By Aloysius Kantharaj
Bengaluru, Nov 7, 2022: The Indian Catholic bishops’ 35th general body meeting on November 7 took off to a colorful start with the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Leopold Girelli celebrating the opening with more than 200 prelates as concelebrants.
Present at the opening program at St John’s National Academy of Health Science in Bengaluru were Cardinals Mario Grech, the secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, and Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
Also present were Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios, CBCI vice president and secretary general Archbishop Felix Machado along with a number of archbishops, bishops and priests.
Speaking in his homily, Archbishop Girelli highlighted the readings of the day. He urged the bishops to be good shepherds who will be an example to priests and the faithful.
The papal ambassadors also shed light upon the Pope’s Intentions for November: Prayers for the Suffering Children, especially those who are homeless and helpless.
“There are those who dare to say, as if to justify themselves, that it was a mistake to bring these children into the world. …”Children are never a mistake. Their hunger is not a mistake, nor is their poverty, their vulnerability, their abandonment – so many children abandoned on the streets – and neither is their ignorance or their helplessness… so many children don’t even know what a school is. If anything, these should be reasons to love them all the more, with greater generosity,” the nuncio said.
Apart from the clergy, many religious sisters, brothers and lay people participated in the opening Mass, which was live streamed by the Archdiocesan Communication Centre.
What action has this Nuncio taken against allegedly criminal or errant bishops like those of Mysore and Pune?
Had this Nuncio come to India just for preaching, attending conferences, inaugurating church buildings and being chief guest of mega church-based celebrations?
Till date what action has he taken against bishops Franco, William and other erring clergy? He committed the blunder of asking Antony Kariyil to step down from the archbishop’s post for no fault of his.
“Urging the bishops to be good shepherds and be examples for priests and the faithful” sounds good. But he needs to challenge the bishops, priests and nuns to be the “living examples” of Jesus of Nazareth.
Has he got the courage to do this? If he does not have, then, remaining in India as a “decorative piece” is of no use.