BOMBAY, India, OCT. 19, 2007 (Zenit.org).- A promoter of interreligious dialogue is one of those who will be elevated to the status of cardinal in the next consistory, an appointment which Archbishop Oswald Gracias said absolutely surprised him.
Archbishop Gracias of Bombay is one of the 23 men who will be made cardinal Nov. 24, Benedict XVI announced Wednesday.
Archbishop Gracias called the appointment a chance to "better fulfill the divine service but also an honor, serving the universal Church, and assisting the Holy Father," AsiaNews reported. "This appointment came unexpectedly and now I feel very humbled by the choice the Holy Father made. I hope I can bring faith from the periphery to the center of everyone's life."
The 62-year-old prelate is known as a promoter of interreligious dialogue and religious freedom.
"Only this type of dialogue can eliminate potential causes of tensions and disagreements between the religious and ethnic groups that make up India," the archbishop said. "Dialogue is vital and fundamental. As Catholics, we must celebrate the richness of the Word of God incarnate in our life, families and communities. This will help everyone."
"Evangelical values must permeate our lives," he added. "In a world increasingly shaped by the imperatives of globalization, it is necessary to engage in a profound dialogue, but one that is not impoverished by syncretism. Mutual respect must develop in light of one's own charisma."
Archbishop Gracias was a leader in launching the "Save the Farmers, Save India" program last spring in response to the rising suicide rate among Indian farmers, increasing burdened by debt.
The prelate is chairman of India's Episcopal Commission for Social Communications. "Today the media revolution is profoundly influencing language and social relations," he said. "The Church cannot ignore this fact; for this reason, Catholic media have a prophetic role, speaking out against the false gods of materialism, hedonism, consumerism and narrow nationalism."
Oswald Gracias was born in Bombay on Christmas Eve, 1944. He was ordained a priest in 1970 and a bishop in 1997. Last December, he succeeded Cardinal Ivan Dias at the helm of the Archdiocese of Bombay.
ZE07101904 - 2007-10-19
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-20786?l=english
Indian Prelate Eager to Serve as Cardinal
A Known Promoter of Interreligious Dialogue
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