Feb 23, 2009 / 14:52 pm
The 120 Latin-rite members of the Bishops’ Conference of India concluded their plenary assembly on February 18 with a categorical rejection of a case taken up by the Supreme Court of Delhi that would allow for euthanasia of the terminally ill.
The Church “firmly and consistently opposes” the taking of human life at any stage, the bishops said. The bishops’ spokesman, Father Joseph Babu, explained, “The government must guarantee the people the right to a serene life and not allow any kind of death.”
According to L’Osservatore Romano, the bishops also addressed the issue of evangelizing the laity through the reading and study of the Bible under the guidance of priests. They also condemned the actions of groups that seek to impose a literal interpretation of the Bible on the people India.
The bishops re-elected Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai, as president of the Conference, while Archbishop Vincent Michael Concessao of Delhi was re-elected vice president. Bishop Prakash Mallavarapu of Vijayawada was elected secretary general.