Anti-Christian violence will not make the Church renounce dialogue, says Nuncio to India

Rome, Italy, Aug 27, 2008 / 08:32 am

The Apostolic Nuncio to India, Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, said this week that, “Fundamentalist violence and hatred will not make the Church renounce dialogue, since there is no lack of enthusiasm among us for manifesting the love of God everywhere, especially for the poor.”

The archbishop made his comments to the SIR news agency in response to the recent murder of a young priest in the region of Andrea Paresh and the violence by Hindu extremists against Catholics and Christian and Catholic institutions. 

“In Orissa, the violence has gotten worse since last December.  At the end of January we had begun reconstruction of what was destroyed by the violence of radical Hindus. Now we will do the same without fear. The wounded and the suffering of the victims will lead us to continue on in our service to them,” the archbishop explained.

Archbishop Quinana said those responsible for the violence “are minority groups. The reality in India is not that of the violence of these days.  There is a coexistence and a dialogue among communities that is made manifest in daily life.  I am convinced that, like in the past, the Hindu representatives and those of other confessions present in India will be the ones to contribute to the reconstruction of what was destroyed,” he said.

“Dialogue is the spirit of India. It may seem absurd but it is from these serious acts that the balm of knowledge, respect and common efforts can come forth,” the nuncio said.