‘Apostle of the margins': Indian cardinals, bishops bid farewell to Pope Francis
Cardinal Anthony Poola, the first Dalit man to be elevated to the role of Cardinal, on Monday termed Pope Francis, who died earlier in the day, the 'apostle of the margins'.
Speaking to The Indian Express, the cardinal, who is one of four Indians set to take part in the process to elect the next Pope, paid tribute to the pontiff who had elevated him to the position of cardinal in 2022. 'To the prophet of mercy, the apostle of the margins, we bid goodbye for now, with the hope of resurrection,' Cardinal Poola said.
Along with Cardinal Poola, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad, the three others who will take part in the election process are Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, the Archbishop of Goa and Daman; Cardinal Cleemis Baselios, the Major Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram; and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, the Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church.
The death of the Pope sets in motion the Interregnum – the intervening period between two papacies. There will be a period of Sede Vacante, meaning 'the seat is vacant', until a new Pope is elected from among the 253 cardinals. As many as 138 cardinals will be able to serve as electors in the next conclave. Cardinal over the age of 80 cannot take part in the election.
Cardinal Poola said, 'With humble gratitude I remember the singular honour and immense responsibility he bestowed on me by naming me a cardinal during his pontificate… We will remember Pope Francis as the Pope who dared to dream 'a Church that is poor and for the poor'… With courage, he opened the doors that had long been shut. He reminded us that the Church is not a fortress but a field hospital.'
Cardinal Ferrao also released a condolence message, saying, 'His (Pope Francis's) unwavering commitment to the Church and his dynamic endeavours in promoting peace, inter-religious dialogue, social justice and care for creation will be long remembered and cherished… His vision to transform the Church into a synodal community, one that listens, discerns, journeys together and embraces inclusivity, has left an indelible mark on the Church at all levels.'
In a circular, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), whose president is Cardinal Ferrao, said, 'Pope Francis held a special love for India and longed to visit our land. He consistently reminded us of our duty to care for the poor and to build a synodal Church. In his recent message to the lndian Bishops gathered at the 36th CCBI Plenary Assembly in Bhubaneswar in January 2025, the Holy Father urged them to prioritise the poor and the vulnerable in their ministry, calling upon them to open wide the doors of the Church.'
It also said, 'Pope Francis canonised five lndian saints – St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara and St. Euphrasia Eluvathingal on 23rd November 2014, St. Joseph Vaz on 14th January 2015, St. Mariam Thresia Chiramel on 13th October 2019 and St. Devasahayam Pillai on 15th May 2022.'
Cardinal Ferrao further called upon all dioceses, parishes, religious communities and families to observe nine days of mourning and to offer special prayers. 'As a visible sign of our grief, church bells should be tolled to signify our sorrow and announce the passing away of our Supreme Pontiff,' he said in the CCBI circular.
Archbishop of Bengaluru Peter Machado, one of the top Catholic leaders in the country who has been at the forefront of several socially challenging causes, said, 'In his humility, he chose not to reside in the traditional Apostolic Palace but in the modest Vatican guest house – a choice that echoed the Gospel call to simplicity and solidarity.'
The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) also issued a statement, saying, 'The Church in India joins millions of faithful across the world in mourning the loss of a shepherd who led the global Catholic Church with extraordinary courage, compassion and humility.'
It said that he 'urged the global community to take concrete actions against climate change and environmental degradation, uniting people of all faiths and ideologies in the care for creation'.
