Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) – The objective of the next Assembly of Latin Rite Bishops of India, which will take place in the Diocese of Mysore (state of Karnataka, southeastern India), this February 12-16, will be that of reflection on the indications from the Synod on the Word of God celebrated in the Vatican this past October. The Conference of Latin Rite Bishops includes 128 dioceses in India, with a total of 170 Bishops.
The Assembly of Bishops is centered on the theme “The Word of God, source of life for the people of India” and will be attended by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pedro López Quintana, who will preside the Opening Mass.
There will be two plenary sessions and various meetings of subcommittees to discuss and analyze the various implications of the theme on a pastoral, liturgical, and catechetical level, as well as from the perspective of social work.
A special prayer will be lifted to the Lord for all those Christians who are suffering or who have given their lives to bear witness to and live the Word of God, such as the faithful in the states of Orissa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat.
The Bishops confirmed that the Christians present in India have the same rights as other Indians and call for respect for their constitutional rights, as it is their intention to contribute to the human, spiritual, civil, economic, and social development of the nation. The Christian community recently welcomed the Indian Supreme Court decision asking the Government of Orissa to increase security measures to protect Christians, criticizing the civil administration for the delay in police intervention in stopping the violence that was unleashed between August and September 2008. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 8/1/2009)
