Report: Adolf Washington
Bengaluru, Mar 5: 'Where is Fr Tom? - India wants to know' read several placards at a gathering of over 1000 priests, nuns and lay Catholics from all across Bengaluru at 6 pm on March 4 at St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral to mark the first anniversary of the abduction of Fr Tom Uzhunnalil (60) in Yemen. The meet was organized to pray for Fr Tom’s release from captivity. The priest was abducted from a Missionaries of Charity House in Yemen that also left 4 nuns killed in the attack. The United Nations holds that over 6000 people have died ever since the civil-war broke out in 2015.
The solidarity marked by the Holy Mass and a candle-light procession presided by Archbishop Dr Bernard Moras was jointly organized by the Conference of Religious in India (CRI), Archdiocese of Bengaluru, Inter-congregational Effort for Development and several partners.
Bishop Antony Kariyil of Mandya in his homily on 'The Beatitudes' said, "Our Faith teaches us that the more we are persecuted, the more will our Faith grow. Quite often we tend to think suffering is the cause of sin, but this not so. Jesus did not sin, but suffered and his suffering and death brought glory to the cross. When we are persecuted, we reach towards this cross of Glory....Suffering is part of human existence. The first sound of a new born is the sound of crying and we when we die, we leave others to crying. Crying is a symbol of suffering."
Bishop Kariyil, drawing reference to the suffering Fr Tom must be going through said. "In this first week of lent we are here to pray that he gets strength from to remain cheerful”. Jesus preached values of poverty, mercy and love for the enemy he said adding, "The world does not accept these values and so work against our pastoral work especially in our Education, Health and other pastoral related activities." The bishop referred to the gruesome killing of Graham Staines 25 years ago, the killing of people in Kandhamal 15 years ago and also the death of Rani Maria saying yet nothing has deterred people from following Christ .
Archbishop Dr Bernard Moras who released a memorandum jointly-signed by participating organizations addressed the gathering and lead the candle-light procession. In his message, the Prelate said, "The whole Church is pained at the captivity of Fr Tom and his suffering. The only consolation we heard from the Government of India but we press for speedy action in rescuing him from his abductors. This is a season of lent let us pray more fervently for the safe release of Fr Tom and also for the conversion of his abductors as our Faith calls us to Pray for those who persecute us."
The Archbishop released the memorandum addressed to the President and the Prime Minister of India and to the Chief Minister of Karnataka state as well as the Home Minister .
A slide-presentation the events that surrounded the work of Fr Tom and his consequent abduction was presented to the gathering.