Cardinal Dias Bids Diocese farewell: May India’s spirit flourish, not only economy

(June 27,2006): Indian Cardinal Ivan Dias, Archbishop of Mumbai and new prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, has bid his diocese farewell before leaving for Rome. During a speech delivered in the Jesuit grounds of St Peter’s in Bandra, he urged believers to ensure that India grew not only as an economic power but above all in spiritual and moral values. Meanwhile, participants of the event praised him for his considerable commitment to inter-faith dialogue in the country.
Addressing around 4,000 people from different faiths participating in the event, Cardinal Dias
said India could make great strides ahead in spiritual progress, to be measured not so much by the stock exchange than by the growth of civic sense and moral values. He said "Christ loves India and India needs Christ". He said the three evils that threatened the country are : “Ethnic chauvinism, the caste system and corruption”. He expressed hope that India’s many parties and politicians would show themselves to be statesmen of moral integrity, committed to working for the poor and the outcast. The cardinal reiterated that the work of the Church in India in the fields of education, social welfare and health does not have, and never did have, the aims of proselytism and conversions. Before his speech, Cardinal Dias presided over the farewell Eucharist concelebrated by 18 bishops. Members of the Ecumenical Fellowship of Bishops and personalities, who are actively involved in inter-faith dialogue were also present. Kala Archarya of the Inter-Religious Centre at Somaiya College in Mumbai, described Cardinal Dias as a “light in India, who set inter-faith dialogue aflame, following in the footsteps of John Paul II”. She expressed hope that “the whole world may find its path in the route he has traced”.