By C V Joseph

Bengaluru, June 4, 2019: Catholic representatives of Manipur migrants in Bengaluru on June 3 shared with Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore their struggle to avail spiritual help.

The archbishop was surprised to learn that the number of migrants in Bengaluru, the Karnataka state capital, is increasing at an alarming rate. Among them are Christians from various tribes of Manipur.

The archbishop was told that many people from other states com the city for jobs to support their families back home.

Those representatives who met the archbishop came mainly from interior villages of Manipur. They shared their struggles and pain, especially their spiritual needs.

The archbishop has assured the people from northeastern India they would get spiritual care and animation from time to time.

Retired Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore had taken initiated a process to provide spiritual care for the migrants in the city and sought the help of the Salesian priests.

The Salesians, who have been working in northeastern India for nearly a century, organized several programs for migrants living in the archdiocese.

The archdiocese’s public relations officer said the migrants and itinerant groups pose new challenges for the Church in Bengaluru. Providing services and facilities to migrants is a top priority for the archdiocese.

“In this venture new initiatives and programs are planned and programmed by the archdiocese,” he told Matters India.