'Timing' has been everything in politics and business. Now 'timing' has become so important in religion also! But who said religion was not politics and business? Read the bold fonts also.
‘India’ ‘gets’ ‘first’ ‘woman’ ‘saint’
Vatican City, Oct 12: India got its first woman saint when Pope Benedict XVI canonised Kerala nun Sister Alphonsa at a special ceremony at St Peter's Square in the Vatican City on Sunday. Watched by over 5,000 Indian Christians who came here for the historic ceremony from India and other parts of the world, the Pope declared Sister Alphonsa a saint.
Sister Alphonsa had been "an exceptional woman, who today is offered to the people of India as their first canonised (woman) saint," the Pope said.
The Pope also used the occasion to express his concern over the violence against Christians in states like Orissa and Karnataka.
"I urge the perpetrators of violence to renounce these acts and join with their brothers and sisters to work together in building a civilisation of love," the Pope said in his concluding speech after canonising Sister Alphonsa and three others -- Maria Bernarda Butler from Switzerland, Narcisa de Jesus Marlillo Moran from Ecuador and Father Gaetano Errico from Italy.
"As the Christian faithful of India give thanks to God for their first native daughter to be presented for public veneration, I wish to assure them of my prayers during this difficult time," he said in his speech which was televised internationally.
A 15-member official Indian delegation, led by Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes, attended the ceremony.
Other members included Kerala Public Works Department minister Mons Joseph, P C Thomas MP, former Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani, MLAs P C George and K V Thomas, former Meghalaya Governor M M Jacob and Mahatma Gandhi University Vice-Chancellor Jancy James.
Church sources say that elevation of Sister Alphonsa as a saint is of special significance to Indian Christians as she is a 'home-grown' person.
Sister Alphonsa, who lived a quiet religious life helping people around her place in Kerala, was hailed for a number of miracles, including two which were officially put up to the Pope.
One of the miracles attributed to her related to the healing of a young boy's twisted feet after his family prayed at her tomb at the Alphonsa Chapel at Bharananganam near Kottayam.
The canonisation ceremony was telecast live from the Vatican.
"It's a matter of immense pride for us since one of our believers is being bestowed with the sainthood. It will strengthen the church in the country," Father Dominic Vechoor, chancellor of Palai diocese, said prior to the canonisation.
The Central government announced yesterday that it will issue a commemorative coin in honour of Sister Alphonsa.
Some comments:
1. “India gets first female saint” is the headline everywhere and I don’t understand why don’t they say “Christian saint”? India has had many saints and sadhvis who were females…
2. Realise how no one questions our government’s ‘secular’ credentials if they sent a 15 member ‘official delegation’ to attend the ceremony in a foreign country and then is coming out with a coin in the memory…
3. Now you don’t feel ashamed of the ‘miracles’ that the local “dhongi” Hindu saadhu claims to do to you; see, even those who practice and teach ‘civilisation of love’ believe in all that!
4. One more reason to be ‘proud to be an Indian’! This time, no one can ‘challenge’ the reason, since it is ‘certified’.
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