CBCI will also observe nine days of mourning and prayer for the Pope across all Catholic churches in the country, the statement said. A Holy Mass or communion will also be offered at all Catholic churches in the country on April 22, the CBCI said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
an hour ago
- Scroll.in
Assam plans to give district commissioners power to approve Aadhaar applications
The Assam government is planning a policy to issue Aadhaar cards to adults only through the district commissioners, said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday. 'This will ensure that no illegal immigrant can get an Aadhaar made and we can track and push them back easily,' Sarma told reporters following a Cabinet meeting. The proposal is being discussed and a decision would be taken at a Cabinet meeting in the future, The Indian Express quoted him as saying. The chief minister said that Assam was 'pushing back' 15 to 30 persons to Bangladesh every day, but added that the police had not been able to detain all allegedly undocumented migrants. He stated that since Aadhaar had been in use in the state for many years, most adults already had one, and only children now needed to apply. Therefore, the proposal to have Aadhaar applications verified by the district commissioner would apply only to adults. This would ensure that 'fresh people coming from Bangladesh will not be able to take them', he said. Sarma said that earlier, the unique identification document was issued through Aadhaar centres or sub-divisional commissioner offices. If the proposed policy is implemented, no one will be able to obtain Aadhaar without the approval of the district commissioner. The chief minister also said that the process of registering births late would also be made stricter. 'Even to be included in voter lists this time, gradually, birth certificates will be required,' he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. 'That's why we want to make the issuing of birth certificates also tighter… Even cases of availing backdated birth certificates will also go to DCs [district commissioners].' The Assam government has repeatedly raised concerns about 'suspected foreigners' acquiring Aadhaar cards. In September, Sarma claimed that the number of Aadhaar cards issued had exceeded the projected population in at least four districts: Barpeta (103.7%), Dhubri (103.4%), Morigaon (101.7%) and Nagaon (100.6%), The Telegraph reported. The Assam government has been forcing people over the border into Bangladesh since May. Many of those 'pushed' into the country claim they are Indian citizens. On June 9, Sarma said that more than 330 persons who were declared to be foreigners by the state's Foreigners Tribunals have been 'pushed' back into Bangladesh. An additional 20 persons were deported on Thursday night, the chief minister said. The Foreigners Tribunals in the state are quasi-judicial bodies that adjudicate on matters of citizenship. They have been accused of arbitrariness and bias, and declaring people foreigners on the basis of minor spelling mistakes, a lack of documents or lapses in memory. On May 20, Sarma said that the state was 'duty-bound to protect the interests' of Assam and ' expel all illegal immigrants from the state through any means and as per directions of [the] Supreme Court'. The chief minister was referring to the court's February 4 ruling that the state must deport persons who had been declared foreign nationals.
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Congress won't allow rewriting of Constitution: CM Siddaramaiah
BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday hit out at RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale for pitching for the removal of the terms 'socialist' and 'secular' from the Preamble of the Constitution. 'This is not a casual remark. It is part of a long-standing agenda to reshape India's democracy in their ideological image,' Siddaramaiah said, adding that the statement has come from a leader of the RSS, which is like the high command for the BJP. 'I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express his views in this regard to the nation,' Siddaramaiah added. The CM said that when the Constitution was formed, the words 'socialist' and 'secular' were not there in the Preamble. But then, RSS started targeting on secularism and socialism, and the then PM Indira Gandhi had to amend and included these two words, which has been accepted by people,' he said. The CM alleged that RSS refused to accept the Constitution when it was adopted. 'Then RSS chief MS Golwalkar praised the Manusmriti as a more authentic guide for India's culture and rejected democracy and equality as Western imports. This is the organisation now claiming to protect Indian values,' Siddaramaiah added. He said before asking others to apologise for history, RSS must first explain why it rejected the very Constitution that protects the rights of all Indians today.
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Karnataka government forcibly acquiring forest land, says Chalavadi
BENGALURU: As the State Government initiates action to reclaim encroached forest land, a fierce political row has erupted, with Leader of Opposition in the Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, alleging that authorities are forcibly attempting to reacquire land valued at nearly Rs 7,000 crore — land he claims belongs to Dalit families. Addressing the media at Vidhana Soudha, Narayanaswamy accused the government of betraying Dalits by targeting their homes and livelihoods under the pretext of forest land reclamation. The land in question-around 711 acres in Kadugodi 200 village, Bidarahalli Hobli, Mahadevapura constituency-was reportedly 'sanctioned' to local farmers in the 1950s and subsequently distributed among Dalits and marginalised farmers through cooperative societies. Though it was originally classified as forest land, Narayanaswamy insisted it had later been converted to revenue land. However, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre strongly rebutted these claims. Speaking to TNIE, he said, 'Once a land is notified as forest land, it remains forest forever. It cannot be granted, sold, or used for non-forest activities without approval from the Government of India or the Supreme Court. Any responsible person should understand this simple fact.' Narayanaswamy alleged that the reclassification of the land as forest property was abrupt and strategically timed to facilitate its takeover. 'How can land already allotted to KSSIDC, Metro Rail, Railways, and even temples now suddenly be termed forest land?' he asked. Despite a court order upholding status quo and staying demolition, reports have emerged of homes and structures being razed. Narayanaswamy claimed over 2,000 houses and more than 5,000 residents-mostly Dalits-are affected. He accused the police of using force to evict residents in defiance of legal protection. 'This is nothing short of hooliganism,' he said. Demanding transparency, Narayanaswamy called for a white paper on all land allotments and transactions since 1950 and warned of statewide agitation if the government continues what he termed a 'coercive and unlawful' land grab. 'Investigate the matter and publish the white paper,' he urged.
