Representing Asia, the 78-year-old Archbishop of Mumbai is one of the two cardinals of this collegiate body that has assisted the pontiff since its founding in 2013. He told : “I was reappointed to ensure continuity. Collaboration between the largest and smallest dioceses is an important issue for the Church today throughout the world.”
Mumbai () – “I was appointed again to ensure continuity, the Pope confirmed me for this.” Thus the Archbishop of Bombay, Card. Oswald Gracias, commented on the decision that Pope Francis announced yesterday and that confirmed him as the representative of Asia in the Council of Cardinals, the body chosen by Bergoglio to support him on the most important issues related to the government of the Church.
Like the Archbishop of Boston (USA) Card. Sean O’Malley, Card. Gracias has been part of the Council of Cardinals since its constitution in April 2013. In the new composition that was decided yesterday, the Pope also confirmed Card. Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and Card. Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo). In turn, Card. Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Card. Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona (Spain), Card. Gérald C. Lacroix, Archbishop of Québec (Canada); the card. Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg and Card. Sérgio da Rocha, Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia (Brazil).
The card. Gracias, who is 78 years old and has led the Archdiocese of Mumbai since 2006, was president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences and is held in high esteem in Catholic communities across the continent. He brings to the Vatican the voice and style of the Church of India. “We are a very lively Church,” he explained to “a small part of the Indian population, around 2.3%, but it is a living presence. We have 174 dioceses throughout the country, including the Latin Church, the Syro-Malabar Church and the Syro-Malankar Church. And the The vivacity of the Church is seen not only in attendance at Sunday Mass, but also in the involvement and participation of the faithful in the various missionary activities of the Church, from the education that it offers to all without discrimination of caste or religion, to service in rural areas. And also in other activities, such as the promotion of women or care for disabled children: it is a great joy for us to carry out these commitments as disciples of Jesus”.
For the card. Thank you, one of the important issues for the Church in today’s world is cooperation between dioceses: “In the first years of my episcopate – he recalled – I was Archbishop of Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located: it was a small reality, which then had only 1,800 Catholics. But the population varies, as do our resources and skills: we try to train priests in specialized subjects. That is why in India we have launched a program whereby the largest Churches help the smallest small in different ways: financially, with personnel, with ad hoc programs. We are one family. I would like this way of helping each other to be open to the Churches of the whole world”.
“I pray for the Church in India and in all the countries of the world”, he concluded when commenting on the election of the Pope, “because the Holy Spirit is with us. Especially in this season of Lent, let us pray for each other so that it may be a time of grace for all”.
