Card. Oswald Thank you, Archbishop Emeritus of Mumbai, tells Asianews the closeness of bishops to the victims of agolpation during the great Hindu pilgrimage: «Simple people died, who sought God’s message. We pray for them. We work for our country and our people so that there are no tears in the eyes of any Indian ».
Bhubaneswar () – «Our Nazareth Catholic Hospital in Prayagraj has also mobilized to provide assistance in the emergency of the pilgrims of the Kumbh Mela. Our Catholic schools and institutions are open to offer them assistance ». From Bhubaneswar – where the Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CBCI) is being held – Card. Oswal Thank you, Archbishop Emeritus of Mumbai, thus recounts the participation of the Indian Church in the pain for the tragedy that occurred in the great Hindu pilgrimage that brings together millions of people. With the passing of the hours, the number of deaths in the stampede rose to at least 30 people.
“I can say sincerely from the heart that it has been a tragic accident,” he continued thanks, “Simple people have died, people who wanted to look for God, who sought God’s message. Now it’s not about looking guilty. I can only imagine the suffering of families, trauma and anxiety they must endure while looking for their loved ones. During this morning’s mass, we have prayed for the souls of those who lost their lives in the Kumbh Mela de Prayagraj. Special sentences have also been prayed for their families. For me it is also a personal suffering: I have been there, I know the place, I imagine what has happened. We can only pray for those affected and expect the government to adopt the appropriate measures and transport systems to prevent something similar from happening again. I’m sure he will do it ».
Precisely today – January 30 – India celebrates the day of the martyrs to remember Mahatma Gandhi, father of the nation. “This morning we have all gone to the statue of Gandhi, including the Nuncio and Cardinal President Filipe Neri Ferrao, we have honored her with a crown of flowers,” Cardinal thanks continued. We think of all the martyrs and souls of all those who have died at the service of our country. Today we highlight the value of freedom, patriotism and the great appreciation of the nation for those who have fought for their independence. Our responsibility is to work for our country and our people and make sure there are no tears in the eyes of any Indian. In this the Church wants to help as much as possible ».
“In this jubilee year,” concluded the Cardinal, whose resignation at the head of the Mumbai Archdiocese was accepted by Pope Francis a few days ago, we have a lot of hope. There are always challenges, but we trust that God is with us. The Indian people are resistant. They are strong, selfless and have deep spiritual values that drive us to work selflessly by others, for our country and especially for the weakest. Indian’s mind, heart and soul are very open to help others. That is why I believe that India is a great country and has a great future and that we will make great progress. I pray for our leaders to have wisdom and discernment to guide our nation.
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