Panaji: Christians in India have no problem in praising motherland and they take pride in singing patriotic songs, asserted a Catholic bishop as the country debated nationalism.
“We sing ‘saare jahan se accha’ (the best in the world) very peacefully and radically in our present time as much as we devote our mind and body for the welfare of the people of our country,” said Bishop Udumala Bala of Warrangal, chairperson of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) Commission for Clergy.
The Latin rite prelate was addressing the opening of the Conference of Diocesan Priests of India (CDPI) meeting in Panaji, Goa, on April 7. The national conference has chosen as theme, “Priest as a minister of God mirrored in the person of Pope Francis.’
Bishop Bala pointed out that Christians “do so much to make our country stronger” through their diversity in culture and language. India, he added, was “a mosaic of races, religions, cultures and languages” and “Christian churches are also mosaic in themselves.”
The prelate also commended the Catholic priests in India for their zeal and dedication in preaching Christianity. He said the priests help advance the Kingdom of God through praise and worship. “As a result, there are over 20 million Catholics in India, who represent around 1.55 per cent of the total population.”
“India has the second largest Catholic population in Asia after the Philippines because India’s huge population,” he added.
Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa and Daman called upon priests to take responsibilities to preach Christ. He hailed newly canonized Joseph Vaz, a native of Goa, as the best example of someone who used inculturation to spread Christ’s message. His methods can serve as a role mole, the Goan archbishop asserted.
Archbishop Felix Antony Machado of Vasai urged the priests to make their homilies better, briefer, and bolder. He said priests can revolutionize the Church if they make their sermons interests and finish it within ten minutes.
“Young people coming to hear the Word of God need to be inspired and not end up brainless due to long sermons which are not profound and inspiring,” he added.
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, who addressed the conference on the first day, urged Catholic priests to move out to the periphery of society to meet the poor, marginalized and refugees. Every priest, the papal representative said, is a prototype of Jesus Christ, the eternal priest.
The conference began with Mass presided over by the Goa archbishop..
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, president of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, spoke via video link and said that Pope Francis always loved the poor and the marginalized. “He is a man of faith and prayer,” said the cardinal who is also the archbishop of Bombay.
The first day’s deliberations also included two talks. First, Bishop Francis Serrao of Shimoga, spoke on ‘Pope Francis: A pope of the Church of the poor and for the poor.’ He was followed by Fr William Urray of Ambikapur diocese in Chhattisgarh, who spoke on ‘Pope Francis: Pastor par excellence in communicating the word of God.’
The day concluded with a panel discussion titled ‘Pope Francis: An ambassador of peace in nature, humanity and world.”
The director of St. Joseph Vaz centre Henry Falcao moderated the session. Speakers from different faiths spoke on the theme and were unanimous that the teachings of Pope Francis on world peace, justice and nature are accepted by all people over the world.