By Adolf Washington
Bengaluru: Hundreds of thousands of people from all religions on January 14 thronged Infant Jesus Shrine in Bengaluru, southern India, to attend the conclusion of its annual feast.
Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore, addressing a public function, stressed the need for pastoral care for youth who, he regretted, were increasingly falling victims to a “sweeping wave of substance abuse that endanger their spiritual life and the very quality of their existence.”
The 75-year-old prelate, who has led the archdiocese of more than 4 million people for more than a decade, noted young people from all religions have been affected. “Our Youth need to be protected and guided,” he asserted.
The archbishop urged the state dignitaries, who joined the celebrations, “to do everything in their capacity to save youth heading into perils of chemical substances in various forms.”
He also wants to wean away youth from internet pornography which, he lamented, was “demonically surging across the world.”
More than 50 priests were present at the concluding function which marked the flagging-off of the sacred car carrying the image of Infant Jesus. The car swerved through at least 5 miles before returning to the shrine. En-route, people from various religions were seen paying homage and seeking favors.
Bangalore Mayor G Padmavathi, a Hindu, declared at the public meeting: “I have been coming to this shrine for over three decades praying to Jesus. My becoming a mayor of this city is also an answer to the many prayers that have already been answered over the years.”
Present on the occasion was Carmelite Father Anastasio Roggero from the Archdiocese of Prague, who heads the worldwide missions and promotions to Devotions to Infant Jesus. The devotion originated in Prague, capital city of the Czech Republic, more than 700 years ago.
The Infant Jesus Shrine at Vivek Nagar was established in 1971 to commemorate the historic Infant Jesus of Prague. Since then numerous miracles have been attributed to the shrine leading to its increasing popularity. A new church building adjacent to the old building was added in 2005.