<p>Bengaluru: The Akhila Karnataka Catholic Christian Kannada Sangha on Saturday demanded that the church hierarchy mandate Kannada proficiency for bishops appointed in the state. </p>.<p>Leading a large demonstration at Freedom Park, writer and former Rajya Sabha member L Hanumanthaiah asserted that religious heads coming from other states must undergo at least six months of functional Kannada training before assuming office. </p>.<p>Addressing the gathering, Hanumanthaiah emphasised that the bond between the deity and the devotee should not be hindered by a linguistic barrier. “There should be no division between the language of God and the language of the people. It is a fundamental truth in any religion that the dialogue between the creator and the seeker must happen in a language understood by both,” he noted. </p>.<p>Hanumanthaiah clarified that the movement is not about challenging global church structures but about local representation. “We are not asking for Kannadigas to be appointed as bishops in Vatican City. We are demanding that those leading the churches in Bengaluru and across Karnataka be localites. Even the Supreme Court cannot oppose this demand,” he added. </p>.<p>Recalling the contributions of Christian missionaries to the Kannada language, Hanumanthaiah cited Reverend Ferdinand Kittel, who authored the first major Kannada-English dictionary. He questioned why the current church leadership is struggling to understand the importance of the local tongue when their predecessors pioneered education in regional languages. </p>.<p>A Isaac, president of the Sangha, cited the guidelines of the Second Vatican Council, which advocate for the use of the vernacular (regional language) in liturgy. The protesters warned of intensified agitations if the church administration continues to overlook the local language and leadership. </p>.<p><strong>Wishlist </strong></p><p>1. Regularisation of Kannada as the primary language for Mass and prayers in all Karnataka churches. </p><p>2. Establishment of a regional seminary (Gurumatha). </p><p>3. Exclusive administrative control of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary by Karnataka-based bishops. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Akhila Karnataka Catholic Christian Kannada Sangha on Saturday demanded that the church hierarchy mandate Kannada proficiency for bishops appointed in the state. </p>.<p>Leading a large demonstration at Freedom Park, writer and former Rajya Sabha member L Hanumanthaiah asserted that religious heads coming from other states must undergo at least six months of functional Kannada training before assuming office. </p>.<p>Addressing the gathering, Hanumanthaiah emphasised that the bond between the deity and the devotee should not be hindered by a linguistic barrier. “There should be no division between the language of God and the language of the people. It is a fundamental truth in any religion that the dialogue between the creator and the seeker must happen in a language understood by both,” he noted. </p>.<p>Hanumanthaiah clarified that the movement is not about challenging global church structures but about local representation. “We are not asking for Kannadigas to be appointed as bishops in Vatican City. We are demanding that those leading the churches in Bengaluru and across Karnataka be localites. Even the Supreme Court cannot oppose this demand,” he added. </p>.<p>Recalling the contributions of Christian missionaries to the Kannada language, Hanumanthaiah cited Reverend Ferdinand Kittel, who authored the first major Kannada-English dictionary. He questioned why the current church leadership is struggling to understand the importance of the local tongue when their predecessors pioneered education in regional languages. </p>.<p>A Isaac, president of the Sangha, cited the guidelines of the Second Vatican Council, which advocate for the use of the vernacular (regional language) in liturgy. The protesters warned of intensified agitations if the church administration continues to overlook the local language and leadership. </p>.<p><strong>Wishlist </strong></p><p>1. Regularisation of Kannada as the primary language for Mass and prayers in all Karnataka churches. </p><p>2. Establishment of a regional seminary (Gurumatha). </p><p>3. Exclusive administrative control of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary by Karnataka-based bishops. </p>