Agenzia Fides

Palai (Agenzia Fides) - Bringing the gospel in culture, society, witnessing Christ in the Indian nation: this will be the theme discussed during the Missionary Congress of the Diocese of Palai (in the state of Kerala in southern India) which, as reported to Fides, opens on April 30. Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, and President of the Episcopal Conference of India will inaugurate the Congress with the participation of over 10 thousand faithful among priests, religious and laity. As stated by His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Kallarangatt, Bishop of Palai, "it will be a memorable event for our Eparchy in the Year of Mission", a time in which the local church questioned herself about her missionary vocation, on the modalities and the paths of evangelization in today’s India.
The Indian context is marked by cultural and religious pluralism, caste and poverty. Each of these realities poses challenges to the existence and mission of the Indian Church. In the context of religious pluralism, fanaticism and religious fundamentalism, extremism and exclusivity, scatter the seeds of conflict that present a challenge to all religions, and especially the Indian Church. The Eparchy of Palai (diocese of the Syro-Malabar rite) is in central Kerala and has about 330 thousand faithful, served by about 280 priests. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 28/4/2012)