Bishops distressed over remarks on Mother Teresa
Christian leaders and secular politicians across India criticized Bhagwat for saying that Blessed Mother Teresa's services were a cover up for conversion.
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"It is quite unfortunate that the services of such a world-renowned Nobel Prize laureate and Bharat Ratna awardee be dragged into such unwarranted controversies," the bishops' statement said.
According to media reports, Mohan Bhagwat, head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS- national volunteers corps), said on Monday that the motive of behind Mother Teresa’s service was "to convert the person being served into a Christian”.
“If conversion is done in the name of service, then that service gets devalued,” he reportedly added.
Christian leaders and secular politicians across India criticized Bhagwat for saying that Blessed Mother Teresa's services were a cover up for conversion.
"Mother Teresa never had any hidden agenda nor did she ever use her services as a cover up for conversion. She always maintained that her main concern was to ease the suffering of people and to help the poor and the suffering to lead a life of relief and self-respect," the bishops said in a statement.
It said Mother Teresa had repeatedly explained that the motive behind her "self-effacing service" was "to help the Hindu, live a better Hindu, the Muslim, a better Muslim and the Christian, a better Christian with proper human dignity."
While upholding the freedom of speech of every citizen of India, the bishops said that our nation’s age-old passion for truth, unbiased support for the humanitarian works and compassion for the poor may not be jeopardized by any cynical motive or intolerant gesticulations.
Mother Teresa has become a symbol of love, care and compassion for the world, a legacy that will be carried on for ages to come, said the statement singed by conference deputy secretary general Father Joseph Chinnayyan.
Press Release
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