Arockia Rayappan

Arockia Rayappan is from India and is a priest of Delhi Catholic Archdiocese. He is a Ph.D. candidate in the Individualized Program at Concordia University, with his supervisory committee: Dr. André Gagné (main supervisor), Dr. Lucian Turcescu, and Dr. Christine Jamieson from Department of Theological Studies. His doctoral research explores practical, resourceful, and sustainable ways to foster social and religious harmony through Basic Ecclesial Communities in the contemporary Indian multi-cultural, pluri-religious, social, economic, and political milieu. In his work, Arockia keenly observes the religious polarization in India due to Hindu Religious Nationalism. He desires to create greater awareness of its impact on the religious minorities in India and across the world drawing insights from Liberation Theology. A list of his publications can be found on Academia.edu.

Having been honoured with several Graduate awards, Arockia is also a distinguished Ph.D. student and Golden Key Ambassador by the Golden Key International Honour Society. Throughout his academic studies, he has volunteered in: Tsunami Relief Team at Pontificium Athenaeum Pooniensis JNANA DEEPA; Open House, and Free Hive Lunch in Concordia University. During his undergraduate studies, he weekly volunteered to care for the senior citizens, and to educate children at high risk as well as the children of the commercial sex workers. He is a participant in Theology in the City 2022 and 2024 and the ISO-events at Concordia University.

During his ministry in India, he served as the deputy secretary general and public relations officer of the Regional Bishops’ Council of the North, India. He was instrumental in the implementation of the 10 Year National Pastoral Plan of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) in the dioceses of Delhi, Simla-Chandigarh, Jalandhar, and Jammu-Srinagar Dioceses. His ministry in Delhi and in the mission stations of Rohtak and Dharuhera in Haryana states, India, has been in seminary, missions, and parishes, and Formation & Biblical Commission.