Media Release
Mangaluru, Jan 4: The diocese of Mangalore has condemned the incident where miscreants had dropped derogatory writings in the offertory boxes of three ‘Daivasthanas’ in the city and also glorified Christianity in the same.
In a press release by Fr Victor Vijay Lobo and Roy Castelino, PROs of the diocese, Mangaluru Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha has clarified the stand of the Catholic community on the issue.
The press release says, "Recently some miscreants had conducted a shameful act, which questions the belief of the devotees of ‘Daivasthanas’. This has come to the notice of the public and has created extreme pain to the devotees of these religious places. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, bishop of Mangalore diocese has condemned this act and expressed his concern and pain to the devotees of the affected religious places.
Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha
"Any act that violates the belief of devotees of any religion is not right. This is an act of foolish and cowardly people. The sadist mentality of those involved in the shameful act is evident in what they have committed. This is an act of disturbing the communal harmony of the society by condemning the belief of another religion. This is an anti-social act. The bishop of Mangalore diocese has urged the district administration and police department to take suitable legal action against any person or persons who are involved in this act and provide justice to the devotees of the respective ‘Daivasthanas’.
"The bishop has also requested the district administration to take strict legal action to prevent the recurrence of this act and to prevent anyone from insulting the beliefs of other communities. He has also conveyed his consolation to all the devotees of the religious places through this message,” stated the press release.