Latin Church mouthpiece flays Mar Alencherry’s statement

KOCHI:  Criticising Syro-Malabar Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar George Alencherry’s statement that Christians feel secure in India, the official mouthpiece of Kerala Latin Catholic Church ‘Jeevanadam’ said the ground reality was different, and Christians are still being persecuted in the country.

“The statements and actions of some of the Bishops, not only of the Catholic Church but also of other Churches, might be misconstrued and celebrated by some as a change in political leanings of the Christian community in Kerala,” said the editorial published in the April 13 edition of the magazine.

It pointed out that different Christian groups converged in New Delhi on February 20 to protest the atrocities being committed on the community all over the country. 

In an article published next to the editorial, the mouthpiece also tried to enlighten the faithful on the pitfalls of going over to the BJP’s side. “Narendra Modi is a person who wears a mask, and that’s the reason why the Bishops have been told not to cross over to the BJP again and again,” the article said. 

Meanwhile, Sathyadeepam, a weekly published by the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, in its forthcoming edition too criticised Alencherry’s statement. The editorial said, “The statement turned out to be an obvious praise of the Narendra Modi-led government. The Cardinal hails the prime minister as a victorious leader and claims that the BJP is getting more acceptability in the state,” said the editorial.

The publication criticised the Cardinal’s statement that Christian persecution has been a perennial feature in India. The statement oversimplifies the present-day difficulties being faced by Christians in the country, the editorial said and expressed the view that the Cardinal might have forgotten a protest in Delhi recently by different Christian groups against atrocities on Christians.