Indian Cardinal launches Day for justice and gender equality after gang rape case
(Vatican Radio) Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, has organised a Day
of Solidarity for Justice, Awareness and Gender Equality on Sunday January 27th.
The decision was taken in the wake of the recent brutal gang rape case in New Delhi
that sparked widespread protests and a heated debate on violence and discrimination
against women in India. Cardinal Gracias spoke to Vatican Radio’s Susy Hodges about
this issue and the Church’s initiative.
Listen to the extended interview with
the Cardinal:
Cardinal Gracias
says the gang rape and murder of the young women in Delhi "aroused the conscience
of the whole country" and it was for this reason that he decided that the Church needed
to take "pro-active measures" by holding this special Day of Solidarity and Awareness
to try and encourage the growth of "greater respect" for women and all human beings.
"This is an important issue," he says, "which concerns all of us."
Asked if
he worries whether it will be back to business as normal once the memories of these
gang rapes fade, Cardinal Gracias admits that this is a real worry for him. "Exactly,
I'm afraid that will happen and that's why I thought we should use this occasion ...
to try to change the mindsets of people." The Cardinal says in order to achieve
this goal there is a key role to be played by institutions and schools, especially
Catholic ones: "I've asked our schools to educate our children, to teach families
to respect the girl child ... and I do hope it will have a ripple effect."
Although
the father of the gang rape victim and many others in India have called for the death
penalty for those accused of the woman's murder, Cardinal Gracias reiterated that
the Church is opposed to the death penalty for all crimes, no matter how brutal.