Aug 24, 2011 / 00:03 am
On the third anniversary of the outbreak of massive anti-Christian violence in Orissa state, a local Catholic archbishop has appealed for “peace and tranquility” and the defense of Christians’ rights.
“We Christians want to live in peace in our land. Despite the suffering and the tragedy of 2008, we harbor no hatred or revenge. We will remember the victims of the past, we will entrust to God the present and the future of Orissa,” Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar told Fides news agency.
“Over the past three years, a lot has happened towards reconstruction and dialogue,” he said in an interview with Aid to the Church in Need. “But there are people who are still afraid. There is some progress towards peace and justice but there is still a lot more to be done.”
He tells the faithful to remember two phrases of Jesus: “do not be afraid” and “love your enemies.”