Parrikar says Christianity sweetens Indian society

He also lauded the Christian peace efforts and said such moves are based on the Christian teaching to love the neighbor.

New Delhi (UCAN): 

Christianity is a sweetener like sugar in the Indian society and the nation appreciates the Christian efforts for peace and development in the country, defense minister and BJP leader Manohar Parrikar has said.

He said the sugary words on Friday while addressing a gathering of some 2,000 people, largely Christians, gathered to felicitate Bishop Jacob Barnabas, who was installed as the first bishop of the Syro-Malankara diocese of Gurgaon, based in Delhi.

"You are like sugar in society. It adds sweetness," said Parrikar, the former chief minster and native of Goa, where Christians are socially and politically powerful.

He also lauded the Christian peace efforts and said such moves are based on the Christian teaching to love the neighbor.

In presence of Parrikar, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis asserted the evangelization mission of the Church and said Christians will continue to attract people to their religion.

“We will continue our work. What is our work? It is to spread the joy of the Gospel without offending anyone. There is no compromise on that,” said Cardinal Cleemis, head of the Malankara Church and president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India.

He said that Christian evangelization is to attract people to Christ without offending anyone. That work will be done respecting the constitution of India and without supporting forcible conversions.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha P. J. Kurian were among others to address the gathering along with Apostolic nuncio Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio.

Kejriwal said the mission of his Aam Admi political party is to "spiritualize" politics and requested the prayers of all Christians saying be believes in the power of prayer.

He expressed concern over the attacks of churches in Delhi and said he believes the criminals will be brought to book and punished soon.

Speaking in Hindi he said he trusts in the power of God in solving problems. He and his party have been through seemingly irresolvable issues. Each time, God shows the way out, he said.

Kejriwal described Indian constitution as a spiritual book and said its preamble stresses the equality of all human beings. That is what the sacred books of every religion holds, he said.

He said his party would work for establishing the equality of all Indians and all parties should respect and uphold the values of the constitution.

The diocese of Delhi-Gurgaon covers 22 states in northern and eastern part of India. It along with the newly erected Pune diocese covers the entire area of India outside Kerala, it base.

The establishment of this diocese the Syro Malankara Church has "achieved" a long cherished dream, Archbishop Pennachio said.

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