by Nirmala Carvalho

The new auxiliary bishop speaks to AsiaNews about the pastoral challenges that await him. The problem of "extremist forces, a threat not only for Christians, but for the union, integrity and secularism of the entire nation".

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - "The Gospel must be preached in all its forms, this New Evangelisation is my priority, I will push them for evangelisation. The rekindling of faith in persons and cultures and the pastoral care of the people." These are the words of Msgr. Theodore Mascarenhas, the newly-appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Ranchi (Jharkhand), who speaks to AsiaNews about his goals as pastor of a tribal majority diocese. Appointed bishop last July, he was consecrated on August 30, in a solemn mass attended by nearly 20 thousand faithful.

"Missionary work - says Msgr. Mascarenhas - has become a challenge rather difficult nowadays. Sometimes I realize that the enthusiasm shown by the diocesan priests is not the same as that of foreign missionaries. Instead we need to revive that enthusiasm of those who have left their countries to serve other people. We need to learn from their dedication".

As auxiliary bishop, the bishop hopes to be "to be what Pope Francis asks us to be: a pastor who feels the smell of the sheep, who has the sheep close to him,-to follow in the Pope's pastoral footsteps".

India, Mgr. Mascarenhas, "has a great need for evangelization," especially to counter "a rising extremist forces of all sorts that impede the evangelization efforts  India is a very tolerant country, but this "small slice" is growing and "posing a threat not only to the Christians, but to the unity, integrity, and secularism of India".

 

• india
• Msgr.
• Mascarenhas
• Ranchi
• tribals
• New
• Evangelization
• Gospel