Rome, Italy, Apr 7, 2009 / 12:38 pm
Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati in India has described the opportunity to write this year's Good Friday Way of the Cross as “an expression of the Holy Father's closeness to the persecuted Christians in India who are victims of attacks simply because of their faith in Christ." The archbishop is taking his reflections from two months of visiting his suffering flock.
“I have spent about two months in personal reflection in carrying out this beautiful task, as I carried out intense evangelization and formation activities in the diocesan territory and beyond,” the archbishop explained in an interview with Fides news agency.
Archbishop Menamparampil related that, “Many times I was in isolated towns, without public facilities or electrical current. Sometimes I wrote down my notes on sheets of paper, during the night. I tried to immerse myself in the person of Jesus and, while I was on my pastoral trips, I was able to perceive first-hand the agony of mankind today, seeing so many people suffer from illnesses, hunger, and misery.”