Indian Bishops issue Pastoral Letter on the elections
New Delhi, 18 February 2014: "The Catholic Church strongly hopes that the general
elections give the country leaders who understand the anxieties of the people and
respond to their needs", stated the Indian Bishops in their Pastoral Letter, in view
of the general elections, to be held next May. The document, sent to Fides Agency,
is signed by cardinal Oswald Gracias, the outgoing President of the Episcopal Conference
and was issued at the conclusion of the Assembly of Bishops, held in Kerala last week.
The Letter calls on politicians to "uphold the secular nature of our nation and
promote harmony and a spirit of dialogue and inter-religious understanding". Other
important aspects are, for the bishops, "to take care of minorities and the weaker
sections of society, protecting their rights and to work for their welfare" but also
"to safeguard the rights of the tribals for land, water and forests, and grant equal
rights to Dalit Christians, equal to those provided to Dalits of other religions". The
Bishops hope that the elected "work for an economy that seeks in particular to help
the poor and the marginalized, to protect their dignity by allowing them to participate
in the building of the nation". One of the concerns expressed is to "ensure a totally
safe environment for all persons, especially women and children".
The Bishops
reaffirm that "the Catholic Church does not identify with any political party", and
that "it invites every eligible citizen to exercise his right and duty to vote and
to do so with prudence, caution and judgment". Every vote counts, the Bishops explain,
in a time of "profound transformation of the Indian society", which has seen "a huge
development in the areas of communications, infrastructure, public services, and globalization,
which has influenced every aspect of our lives". In this context, warns the message
, "ethics is losing its primacy as a guiding principle for society" and "God is slowly
pushed towards the periphery". "We invite the faithful to spend time in prayer before
the Blessed Sacrament, in order to be able to discern what is best for the common
good. All of us must pray fervently for good government. With the strength of the
Lord and led by the Spirit we can all work together for a better India", concludes
the Letter. Source: Fides