Christmas program brings Catholics, Hindus together in Bhopal

(December 30, 2009) Bhopal archdiocese took a step toward interreligious harmony when it celebrated Christmas at a home for the elderly managed by a group that is linked to a hard-line Hindu organization. A group of Catholics from the archdiocese gave out Christmas cake and dined with residents of Anand Dham (House of Bliss) to spread the message of Christian love as well as forge communal harmony, said Father Anand Muttungal. The priest, spokesperson for the Church in Madhya Pradesh, was part of the group that visited the home on December 27. Anand Dham is managed by Seva Bharati, an NGO that works among indigenous communities in India. It runs thousands of projects in fields such as health care, education, rural development and the rehabilitation of children with special needs. The NGO is also a sister organization of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which has been accused of being the umbrella organization of hard-line Hindu groups blamed for attacks on Christians. Rajendra Mishra, who is in charge of the home, hailed the Church group’s visit as “a great gesture” of acceptance of elderly people. The home has 13 male and nine female residents, all over 60. He said the Christmas celebration brought happiness and hope for the residents, who feel lonely after having been abandoned by their children. Archbishop Leo Cornelio of Bhopal said “such programs would help clear misunderstandings between Catholics and Hindus.” He said that a lack of interaction has led to misunderstandings between Christians and RSS people, and that better communication would help alleviate suspicion among communities.