Andhra Catholic bishops condemn Swamij’s TV speech on Mother Teresa

 

Church Citizens' Voice just received a press release signed by  Archbishop Thumma Bala of Hyderabad condemning the derogatory and false allegations by Swami Paripoornanda Saraswathi, the head of Sreepeetham at Kakinada in A.P., against Saint Mother Teresa. Please read below the received text. Editor ccv.

 

Mother teresa, Mohan Bhagwat, RSS Mother teresa

Archbishop's House

I l, S. P. Road Secunderabad – 500 003 (T.S.)

 Date: 06th October, 2017

                                                                                     

PRESS RELEASE

 

                  The Archbishop of Hyderabad, Most Rev. Thumma Bala, President of Telugu Catholic Bishops Council (TCBC) and also the Co-President of Federation of Telugu Churches (FTC), condemns the derogatory and false allegations made by Swami Paripoornanda Saraswathi, the head of Sreepeetham at Kakinada in A.P., against Saint Mother Teresa in a programme telecast in a Regional News Channel on 22nd September, 2017.

       Speaking at the programme, the Swamiji commented that Mother Teresa has illegally trafficked 50,000 women to work as nuns after converting them to Christianity. He also commented that Mother Teresa did not deserve the country's highest honour 'Bharat Ratna', which was awarded to her in 1980 by the Government of India. Is it not an insult to the Nation and President of lndia, who has recognised her services to the poor and needy destitutes, terminally ill, lepers, abandoned old and suffering people and conferred the honour on her?

        Saint Mother Teresa's services were acknowledged world over and she had been already awarded Nobel Prize in 1979. At present there are 5,161 MotherTeresa's Sisters in 750 Houses working in 139 countries. The comments made by Paripoornananda Swamiji were uncalled for, as the subject of discussion was something else. There was no need for Swamiji to bring the names of Pope and Mother Teresa. Undoubtedly the derogatory remarks and accusations on Mother Teresa by Paripoornananda Swamiji have not only deeply wounded the hearts and sentiments of Roman Catholic Church and Christian Community but also of people of all Regions and Religions, who revere her as Saint and Mother of the Poor and Suffering.

             The purpose of this Press Release is not to hurt anyone's feelings but to condemn and stall the attempts of Paripoornananda Swamiji and other like-minded people who try to bring rift and division in the secular society in the name of religion. Following the footsteps of Jesus Christ, we hold Paripoornananda Swamiji forgiven in this regard. While doing so we wish to remind Paripoornananda Swamiji and the religious leaders of all Faiths that the primary duty of any Religious Leader is to foster Peace and Communal harmony in our pluralistic Country and safeguard secularism and religious freedom guaranteed by our Constitution.

            The Archbishop of Hyderabad, Most Rev. Thumma Bala, President of Telugu Catholic Bishops Council (TCBC) and also the Co-President of Federation of Telugu Churches (FTC), appeals to the State Governments of Andhra pradesh and Telangana to take necessary steps and assure that such incidents are not repeated in future.

 

 + Most Rev. Thumma Bala

    Archbishop of Hyderabad, President – TCBC & Co-President FTC

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1 Response

  1. Isaac Gomes says:

    The Andhra Pradesh Church, like the Indian Church, has woken up late.

    As per reports published (reproduced below) in THE HANS INDIA, Andhra Pradesh, on 29th September 2017, the Laity Leadership of Andhra Pradesh has already reacted to Paripoornananda Swamy's outburst against Mother Teresa.

    QUOTE

    Visakhapatnam: Christian organisations in the State strongly condemned the remarks made by Paripoornananda Swamy against Mother Teresa in an interview with a Telugu channel.

    In a statement here on Thursday, State Christian Leaders Forum president Oliver Rayi said that he would seek President of India’s intervention in this regard if necessary.

    Highlights:

    • Christian Leaders Forum president Oliver Rayi says he will seek President of India’s intervention and sought immediate apology from him 
    • Says the remarks will create unrest among the communities and fuel hatred

    He said Christians all over the state have expressed their displeasure with the Swamy’s remarks and sought an immediate apology from him.

    Rayi said such remarks showed the country in bad light in the global humanitarian aid sector hurting the sentiments of Christians and aid workers. The remarks would create unrest among the communities and fuel hatred.  

    He said the Swamy in an agitated mood asked why Mother Teresa chose India and no other poor Christian countries. He should himself answer why he was going to Western countries spreading Hinduism when he failed to strengthen it here in India itself.

    He said the Christian community stressed that if not for Mother Theresa, the untouchables would have remained untouchable even today.

    The Swamy also maligned the Mother by claiming he had evidence of 50,000 women trafficked illegally to various countries. Rayi challenged why not even one person came forward to file a complaint or given a statement. Rayi said that the seer made a fool of himself by asking why the Mother was conferred with Bharat Ratna. 

    He should have raised his voice at the time of conferment.  Rayi said every legal angle is being pursued and if Swamy did not apologise within a week.

    UNQUOTE

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