Bhubaneswar Archbishop calls for unity for societal and spiritual progress

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 17, 2004 – While inaugurating a one–day workshop in Orissa, Archbishop Raphael Cheenath of Bhubaneswar has called for unity and solidarity for social and spiritual progress.

“The need of the hour is to dialogue with each other, complementing each other’s strength for strength and supplementing strength for weakness to achieve Sarvodaya (development of all) and Antyodaya (salvation to all),” the Archbishop declared in his inaugural address.

The theme of the workshop was “Church’s Response to Justice, Peace and Development.”

Urging the thirty participants from the five dioceses of Orissa to emulate the example of Mother Teresa, the Archbishop said, “I do this for the love of Christ, and because of Christ, I love my brothers and sisters.”

Emphasizing on the very mission of the church for the poor, Archbishop Cheenath said, “Church, which has a mission to the poor and downtrodden, has a duty to come to the aid of the poor dalits and tribals and fight along with them the enslaving social evils.”

The executive secretary of the CBCI Commission for Justice, Peace and Development, Father Nitiya, in his welcoming address called on the participants to heed the cry of the poor for peace and justice in the world. He said that India is facing extreme poverty and massive illiteracy and called upon the Christians to respond to the grave situation.

Quoting the words of president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Fr. Richard Vas, the director of the regional forum for development said, “When the political leaders of a nation empower the people through visionary policies, the prosperity of a nation is assured. When religions are empowered to become a spiritual force, peace and happiness blossoms in the society.” He alerted the members to focus their attention on the violations of right to livelihood, human rights and constitutional rights of the dalits and the indigenous people of Orissa. He also explained how the major industrial projects bring destruction by displacing the tribals from their natural habitations and homes and offering them arid and uninhabitable lands.

The workshop concluded by giving a clarion call to all the NGOs and Human Rights activists to come together and fight against the injustice in the state.