Catholic hospital to the aid of Kumbh Mela victims

Card. Oswald Gracias, archbishop emeritus of Mumbai, tells AsiaNews of the bishops' closeness to the victims of the crush during the great Hindu pilgrimage: ’Simple people died, who were seeking God's message. We pray for them. Let us work for our country and our people to ensure that there are no tears in the eyes of any Indian’.

Bhubaneswar (AsiaNews) - ‘Our Catholic Nazareth Hospital in Prayagraj was also mobilised to provide assistance in the emergency of the Kumbh Mela pilgrims. Our Catholic schools and institutions are open to offer them assistance'. From Bhubaneswar - where the Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CBCI) is underway - Card. Oswal Gracias, Archbishop Emeritus of Mumbai, thus recounts the Indian Church's participation in the grief for the tragedy that occurred at the great Hindu pilgrimage that gathers millions of people. As the hours passed, the death toll in the stampede rose to at least 30 people.

‘I can sincerely say from my heart that it was a tragic accident,’ Gracias continued. ’Simple people died, people who wanted to seek God, who sought God's message. Now it is not a question of looking for the guilty parties. I can only imagine the suffering of the families, the trauma and anxiety they must endure as they search for their loved ones. During Mass this morning, we prayed for the souls of those who lost their lives at the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj. Special prayers were also recited for their families. For me it is also a personal suffering: I have been there, I know the place, I imagine what happened. We can only pray for those affected and hope that the government will take appropriate measures and transport systems to prevent something similar from happening again. I am sure it will do so'.

Just today - 30 January - India celebrates Martyrs' Day to remember Mahatma Gandhi, father of the nation. ‘This morning we too all went to the statue of Gandhi, including the nuncio and Cardinal President Filipe Neri Ferrao, and honoured it with a wreath,’ Cardinal Gracias continued. Gracias -. We think of all the martyrs and the souls of all those who have died in the service of our country. Today we emphasise the value of freedom, patriotism and the nation's great appreciation for those who have fought for its independence. Our responsibility is to work for our country and our people and to ensure that there are no tears in the eyes of any Indian. In this the Church wants to help as much as possible.’

‘In this Jubilee year,’ concluded the cardinal, whose resignation as head of the archdiocese of Mumbai was accepted by Pope Francis a few days ago, ’we have a lot of hope. There are always challenges, but we are confident that God is with us. The Indian people are resilient. They are strong, selfless and have deep spiritual values that urge us to work selflessly for others, for our country and especially for the weakest. The Indian mind, heart and soul are very open to helping others. That is why I believe that India is a great country and has a great future and that we will make great progress. I pray for our leaders to have wisdom and discernment to lead our nation.