Bishops welcome India sending delegation for canonization

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Nov 20, 2014: The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) has welcomed government’s decision to send an official delegation to the Vatican for the canonization of two Indians next Sunday, November 30.

 

The government decision comes as a response to the request made by Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, president of the bishops’ conference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CBCI said in a note on November 17, Monday.

The Church official wanted an official Govt. of India delegation for the canonization of Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Blessed Euphrasia Eluvathinkal, two holy people lived in Kerala in the last century.

"The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India appreciates this kind gesture from the part of the government and thanks the Prime Minister for taking this initiative," the note said.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, an Orthodox Christian from Kerala, is leading the delegation, the bishops’ noted. The other two in the delegation are TDP parliamentarian P Raveendra Babu and parliamentarian Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland Peoples Front.

Babu is a Hindu and Neiphiu, a three-time Nagaland Chief Minister, is a Protestant Christian.

Some sections of the media said the bishops were unhappy that no catholic is included in the delegation. But bishops’ spokesperson Father Joseph Chinnayyan denied such reports.

"The religion of the delegation members does not worry the bishops. It is government’s freedom to chose the delegation members," he stated. The bishops are happy that the government responded positively to the request, he said.