CBCI president inspects parishes, leads inter–religious prayer meeting

Velankanni – Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo, the archbishop of Ranchi recently concluded a weeklong visit to the tsunami–affected regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and interacted with the survivors, urging them to maintain their faith and rebuild their lives newly, leaving the tragedy of December 26 behind them.

On 27 January evening Cardinal Toppo reached Chennai and the following day, he proceeded to Chengulpet and from there to Pondicherry.

On January 29, the archbishop proceeded to Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Velankani, the regions that bore the brunt of the tsunami’s fury. In Velankanni, Archbishop Toppo, who is also the president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), inaugurated the temporary thatched houses put up by the Thanjavur diocese for the villagers and fishermen who lost their homes, prior to participating in an Inter–Religious Prayer Meeting at the world famous Marian shrine.

On January 30 the archbishop visited Thiruvananthapuram and on January 31, he inspected Kottar and Kollachal. On February 1, the archbishop visited Alleppey in Kerala before returning to Ranchi.

Cardinal Toppo, who led the inter–religious prayer meeting in Velankanni, said that calamitous event such as the tsunami is a call and opportunity to come to forward to provide humanitarian assistance to their brothers and sisters in need. “In times of immense distress like the one caused by last month’s tsunami, various religions should come closer together to provide comfort, support and strength,” he said.

Stressing the need for all religions to work together in giving comfort, shelter and all other amenities to the tsunami victims, the archbishop said that this was the time to offer selfless service. “This is the time for converting ourselves to conscientious integrity and for reaching out to those in difficulties and for selfless concern, love and service,” he pointed out.

Underlining that the unity of humanity is the need of the hour, the archbishop said, “We belong to one and the same global human family. There may be all kinds of secondary differences among us. But basically we are one.”

Commenting on the love and charity he found amid tsunami survivors and relief workers, the archbishop found that “the global solidarity abroad and among the survivors of the tragedy irrespective of caste or creed” was remarkable and “in spite of the widespread devastation, love in these people refuses to die.”

However, “this sort of behaviour should happen in normal times too. We are all brothers and sisters [and] shouldn’t have to wait for tragedies. [. . .] There are people always in need of help,” the cardinal added.

Grieving the massive loss of life and property brought about by the tsunami waves, Cardinal Toppo prayed, “We confidently entrust them to the mercy and love of the One supreme Father of us all.”

“We can hardly imagine the variety and intensity of their afflictions. They are indeed victims of an enormous tragedy,” he said. “It is at moments like these that we draw strength and consolation from Christ.”

According to the cardinal, the focus of the church was now on long–term projects. “While [other] aid agencies may provide immediate relief, the Church through its own aid agencies is looking towards some long–term resolution. There is still a lot to do and we must touch people’s heart to ease their pain,” Cardinal Toppo said, adding that Christians must be encouraged to “become channels of peace and love.”
“There is no time to weep,” he said. “We need to be positive in faith despite its rude treatment by an event such as the tsunami.”

Bishop Devadass Ambrose Mariadoss of Thanjavur diocese and a large number of priests and nuns of the diocese and leaders and local people belonging to the Hindu and Muslim religions attended the prayer meeting that included readings from the Bible, the Koran and the Bhagavat Gita.

Bishop Mariadoss who had rushed in with a team of volunteers and priests to the coastal village after the tsunami hit the pilgrim town still continues to oversee the relief and rehabilitation in the area.

According to news reports, the Catholic Church in the country has so far spent Rs 10 crore for the relief and rehabilitation of the tsunami–hit people.

Meanwhile, Gagansingh Bedi, collector of Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore’s district, during a special meeting convened for NGOs and Church people on January 24, commended the Church's speedy and effective handling of rehabilitation programs but cautioned Church groups to avoid actions in tsunami–hit areas that could be misinterpreted as attempts at religious conversion.

Bedi shared with the Church workers present, reports of certain Christian groups that have tried to win converts among tsunami survivors in other parts of the state. Such incidents are isolated, but they would give "a negative impact" and hinder rehabilitation efforts, he said.

Urging the Church groups to avoid actions that would raise doubts about their motives, the collector advised them not to raise permanent structures bearing religious symbols in villages they have adopted for rehabilitation and not to organize public religious functions.

According to news reports, Cardinal Toppo has denied allegations that ulterior motives are part of the Church's rehabilitation work among tsunami victims.

It may be recalled that a 9.0–magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean near the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered off deadly tsunamis that swamped the coastlines of Asia–Pacific region and claimed at least 220,000 lives in 11 countries thus far, including over 16,000 in India, with tens of thousands still missing in India and other hard–hit countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

According to disaster analysts, the tidal waves damaged long stretches of road – 160 km. of national highways and about 520 km. of state roads in India.

The waves that inundated many towns threw back sewage, effluents and garbage that had been dumped in the sea.

Fishermen and their family members registered the highest casualty in India's southeastern coast. The majority of the dead were women and children; more than a third were children alone. Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari have been the worst affected areas in Tamil Nadu. Thousands have lost their houses and an estimated 35,000 boats were lost in Tamil Nadu alone, depriving fishermen of their means to livelihood.

In Velankanni, over 1500 people are feared dead, most of them pilgrims. The famous pilgrim center was reduced to a virtual graveyard when hundreds of pilgrims, villagers and fishermen died after the destructive waves hit the coastal area.