Pope Francis reappoints Card Gracias as a member of the Council of Cardinals
As Asia’s representative, the 78-year-old archbishop of Bombay (Mumbai) is one of two members of the first council appointed by the pontiff when it was founded in 2013. Speaking to AsiaNews, he said he was “reappointed for continuity”. He also stressed the importance for today’s Church to see “the bigger Churches help the smaller Churches” around the world.
Mumbai (AsiaNews) – Pope Francis yesterday renewed the Council of Cardinals, which he set up in 2013 to advise him on the most important matters that touch the governance of the Church. Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay (Mumbai), is one of them, representing Asia.
“For continuity, reappointed for continuity,” Card Gracias said speaking to AsiaNews. With Card Sean O' Malley, Archbishop of Boston (United States), he is the only one from the first group.
Two others, Card Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and Card Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), were appointed later but saw their membership renewed.
The new members are Card Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of Vatican City State; Card Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona (Spain), Card Gérald C. Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec City (Canada); Card Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg, and Card Sérgio da Rocha, Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia (Brazil).
Card Gracias, 78, has led the Archdiocese of Bombay since 2006. He is a former chair of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (2010-2019) and is held in high esteem in Asia’s Catholic communities. As a member of the Council, he has brought the voice and style of the Church in India to the Vatican.
“The Church in India is very vibrant. It is a small population,” he said , “about 2.3 per cent of India’s population but vibrant. We have 174 dioceses all over three Churches –Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara.”
“The vibrancy of the Church is seen not only in the attendance at Sunday Mass but also in the involvement and participation of the faithful in different activities of the Church's mission,” he explained.
Its activities range from education” which serves “people without discrimination of faith and caste” with “focus on the rural areas” to “empowering women” and helping “children and people with special needs [. . .]. It is a great joy for us to do this work as disciples of Jesus.”
For Card Gracias one of the important issues for the Church today in the world is intra-diocesan cooperation. At the start of his episcopate, he “was the Archbishop of Agra where the Taj Mahal is [located] – it is a small Archdiocese, which at that time had only about 1,800 Catholics.”
“The population varies, our resources vary, our expertise – the priests trained in specialised matters – varies.” This is why “we started a programme whereby the bigger Churches help the smaller Churches in different ways – finance, personnel, activities, assisting with expertise according to needs.”
“The way we are helping each other, we are one family. I would like the [local] Churches to partner with Churches all over the world,” the cardinal noted.
“I pray for the Church in India [. . .] and all the countries [of the world] that the Holy Spirit be with us. In the season of Lent, let us pray for one another so that it may be a Lent full of grace.”
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