Bhubaneswar (AsiaNews) - Fr Faustine Lucas Lobo, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in India, told priests, men and women religious and lay people to model their life on that of Christians in Kandhamal (Orissa) and adopt their missionary zeal. He spoke during a series of visits he made among communities affected by anti-Christian pogroms in 2008. "The Church," he said, "exists to evangelise the people."
Fr Lobo delivered his first address at the Utkal Jyothi Regional Pastoral Centre on 7-8 November, in Jharsuguda. On this occasion, he spoke about the dioceses of Rourkela and Sambalpur, where Catholics are growing in number thanks to the work of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD).
At the second rally in St. Vincent's Retreat Centre on 9-10 November, in Goplapur-on-Sea, catechists from parishes of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Balasore and Berhampur joined in.
Happy to be present, they said that attending the meeting gave them increased vigour to dedicate themselves to the mission, especially among children.
In the state of Orissa, vocations for the priesthood and religious life are rising. "No Church exists in the world that is too rich that it cannot receive, or too poor that it cannot give," Fr Lobo said.
"Mission needs support, prayers and economic aid. All together, we must nourish and promote missionary cooperation."