Increasing attacks and harassment on Christian institutions and personnel in India will not prevent the Church from serving the poor and downtrodden, assert the Catholic bishops in the country. “As loyal citizens of India, we will continue serving our country whatever be the cost, walking in the footsteps of Jesus our Master,” says the final statement of the 36th biennial meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI).
More than 170 bishops representing the country’s 174 dioceses attended the January 31-February 7 plenary at Bengaluru’s St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, managed by the conference.
They addressed the theme, “The Church’s Response to the Current Socio-Political Situation of the Country and the Benefits and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI).”
The meeting has asked all dioceses in the country to observe March 22 as a day of prayer and fasting to seek God’s help to foster India’s democracy and social harmony.
The call comes a couple of months ahead of the general election in the country. The term of the current federal government will end in May.
While reviewing the current situation in India, the bishops noted the country’s “tremendous advances in the scientific, technological, economic and other fields” that have helped it emerge as an economic power.