Handbook on Church and Millennium Development Goals Released

(September 16, 2010) A handbook on Church and the Millennium Development Goals meant to be a handbook for the church persons and grassroots workers was released at the CBCI Centre, New Delhi, September 15, by Bishop Yvon Ambroise, the Chairperson of the CBCI Commission for Justice Peace and Development. The handbook titled The Church and the Millennium Development Goals, prepared by the Commission for Justice, Peace and Development (JPDC) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, is part of a series of hands-on tools to aid social workers and church leaders in their work for the empowerment of the poor and the marginalized. Bishop Ambroise who presented a copy of the book to Archbishop Albert D’Souza, Secretary General of the CBCI, described it as an important tool to help those who are devoted to the service of the poor. The book provides background to the two types of India, one with fast economic growth and the other with one third of its population living bellow poverty line (BPL). After the nationwide publication of the Right to Food Campaign materials in 10 languages through power points, CDs, and Ten Commandments for each RTF Schemes, the Commission has come up with another effective tool for social advocacy for the welfare of the poorest and the marginalised. Fr. Nithiya the Secretary and Mr. Antony Arulraj, the Social Advocacy officer, jointly edited this book which speaks of MDGs in the light of Catholic Social Teaching which makes every Christian obliged to respond to the signs of the times effectively.