Hindu leader praises Catholic contribution to India

(Nov.25,2009): The contribution of Catholicism to Indian society was valued by Federal opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani, the guest of honour at Delhi archdiocese's golden jubilee celebrations. The Hindu nationalist leader, who opened the civic reception, said he was surprised to be invited to address the function. He noted that the Catholic Church in India has carried out commendable and extensive service to society. Advani dismissed as “motivated propaganda” claims, that his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was against Christians and other religious minority groups. The BJP is widely seen as the political arm of rightwing Hindu groups responsible for anti-Christian violence in several parts of India. Advani said he had studied in a Catholic school and respects Christ's message of peace, love and brotherhood. "I deeply value the contribution of our Christian brethren both to India's freedom struggle and to India's nation-building in the post-independence era," he said.
The civic reception followed a Mass on Nov. 22 to mark the end of year-long jubilee celebrations. Representatives from various religions joined some 50,000 Catholics for the festivities. Apostolic nuncio Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana celebrated the Mass together with five bishops and some 150 priests. In his homily, he commended the archdiocese for its growth and influence in the national capital. He said the archdiocese that started with 10 parishes now has 82 parishes belonging to all three Catholic Church rites in India. The Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites make up the Catholic Church in the country. Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas of the Syro-Malankara Church commended the archdiocese for accommodating people from all over India. The archdiocese is the "leader" of the Catholic Church in the nation, added the Oriental prelate who is based in New Delhi.
During the Mass, people wearing traditional dress from 27 states, offered various gifts, including a book on Kandhamal, a district in the eastern Indian Orissa state that witnessed anti-Christian violence in 2008.