John Mary Vianney Ministry Inaugurated

(August 8, 2009) In the Year of Priests, a new ministry named after John Mary Vianney, the patron saint of Catholic priests all over the world was inaugurated by Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore, on August 4^th, at the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Bangalore. The ceremony was witnessed by 19 priests and many guests from different parts of the country. In his homily, the archbishop pointed out how the Church was doing a wonderful service to humanity in the field of education, healthcare, social development, etc, and how the Christian community has helped people feel the love of God. That was the reason why The Church needed a ministry whose main task would be to make the love of God present to all men of Good will, the bishop said. After the homily, the decree of canonical erection of the John Mary Vianney Ministry was read out by Father Brian Fernandez of Karwar Diocese, and signed by Archbishop Moras in the presence of the vicar-general of Bangalore, Father Joseph Francis. According to the Neo Catechumenal Way, which is spearheading the Vianney Ministry, the Archdiocese of Bangalore aims at bringing about unity among men and man’s union with God through an adult Christian community. Such an undertaking involves a community made up of a priest, some families who have begun to live fully their baptism as adult Christians, together with their children, and a few sisters. Today, the Neo Catechumenal Way is present in 44 dioceses of India. It began in Madrid, Spain, in 1963 as a fruit of the Second Vatican Council.