” while addressing his audience at the Annual Civic Reception at Archbishop’s House Monday. He, however, pointed out that even as in Goa there was appreciation from the government for the role of the Church in education and health in other parts of the country there were signs that were causing grave concern, “particularly to the minorities, and which threaten to break down the fibre of our nation.”
Hitting out strongly art divisive and communal incidents in other parts of the country, the Archbishop expressed the hope that political leaders, both at the State and the national level, commit themselves to creating an environment where everyone is respected and protected, irrespective of social, cultural or religious affiliations or differences.
“One of the worst internal enemies of a nation is communal discord. It can disintegrate a nation. Unless the citizens of a country take cognizance of this treacherous cancer, and work unitedly against it, they can become hapless victims of this pernicious malaise,” he told an audience that included Governor Mridula Sinha, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Deputy CM Francis D’Souza, Mayor Surendra Furtado, corporators, politicians, members of the armed forces and the media.
Stating that the Church has always promoted integral human liberation and development, through her involvement in the education, health care and assistance to the less fortunate, without discrimination of colour, creed or race, he said: “I am really glad to observe that this role which the Church is exercising on behalf of the people and for the wholesome development in the State is being generally appreciated by our government authorities.”
According to him this appreciation has been seen in the way the government has come to the help of the Church during the ongoing Exposition of the Relics of St Francis Xavier. “It was not only by putting in place a well-planned and comprehensive infrastructure that is, to this day, facilitating the movement and taking care of the wellbeing of the thousands visiting Old Goa, but also by helping the local Church authorities in ensuring that the crowds maintain proper decorum and discipline, so greatly needed in an event of such magnitude,” he said.
“All this organization and allocation of funds were at first planned and presided over by Manohar Parrikar, former Chief Minister, and is now diligently being followed up by the present CM, Parsekar,” he said expressing his thanks.
But he expressed his anguish to see that the picture of the Church and State relationship that we have drawn here is quite different from what obtains in many other parts of our country. “India is known to be a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious national family. It comprises people who have traditionally lived in an exemplary inter-relationship of harmony, understanding and peace, in spite of coming from the most varied cultural and religious backgrounds,” he said. And added, “We have always taken pride in celebrating this unity in diversity and our Indian Constitution safeguards and, as it were, consecrates this unity.”
But, he said that they “are observing certain signs which are causing grave concern, particularly to the minorities, and which threaten to break down the fibre of our nation. One of the worst internal enemies of a nation is communal discord. It can disintegrate a nation. Unless the citizens of a country take cognizance of this treacherous cancer, and work unitedly against it, they can become hapless victims of this pernicious malaise.”
He also spoke about the Patron of our Archdiocese, Blessed Joseph Vaz, who is going to be proclaimed a Saint by Pope Francis on the 14th of next month in Sri Lanka.
“We cannot be him. But, before we look for the religion of the other person, we can try and see him as a human person and respect him as one. We can acknowledge that each religion has its singularity and, therefore, shun the temptation of despising other faiths,” he said. “Most of all, we can be on guard against those trying to destroy the tree of unity with the hydra of communalism and take resolute steps to strengthen peace and harmony among religions.”
