Daughters of St. Paul launch play in India about the Apostle

Mumbai, India, May 31, 2009 / 16:20 pm

The Daughters of St. Paul in India have launched a project using theater to evangelize in the Indian metropolises of Vasai and Mumbai in the west-central state of Maharashtra.

The sisters wrote a dramatic script in the local dialect, Marathi, for a play titled “Parivartan Shaulacha,” meaning “The Conversion of St. Paul.”

According to Fides, the effort was launched in honor of the close of the Pauline Year on June 29.

Various lay Catholics and qualified artists helped the Daughters of St. Paul organize performances of the play, which will continue in Vasai and later be held in Mumbai.

The lead actor, playing Paul, was reported to have performed “with great intensity.”

According to Fides, the project shows the work of Paul and his love for Christ Crucified. The play has been useful in promoting vocations and evangelization. It has also attracted the interest of the youth.

Together with the Pauline religious orders, the Archdiocese of Mumbai has organized various study seminars and prayer encounters. The Year of St. Paul has reportedly been a time of dialogue and mission for the Catholics of India seeking to bring the Gospel to those who do not know about the Christian message.

Other initiatives in India include a new version of the Bible that features the contributions of numerous Indian experts and theologians, Fides says. The Bible, published by the Saint Paul Society, includes commentaries, notes and references to Indian culture to make it more accessible to Indian readers.