Vijayawada CRI meet, vow to fight for dalits

(July 21, 2011) Bishop Prakash Mallavarapu of Vijayawada has exhorted the religious to encourage one another to do well and to strive for justice, reconciliation and peace while proclaiming the gospel. He was speaking on the Verbum Domini – the apostolic exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI, at the annual general body meeting of the religious of Vijayawada on July 17. The prelate also encouraged them to join the proposed national-level hunger strike for the dalits’ cause in Delhi from July 25-27. He asked the Conference of Religious of India (CRI) members to sponsor lay people from their diocese taking part in the huger strike and also declare a day of fasting and prayer in solidarity. Over a hundred religious belonging to different congregations had assembled at Loyola College hall. A prayer service conducted at the beginning of the meeting enabled the participants to prepare themselves to listen to the insightful sharing of the speakers. Several speakers during the CRI meeting shared their views on the different chapters of the Verbum Domini. Bishop Mallavarapu spoke of the need of preparing well the liturgy of the Eucharist especially the homily, “which should be the breaking of the Word”. Father Stanley, the Rector of the Loyola College, explaining the chapter on Verbum Dei- Word of God, said “God constantly is speaking to us throughout the history of salvation and, in Jesus, he is communicating with us in fullness. We are bound to respond to this relationship of love and obey his directives and lead a sinless life.” The Vicar General of the dioceses, Father Chinnappa was the main celebrant at the Holy Mass.