Indian Church renews its
commitment to dialogue for social harmony
 |
| CBCI logo |
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the apex
body of the Catholic Church in India is currently holding its plenary assembly
in Bengaluru on the theme “Dialogue: The Path to Truth and Charity”.
By Robin Gomes
The Church in India has reiterated its commitment to
promoting dialogue and social harmony, even in the midst of conflicts or social
and political crises.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay expressed the Church’s
commitment on Thursday while inaugurating the biennial plenary assembly of the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), taking place in the southern
Indian city of Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore).
The theme of the 34th assembly at St. John’s Medical
College, February 13 to 19, is “Dialogue: The Path to Truth and
Charity”.
Dialogue for nation-building
Cardinal Gracias, who is CBCI president, recalled that “the
Church has always been at the service of society", and stressed that need
for dialogue which "is the tapestry of different cultures, languages and
ethnic diversity".
Over the next few days, he said, they will reflect on how
the Church would move forward, discuss various programme and papers, and also
address the various issues that affect the Church in general. This will
include focussing on the task of nation-building through its services in
education, healthcare and its outreach programme for the marginalized.
The Catholic Church in India, Cardinal Gracias said, would
move forward in dialogue with all groups in society, such as civic bodies,
government and non-governmental organizations and religious communities, so as
to "create a peaceful and harmonious environment for all to live as true
citizens of the rich land, India". The CBCI president assured that
the Church in India will continue to "live the gospel values of peace, joy
and harmony and always work for the whole humankind".
Building bridges
"I place into the Lord’s hands this Plenary Assembly
and pray that the fruits of the deliberations may inspire us to continue to
build bridges, first by understanding the other person and then walking along
with him or her, irrespective of his or her caste, creed, colour", he
stated.
Cardinal Gracias noted that a similar theme had been
addressed by the CBCI plenary assembly 20 years ago, but the Indian Church now
wants to give new impetus and vitality to this theme, strengthening networks
and institutions to improve dialogue.
The Church, he said, has always championed the cause of
dialogue and peaceful interaction to build the world community, hence the need
to break down the walls of separation and build bridges of unity.
"The Church in India was a pioneer in education,
medical and health services besides social upliftment. It always stood as the
light of the world and helped others to witness to the same light and truth.
The inauguration of CBCI’s plenary assembly included a
concelebrated Mass presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio to India, Archbishop
Giambattista Diquattro, along with the heads of the country’s 3 ritual
Churches, other archbishops, bishops, office-bearers and officials of the
CBCI.
It was also attended by a great number of priests, religious
and lay faithful. Representatives of other religions have also been invited to
address the participants and share their views on the theme of the assembly.
Light of the world
In his inaugural address, Archbishop Diquattro reiterated
the exhortation of Pope Francis in his Motu Proprio, “Vos estis lux mundi” (You
are the light of the world), on the issue of accountability regarding abuse,
harassment and violence in the Church. He said the Pope urges each
diocese to strive “to shine a light on our wrongdoing before the eyes of the
world”.
He advised the clergy in India to commit themselves to the
truth within the Church, even though it is painful. This undertaking goes way
beyond the problem of abuse and is ordered towards a substantiated evangelical
reform of the church.
Archbishop Diquattro said, “it is a matter of not betraying
the primary evangelical concern of the Church in favour of the last, the
marginalised and vulnerable people”. This concern, he explained, promotes
a spirituality of co-responsibility and of sharing, in order to create among
the faithful a climate of openness, coherence and transparency. The
Nuncio also stressed that the proclamation of the Good News must be carried out
in joyful service.
India’s Catholic Church is made up of 3 ritual Churches –
the Latin, the Syro-Malabar and the Syro-Malankara – that together make up the
CBCI, the apex body of the Catholic Church in India. The Conference of
Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) is the association of India’s Latin-rite
bishops. With 132 dioceses and 189 bishops, the CCBI is the largest bishops’
conference in Asia.
The CBCI, which was instituted in 1944, turned 75 this year.
With 175 dioceses and over 200 active bishops, it one of the largest bishops’
conferences in the world.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét