Church commemorates 25^th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s visit to India

(February 02, 2011) The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, CBCI on Tuesday launched a 10-day program in New Delhi to commemorate the 25th anniversary of late Pope John Paul II’s first visit to India. Pope Benedict XVI sent Cardinal Murphy O’Connor as his special envoy to preside over the jubilee programs in New Delhi, Ranchi, Kolkata, Cochin and Mumbai.
CBCI president Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, told a press conference at the Apostolic Nunciature in New Delhi, that Pope John Paul, who came to India as a pilgrim and a friend, had generated unprecedented goodwill among the people. He said the Church in India wants to recapture those moments, as the late Pope’s message of interreligious harmony and peace is still relevant for the country. Cardinal O’Connor said Pope Benedict sent him as his representative to the jubilee programs because of his great love and admiration for India, its people and its culture. On the occasion, Karan Singh, a former diplomat, unveiled a bronze statue of Pope John Paul II at the Nunciature and Cardinal O’Connor blessed it. A similar statue was unveiled at New Delhi’s Sacred Heart Cathedral on Wednesday. (Feb. 2) Another statue will be unveiled at the Holy Name Cathedral in Mumbai on Feb. 8. The jubilee programs in the national capital, include a meeting of heads of various Christian Churches, a symposium on Pope John Paul’s teachings and a visit to the Gandhi memorial at Rajghat.
Cardinal O’Connor will attend a symposium on social concerns and tribal issues at Ranchi on Friday, (Feb. 4.) He will visit the Kolkata headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, and attend a public function in the city on Sunday (Feb. 6 ). Cardinal O’Connor’s next stop will be at Cochin, where he will preside at a public Mass dedicated to the family on Monday, ( Feb. 7) before heading for Mumbai.
Pope John Paul II, who is to be beatified 1st May in Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica, had visited 14 cities of India during his Feb. 1-10, 1986 visit to the country.