Cardinal Cordes in India to "reflect upon charity"

Paul Josef Cardinal Cordes

Function: President of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum"

Title:

Birthdate: Sept 05, 1934	Country: Germany

Elevated: Nov 24, 2007	More information:

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Cardinal Cordes in India to "reflect upon charity"
Feb 16, 2008
The president of the pontifical council "Cor Unum" has been in India since yesterday, at the invitation of the bishops. The aim of his trip is to "reinforce the testimony of the Catholic Church in the field of charity". Christians have a fundamental role in education and health, but the development of the country raises new challenges.

Vatican City (AsiaNews, 02/16/2008) - A reflection on the spirit and social impact of the Church's charity efforts is the aim of the visit to India - from February 15 to 19 - of Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, president of the pontifical council "Cor Unum". A statement from the same dicastery, which promotes the charitable initiatives of the Holy See, publicly revealed the cardinal's visit today, at the invitation of the Indian bishops' conference (CBCI). The first stop will be the tomb of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and the cardinal will then move on to the houses for the poor and suffering that she founded. Cardinal Cordes will also meet with the bishops gathering for their plenary assembly in Jamshedpur.

The trip, the message says, will be an occasion to reflect upon the Church's activities "in the light of the encyclical Deus Caritas Est, with special emphasis on the deepening of the Christian roots of charity". In spite of threats and cases of persecution, the Church plays an important role in Indian society. Christians in India run 20% of the elementary schools, 25% of the support structures for widows and orphans, and 30% of those for the disabled, lepers, and AIDS patients.

And today new challenges and opportunities are emerging in connection with the country's accelerating development. "The mission of diakonia", explains the statement, "remains indispensable, both in consideration of the poor, and because of the essence of the Church itself. Since diakonia is an ecclesial activity, the role of the local bishop or ordinary is fundamental: he, in fact, is ultimately responsible for charitable activity".

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