Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Christians
and Hindus "must deepen their mutual respect and
friendship, not by ignoring the essential differences that exist between the
two religious traditions, but rather by understanding, acknowledging, and
accepting them, and thus mutually respecting them. The Catholic Church never imposes the faith on others, and has always been at the service of the poor and marginalized. May our relationship always improve, for the common good", says Mgsr. Felix Machado, President
of the Office for Inter-religious
Dialogue and Ecumenism of the
Catholic Bishops' Conference of India,
commenting to AsiaNews on the message
sent yesterday to the Hindu world by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue.
According to the prelate, who also heads the office for dialogue within
the Federation of Asian Bishops'
Conferences, India "is a multi-religious
and pluralistic society, where
the spirit of inclusion has always been
promoted by Catholics. The Church encourages dialogue and cooperation with other faiths, for the common good. We
must face the many challenges that
arise together, because together
we can prosper. "
The message of
Diwali, says Msgr. Machado, "reflects the thinking of Pope Francis: the globalization
of indifference creates a culture of exclusion in which the poor, the vulnerable
and the marginalized see their rights trampled upon. Whilst
opportunities and resources are allocated to others. Anyone
who lives on the margins is used
and discarded as if an object. And that woundseveryone.
"
On the contrary, "the Indian
Catholic Church has always worked for
the poor and the marginalized. For
Dalits and tribals, women and girls in remote areas of the country, for the
unhappy, regardless of religious
identity, committed to defeating this globalization
of indifference. We are engaged in interfaith and non-discriminatory dialogue,
and will continue to cooperate with the state and with society for the common good. Dialogue between Hindus
and Christians can become a model for other religions".