Q: Are we afraid of mission activities in India and how do you plan it? Is humanism implied in the constitution of India in peril? Why is secularism failing in North India? Aren’t the ordinary people there aware of the anti- minority atrocities?

A:The33rd GeneralBody Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has chosen the theme: “United in Diversity for a Mission of Mercy and Witness.” Jesus will accompany His Church at all times and in all circumstances, the church will remain united in diversity for a mission of mercy and witness. Even though the Church in India has been facing immense challenges to serve and witness, it promotes unity in diversity. We are not living in fear in the mission areas, but the extreme tendency of nationalism needs to be condemned. We have ex- pressed our concern. We have to strengthen ourselves spiritually and become more intensively involved in works of mercy, personal witness and creating better communities by promoting the spirit of dialogue. The constitution of India has to be studied, meditated and also propagated. It is under threat in the particular political scenario of today. Politically motivated nationalistic and fundamentalist groups are attempting to divide the country. That is the thing we fear about the majority religion. The religious card is played taking advantage of people’s ignorance. It appears as though the people no more care about the values for which we have been living for the last 70 years. That kind of ignorance can destroy the secular fabric of this nation. The people are not fully aware of what is actually happening under the spell of a certain ideology. They don’t under- stand that they are being taken for a ride with promises of development and social welfare.

Bp Thomas Thuruthimattam CST

Gorakhpur