“A Christian woman, possibly a nun, was reported burnt alive on 25th August 2008 by a group of Vishwa Hindu Parishad mob which stormed the orphanage she ran. Police Superintendent Ashok Biswall has told this to news reporters. A priest who was at the orphanage was also badly hurt and is now being treated in hospital for multiple burns.”
Faith is meant to be a work of love. Father Andrew has asked us to sincerely pray for the Christians suffering persecution for their faith and their loyalty to Jesus. Sister Nirmala, successor to Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, wrote this in the face of such violence and destruction:
"Let us put down the weapon of hatred and violence and reach out in love to each other, in order to build the civilization of love in India and in the world… In the name of God and in the name of our own humanity, created for greater things, to love and to be loved eternally, and in the name of our country and its noble heritage, and in the name of the poor, the children, and all our suffering brothers and sisters who are victims of this senseless violence and destruction, I make this appeal: let us pray, opening our mind and heart to the light and love of God.. Let us put down the weapon of hatred and violence and put on the armour of love. Let us forgive one another and ask forgiveness from one another for the wrong we have done to each other and reach out in love to each other.
(Sources: News Report from Zenit, and local reports sent to us from Father Andrew Pastore.)
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