Seminaries Must Form Missionary Witnesses, Not Defenders of Faith: Fr Joachim Fernandes

MYSURU, November 6, 2026: Seminaries must prepare priests to proclaim the Gospel with conviction while respecting people of other faiths, rather than turning them into defenders of religious positions, said Fr Joachim Fernandes, a priest of the Diocese of Mangalore.

Presenting a paper titled “Evangelization in the Face of Contemporary Fundamentalism” at the Pallottine Platinum Jubilee symposium, Fr Fernandes examined the challenges posed by religious fundamentalism and their implications for evangelisation in India.

He distinguished fundamentalism from strong religious belief, doctrinal clarity and respect for tradition, describing it instead as intolerance, the claim of exclusive ownership of truth and the use of religion to exercise political dominance. He stressed that fundamentalism could emerge in any religious tradition.

“If we respond to intolerance with intolerance, we reproduce the very problem we seek to overcome,” he warned.

Referring to the Indian context, he highlighted religious nationalism, questions surrounding the belonging of minorities, suspicion of evangelisation, online misinformation and social exclusion. He also cautioned against Christians developing a defensive mindset in response to these challenges.

Turning to issues within the Church, he pointed to clericalism, caste discrimination, lack of financial transparency and inadequate safeguarding practices as factors that undermine its credibility.

“A Church that preaches human dignity must protect the vulnerable,” he said.

Drawing on the Church documents Ad Gentes, Nostra Aetate and Dignitatis Humanae, as well as Pope Francis's apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Fr Fernandes said dialogue and proclamation should complement rather than compete with each other.

He called for priestly formation that integrates human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral dimensions, with a clear missionary orientation. Such formation, he said, should include emotional maturity, Christ-centred spirituality, a sound understanding of the theology of religions, constitutional and media literacy, and exposure to religiously diverse communities.

Referring to the Church's guidelines on priestly formation in Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis, he stressed the need to prepare future priests to engage constructively with religious and cultural diversity.

Fr Fernandes challenged seminaries to examine whether their formation programmes enable priests to remain firmly rooted in their faith while respecting those who hold different beliefs, and to proclaim the Gospel without fostering hostility.

The task, he said, is to move “from fear to witness, from confrontation to encounter” and form missionary disciples rather than merely administrators of Church institutions.

By Fr. Carlos Luis, SAC