Tamil Nadu Catholics pledge organs this Lent

March 11, 2013 - The Catholic Church in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state is urging the faithful during this Lent to donate blood and register themselves as organ donors. Every Friday and Sunday of the 40-day Lenten period, parishes, including the Madras-Mylapore archdiocese, have been urging the laity to take the initiative. "The Tamil Nadu Bishops' Conference had circulated a pastoral letter in 2007 highlighting organ donation. It says that body donation for medical research is in continuation of the total donation of self by Jesus," says Jesuit Priest Fr. Jerry Rosario of the Dhyana Ashram. Fr. Rosario himself has set an example, pledging his organs and has conducted more than 500 blood donation camps across the city. The priest said that the pledge has gained momentum this year because the organs of Fr Manthara of the Coimbatore diocese, who had pledged his organs in 2009, were donated after his death last December 28. Fr. Jerry said he was Tamil Nadu’s first the first Catholic priest to donate his body. He said that circulars have been issued across parishes focusing on organ donation this year.