Modi visits the Bishops’ Conference for Christmas greetings

For the first time an Indian premier was the guest speaker at an event at the CBCI headquarters in Delhi. He praised Bishop Thazhath’s commitment to the country’s unity, but also voiced the concerns of Christians who are victims of violence by extremist fringes. Modi expressed sorrow for those who ‘cause unrest in society’ and recalled his invitation to Pope Francis to visit India. Best wishes to Card. Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai, who turns 80 today.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke in person at the Christmas celebrations held on 23 December at the headquarters of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in New Delhi. He also interacted with key leaders of the Catholic community, including cardinals, bishops and local lay leaders. This was the first time an Indian prime minister attended an event held at the headquarters of the Catholic Church in India.

The programme began with an opening bhajan performed by renowned musician Stephen Devasi, which created an atmosphere of harmony and devotion. Archbishop of Delhi Msgr. Anil J. T. Couto, Secretary General of the CBCI, gave a warm welcome to the assembly by introducing a delightful Christmas musical welcome by differently abled children that moved the audience. ‘I am very happy for the presence of the Prime Minister,’ said Msgr Couto, ’I am happy that we are celebrating the birth of Jesus together.” The prime minister received a shawl as a gift, according to Indian tradition.

In his speech, Archbishop Andrews – president of the Cbci – reflected on the essence of Christmas as a time to build bridges of understanding and serve those in need.

He said: “Christmas is a time when we come together to celebrate the message of peace, love and goodwill brought by the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. This gathering is a powerful symbol of the unity and harmony that define the spirit of India.” Bishop Thazhath told Modi that his vision of a united India is close to ‘the Gospel values of inclusion and service to all’. But he also voiced the concerns of the Christian community.

“While we rejoice in the message of Christmas, we are aware of the challenges faced by some members of our community in some parts of the country,’ he added. ‘It is with the utmost respect and humility, Honourable Prime Minister, that I bring to your gracious attention the concerns of those who have been targeted by anti-social fringes. These incidents of violence and discrimination not only harm those affected, but also disrupt the harmony and unity that you tirelessly strive to uphold.”

For his part, Modi emphasised that the teachings of Christ celebrate ‘love, harmony and brotherhood. It is important that we all work to make this spirit stronger. It pains my heart,’ he said, ’when there are attempts to spread violence and cause unrest in society. Only a few days ago, we saw what happened at the Christmas market in Germany. It is essential that we unite to fight these challenges,’ he said.

“It was a very satisfying moment for me,’ he recalled, ’when, a decade ago, we brought Fr Alexis Prem Kumar (a kidnapped Indian Jesuit, ed) to safety from war-torn Afghanistan. He had been stuck there for eight months and was a hostage…. For us, all these actions are not just diplomatic missions, but an emotional commitment to bring back family members.”

The prime minister also cited as an occasion for pride the fact that Pope Francis has named George Koovakad among the new cardinals. ‘I congratulate all the members of the Cbci,’ he added, ‘I have always been fortunate to receive affection from you. And I receive the same affection from Pope Francis. I met him during the G7 meeting in Italy, it was my second meeting with him in three years. I invited him to visit India,’ he recalled.

The Archbishop of Mumbai, Card. Oswald Gracias also praised the initiative. ‘The presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at this beautiful event organised by the Cbci shows his concern for minority communities,’ he said. It is precisely today that Gracias turns 80 years old, a circumstance that the prime minister wanted to personally underline with his best wishes.