Dalit cardinal elected head of Indian bishops’ body

Indian Catholics have hailed the appointment as a historic step

Cardinal Anthony Poola — India’s first Dalit cardinal — was elected Saturday as the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, a body uniting the country’s three main rites.

Cardinal Anthony Poola, pictured in 2022. Credit: Screenshot from @LiturgyTV YouTube channel.

The Feb. 7 appointment highlights the significant role that Dalits — who occ…