Cardinals Cleemis, Alencherry and Card. Gracias present. Modi and his government in favor of a visit by Pope Francis. Immediate and necessary actions for the release of Fr. Tom Uzhunallil.
Delhi (AsiaNews) - The three Indian cardinals who head the Episcopal Conference, today met the Prime Minister in his office in parliament: Card. Baselios Cleemis, president of the Indian bishop’s Conference, Card. George Alencherry, major archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, Card. Oswald Gracias president of the Conference of Latin Bishops.
The cardinals asked the Prime Minister to take urgent measures for the release of Fr. Tom Uzhunallil, kidnapped in March last year in Yemen. About a month ago a video was circulated showing the Salesian priest, visibly suffering, ask for greater attention to his fate.
Modi has assured that his government is taking immediate and necessary action. He also informed the three cardinals that his government is in favor of Pope Francis's visit to India. For their part, the three cardinals have assured the prime minister that the Catholic Church, and Christians will continue to support the country's growth.
In recent months, the Indian bishops had expressed the wish that Pope Francis would come to India to canonize Mother Teresa of Calcutta. But some Hindu nationalist fringes, close to the party of Prime Minister Modi had opposed the Pope and the canonization of the saint.