Opportunity To Serve God, Country, Says Archbishop Gracias Of Bombay By Michael Gonsalves, SAR NEWS
MUMBAI, Maharashtra (SAR NEWS) -- Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Oswald Gracias of Agra as the new Archbishop to the Metropolitan See of Bombay, Oct.14. The largest archdiocese in India was vacant since May 20 when its Cardinal Ivan Dias was elevated as prefect of the powerful Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in the Vatican. "It is an opportunity to serve God, the Christian community and the country in every possible way to build a just and humane society of brotherhood", the newly appointed Archbishop Gracias, who is also the ecclesiastical advisor to Indian Catholic Press Association, told SAR News soon after the appointment was made public today, Oct 14. "One of my priorities will be to work towards shedding the minoritism and ghetto image of the Christians and to integrate them with the mainstream society to work for the poorest of the poor, irrespective of caste, creed and color", he said over the phone from Agra, where he has been Archbishop for over six years. "The recent bomb blasts in Mumbai, the commercial capital of India has increased the suspicious and distrust between different religions. I will strive hard to build bridges of peace, and bring about religious harmony and reconciliation between various faiths", the 61-year-old Archbishop, who was Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay for nine years, said. He said when he was ordained a bishop he had taken a motto "to reconcile all in Christ" which had been has distinctive characteristic of his leadership to the Catholic Church in India. Archbishop Gracias who succeeds the high profile popular Cardinal Dias, now known as the 'Red Pope' because of the power he wields as prefect of Congregation for Evangelisation of Peoples, will take charge of office in Mumbai in mid-December. Traditionally, the Pope has been elevating the Archbishops of Bombay as Cardinals in due course and Archbishop Gracias is likely to wear the red hat in the near future. Archbishop Gracias, who belongs to Mumbai, has been serving as Archbishop of the historic diocese of Agra in Uttar Pradesh. The new appointment leaves Agra Archdiocese vacant. The prelate, who was born in 1944 in Mahim, Mumbai was ordained priest in 1970. In January 1997 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay. He became archbishop of Agra just three years later. The new Bombay archbishop was secretary general of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India and currently the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI). He is a consultor to the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts. With a doctorate in Canon Law and a Diploma in Jurisprudence from Gregorian University, Rome, he was first appointed secretary to the Archbishop of Bombay and Chancellor of the Archdiocese. In 1997, he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay. As canon law expert, he has been teaching canon law at Pius X Seminary, Mumbai and Dnana Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. His book 'Conciliation Code' is an effective and useful guide in solving many problems faced in the Catholic Church as per the Canon Law. "With a superlative skills in providing solutions to conflicts of various kinds in the Dioceses and among priests and religious congregations, he played a stellar role as Papal Visitor in India", Father Anthony Charanghat, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Bombay, said. He was responsible to unite the two factions of the Pilar Society, he added. "With a vast administrative experience, razor sharp analytical mind, and global vision for development, the new Archbishop will provide not only a moral leadership to the Christian community in the country but also to people of other faiths," Father Henry D'Souza, executive secretary of Social Communications of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, who has worked very closely with the newly appointed archbishop at the national level, said. "We are thrilled to get back our own archbishop now elevated as archbishop of Bombay. We will extend full co-operation in discharging his responsibilities towards the community and the nation at large," Dolphy D'souza, president of the Bombay Catholic Sabha and vice president of All Indian Catholic Union, said. The largest Archdiocese of Bombay comprises of 5.5 lakh Catholics spread over 98 Churches in three districts, served by 750 priests, 1,530 nuns, and imparts quality education to thousands of students through its network of 129 schools and colleges. -- SAR News is a Catholic news service from India. Michael Gonsalves is a long-time journalist and editor. _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list Goanet@lists.goanet.org http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org