CBCI releases book on social teaching of John Paul II

A book containing the social teaching of John Paul II was released yesterday at Teen Murti Bhawan by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Papal Envoy at the silver jubilee celebrations of John Paul II's first pastoral visit to India.

The book was released during a symposium on the "Teachings of Pope John Paul II" organised by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI).

Cardinal O'Connor presented copies of the book to Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, and the panellists of the symposium.

The book is published by the CBCI Office for Justice, Peace and Development (JPD) and is authored by its Executive Secretary Fr. Charles Irudayam.

JPD Office member Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur, while presenting the book, highlighted the contribution of John Paul II to Catholic social teaching. He described the book as a valuable tool for understanding John Paul II's social teaching.

Fr. S. Arockiasamy, Professor of Moral Theology, Vidyajyoti, New Delhi, called the book a practical guide beneficial to church leaders and students of theology.

He said the book is a source of inspiration to an authentic living out of the social content of the gospel in the local churches as embodied in the life of John Paul II.