Card. Toppo: A second conclave for India’s first tribal cardinal (profile)
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Card. Telesphore Placidus Toppo, the first cardinal from tribal India, is one of the 49 voters on their second Conclave. Created cardinal by John Paul II in 2003, he belongs to the Oraon ethnic group, an aboriginal tribe originating in central and eastern India. Since 1985, he has been Archbishop of Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, which has 135,744 Catholics.
In his pastoral work as Archbishop, he underlines his commitment to the social advancement of tribal through educational projects and the rehabilitation of lepers; helping addicts.
From 2004 to 2008 he was president of the Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI). In those years in which he often placed emphasis on conversions to Christianity, one of the pretexts used by Hindu nationalists to persecute and attack Christians in India.
He deems the Pope's address at the University of Regensburg in 2006, which triggered strong reactions for references to Islam made by Pope as fundamental, in his personal experience. The cardinal intervened in the Indian Muslim's protests, which took place, defining them as "out of place", but also "indicative, because they reflect exactly what the Pope wanted to emphasize: that only reason and understanding that come from faith can lead to mutual respect and peace."
In his message for the 64th Republic Day (January 26), in the middle Year of Faith, Card. Toppo recalled the importance of the Church for the future of India. "The Church - he said - is a sign and sacrament of salvation. India can become a model for the world, if we live lives consistent in the faith. This means a deep consistency between knowing the Catholic teaching with our minds, really believing in our hearts, practicing it in our lives, proclaiming it with our family and our friends. This is our faith, and each of us has a responsibility to honor it. It is through consistent lives in faith that we share the responsibility to transform the world inside and outside of us. "
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