CENTENARY FETE OF ESTABLISHMENT OF CATHOLICATE IN INDIA
The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of
Tibetan Buddhists and a global messenger of peace and non-violence, said on
Sunday,25th November,2012, that a fine matching of physical comfort
with mental comfort was essential for the well-being of humankind.In his
remarks at the opening of a public meeting organised by the Malankara Orthodox
Syrian Church to mark the centenary of the establishment of the Catholicate in
India and the 1,960th anniversary of the Church, which traces its origin to St.
Thomas the Apostle, the Dalai Lama said material comfort led only to physical
comfort. But physical comfort alone could not guarantee an individual’s overall
comfort. For this, a combination of physical comfort and mental comfort was
necessary. The mental comfort would come from spiritual values.He pointed out
that a healthy mind was essential for a health body because a disturbed mind
would upset physical health. He emphasised the importance of inner peace.
“We ourselves should create inner peace,”
he said. Practice of love and compassion would help create inner peace, which
would lead to non-violence. Non-violence was “very, very necessary” in the
present world. “First, look into your inner world and create inner peace; then,
verbal and physical actions will become non-violent.”He praised India’s
tradition of religious harmony. India exemplified how different religious
faiths and traditions could live in harmony.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former
President, in his keynote speech, praised the Christian community for its
contributions to the nation. He recalled that in the 1960s, when the renowned
scientist Vikram Sarabhai, his teacher, wanted to set up a rocket-launching
facility at Thumba and approached Bishop Peter Pereira for a huge chunk of
Church land, the prelate, with his congregation’s support, released the
required land.Referring to the Dalai Lama’s call for a combination of material
comfort and spiritual values, Mr. Kalam laid out his idea for the “evolution of
an enlightened society.”He said three components were necessary for such a
society: education with righteous values, religion transformed into
spirituality and economic development.Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who
released a souvenir on the occasion of the Catholicate centenary celebration,
said the biggest achievement of the Christian Church in India was the adoption
of Indian values. It also carried out its social responsibilities well.
Prof.
John Kurakar
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