoire, éducateurs à la foi chrétienne, hindouisme et Québec, hindous et l’Oratoire, moksha, Oratoire Saint-Joseph, partage de l’espace sacré, philosophie hindoue, piété populaire et dévotions à l’Oratoire, pratique d’allumer les cierges à l’Oratoire, praxéologie pastorale, pūjā, sacramentaux, sacrements, satchitānanda, tīrtha, théologie des religions, transmission de la foi chrétienne i Abstract From the beginning of Christianity, the transmission of Christian faith constituted the essential mission of the Church. With the evolution of multi-religious and multicultural social milieu in many parts of the world, the Second Vatican Council recognized the importance of opening the door of the Church to all people. Basile Moreau (1799 - 1873), founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, insisted that members of his order be educators in Christian faith, and sent missionaries to Quebec since the founding of his community in 1837. For the latter, among other pastoral commitments, Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, founded by Alfred Bessette (Brother André, 1845 - 1937), became the privileged place for the transmission of Christian faith even after the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s. Saint Joseph’s Oratory welcomes thousands of immigrants from around the world each year, including many Hindus. For many of them, the Oratory becomes a second home where they spend time in prayer and find peace. Some of them experience healing and miracles. The sharing of sacred space with Hindus is a new phenomenon at the Oratory. Hindus at the Oratory participate in catholic devotional activities. Among many other paths to achieve moksha or liberation, bhakti, an intense devotion to a personal God in Hinduism, influences Hindus who participate in Sacraments and Sacramentals at the Oratory. Based on my analysis of the religious practices of Hindus at the Oratory – especially the practices of the use of Holy Water and the lighting of candles – I recommend certain guidelines for the Oratory to nourish the piety and devotion of Hindus who adapt themselves to a Christian environment. I elaborate how the Catholic educators in faith can better establish themselves in serving an increasingly diverse and multicultural population. My study is based on a series of qualitative interviews with the educators in faith and members of Hindu religious tradition. This study helps to discover the meeting point between Christians and Hindus at the Oratory, and throws light on the transmission of Christian faith in the current setting at Saint Joseph’s Oratory, including the presence of Hindus. Keywords: Ārtī, Avatāra, Bhakti, Catholicism and non-Christian Religions, Congregation of Holy Cross, Educators in Faith, Hindu Philosophy, Hinduism and Québec, Hindus and Oratory, Holy Water at the Oratory, Moksha, Pastoral Praxeology, Popular piety and devotions at the Oratory, Practice of lighting of candles at the Oratory, Pūjā, Sacraments, Sacramental, Saint Joseph’s Oratory, Satchitānanda, Second Vatican Council, Sharing of sacred space, Tīrtha, Dīpavali, Theology of Religions, Transmission of Christian Faith ii Table of contents Résumé ............................................................................................................................................. i Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Table of contents ............................................................................................................................ iii Table of figures ............................................................................................................................. xii Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................ xv 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 1.1. Complexity of Hinduism ...................................................................................................5 1.2. Diversity of the transmission of Christian faith ..............................................................27 1.3. Question of sharing sacred place ....................................................................................34 1.4. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................58 2. SAINT JOSEPH’S ORATORY OF MOUNT-ROYAL ....................................................... 59 2.1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................59 2.2. Figure of Saint Brother André ........................................................................................61 2.2.1. Childhood days of Alfred Bessette ......................................................................... 63 2.2.2. Vocation to Religious life ....................................................................................... 64 2.2.3. Door keeper of Notre-Dame College ...................................................................... 66 2.2.4. Devotion to Saint Joseph ........................................................................................ 68 2.2.5. Miracles at the Oratory ........................................................................................... 74 2.2.6. Friends of Brother André ........................................................................................ 78 2.2.7. Suffering and Death ................................................................................................ 80 2.2.8. Sainthood of Brother André .................................................................................... 81 2.3. Mission of Saint Joseph’s Oratory ..................................................................................83 2.3.1. Evolution of Saint Joseph’s Oratory ....................................................................... 85 2.3.2. Popularity of the Oratory in Montreal .................................................................... 89 2.3.3. Diversity of population at the Oratory .................................................................... 92 2.3.4. Functions of the Oratory in diverse faith expressions ............................................ 94 iii 2.4. Hindu population in Canada and at the Oratory .............................................................98 2.5. Ethos of the educators in faith .......................................................................................105 2.6. Phenomenon of religious pluralism ..............................................................................108
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