Goa Cardinal slams ‘unwarranted attacks' during Christmas celebrations

PANAJI: The Archbishop of Goa, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão has expressed “deep anguish” over the “unwarranted attacks on Christians” during the recent Christmas celebrations in several parts of the country, which he said were taking place “with tacit approval of the authorities.”

In a message on New Year’s Eve, the outspoken Cardinal lamented that the authorities were failing at their own “constitutional responsibility and moral accountability and to act decisively” against the perpetrators.

“Such incidents vitiate the moral fabric of our nation, which has traditionally been peace-loving and encouraging of its diverse cultures, religions and traditions. Apart from causing pain to our Christian communities, these occurrences are in blatant disregard for the sacred values India has always stood for,” Cardinal Ferrão, one of six Catholic Cardinals in India, said in his customary message on the occasion of the New Year, circulated among churches and the public at large.

The Archbishop said he felt “deep anguish at the growing sense of insecurity being created, in recent times, among minority communities” on account of “the unwarranted attacks on Christians during the recent Christmas celebrations in several parts of our country.”

“It is indeed a cause for grave concern that, even though the Constitution of India mandates free and fair expression of the practice of one’s religion, some communities are persecuted for celebrating their most cherished and important festivals, often with the tacit approval of the authorities,” he said, adding that it was incumbent on the authorities “to own their constitutional responsibility and moral accountability and to act decisively, and impartially, bringing the perpetrators to justice, thereby restoring the confidence of all citizens in the democratic values enshrined in the Constitution of our great Nation.”

“We also urge the overwhelming majority of our fellow countrymen -- who continue to stand for harmony, justice and mutual respect -- to join hands to counter the divisive forces and uphold the unity of our nation,” he also said.

The Archbishop, who was elevated to Cardinal in August 2022, has in the past also spoken out against attacks on Christians, the regression of constitutional values and what he said was the rise of divisive forces.

In 2022, in a letter sent to all parishes, the Archbishop said “divisive forces are slowly creeping up to divide our people on religious grounds” and called on people to come together to “actively and prudently keep away from this evil so that all religions live in dignity and harmony.”

In 2018, Cardinal Ferrao, who was then an Archbishop, underlined that human rights were under attack and democracy was in danger in view of “a new trend emerging in our country, which demands uniformity in what and how we eat, dress, live and even worship”.