Cardinal Toppo appeals all Religious to be missionaries again.
(Oct.17, 2012) The month-long Synod of Bishops, Oct. 7-28 continues in the Vatican.
Among the 22 prelates who addressed the Synod’s 13th General Assembly on Tuesday
morning, two were from India - Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi, Jharkhand
and Bishop Stanley Roman of Quilon, Kerala State. In his address to the Synod,
Cardinal Toppo, who is also the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India
,CBCI, appealed to all the Religious Orders to become missionary again. He said
“In my country, India, time and again I have seen the power of the Gospel at work
among Christians and non-Christians alike.” Affirming that in the history of evangelization
all the Religious Orders led by the Holy Spirit have done marvellous work, can we
say the same of the Religious Congregations today ? he asked. Could it be that they
have begun working like the multinationals, doing very good and necessary work to
meet the material needs of humanity but have forgotten that the primary purpose of
their founding is to bring the Gospel to a lost world? Cardinal Toppo expressed appreciation
of the many Youth Groups and new Ecclesial Movements, who are taking up the challenge,
and called on the Synod to appeal to the Religious men and women to explicitly and
directly take up the work of evangelization and transmission of faith in collaboration
with the local bishops.” Cardinal Toppo pointed out that Pope Benedict XVI reviewing
the Year 2011 for the Roman Curia last December said frankly that there is a “faith
fatigue” in Europe, meaning a “crises of Faith.” If we find no answer to this and
faith is not renewed, then all other reforms will remain in effective, stressed Cardinal
Toppo.In conclusion, the Indian cardinal spoke of the Eucharist, saying it is “a source
and summit of Christian life” and cannot be celebrated in a superficial way, as is
being done in some places by some priests. We must bring back its dignity and centrality,
so that the power of the Eucharist to transform and build up the faith-life of our
people is felt again more intensely, said Cardinal Toppo.