sunday is the international day for the
elimination of racial discrimination
one institution aiming to improve its
relations with
racial minorities is the catholic church
in germany
but sometimes even church officials say
they face discrimination
dw spoke to a german pastor of sri
lankan ancestry
he told us what the church must do to
overcome
racist attitudes
something i experienced again and again
when i'm out and about in different
church communities
is that the first question is always
where do you come from
and i always say i'm from norway's
germany and then there is silence
regarding is a catholic pastor in the
archdiocese of cologne
apparently many people in germany still
find it a little strange when they
encounter a minister who is not white
tilanatan is repeatedly asked about his
origins
or is insulted with racist slurs
in leipzig it was at the catholic
convention in leipzig
i was representing the archdiocese i can
still remember standing at the booth
when two women approached the booth i
went towards them in a friendly manner
and bit them welcome and then one woman
said which do-gooder let you into the
country
without any emotion whatsoever
is mostly concerned by two things in the
catholic church in germany
it's too white and too eurocentric
especially
it starts with the fact that many
teachers of german theology don't even
take into account all the other
theological points of view in the world
it's only fashionable or to be taken
seriously from a scientific angle
when it comes from the german-speaking
world and that's where the difficulties
begin
when you think you're the only one who
is capable of interpreting the word
the 38 year old is responsible for new
trainees in his diocese
he advises and supervises theology
students or those looking to serve in
the church
for whom he provides rooms in his
apartment
tilanathan even spoke to pope francis
about his vision of a more cosmopolitan
church
that allows more space for global
perspectives and less racism
he encouraged me to consolidate and
develop this idea further
to bring more scope into my teaching and
not be bound by the small european world
sublime regard
hopes others like him may one day no
longer be constantly reduced to the
color of their skin
you