Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - “ Christmas depicts the birth of Jesus Christ and all of us need to receive God in our lives. Each of us should become agents of peace, love and reconciliation. For the people of goodwill, Christmas offers an opportunity to give peace, joy and love to others” : with these words of newly created Cardinal Oswald Gracias Archbishop Bombay, the Catholic Church in India sent a Christmas message of peace, hope and forgiveness to the nation.
Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, Archbishop Ranchi, also said that Christmas should be a time for all believers, Christians. Hindus, Muslims Jainists, to feel more united, a time for reconciliation and to look to the future with new hope. “God has kept his promise of sending the Messiah. Christmas shows God’s faithfulness. Like-wise, all those who have made promises to serve their country and communities, need to honour their word,” insisted the first tribal Cardinal of India. "At Christmas God repeatedly tells us not to be afraid. Relying on divine assistance, all leaders need to act fearlessly in accordance with the dictates of their conscience,” Cardinal Toppo said.
Despite call for peace on all sides, on 19 December Gujarat, a group of Catholic school children and two priests and a Sister were attacked and beaten by a mob of rightwing Vishwa Hindu Parishat activists, according to a report by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India. Earlier on 5 December in the archdiocese of Delhi a mob of 150 fundamentalist Hindus attacked a building site for a new church dedicated to Divine Mercy (see Fides 11/12/2007). According to a recent report issued by the Indian authorities over the past 20 months in an atmosphere of growing Hindu extremism there have been 464 cases of violence against Christians. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 21/12/2007 righe 32 parole 312)
