TURA: Thousands of Catholic devotees on Sunday thronged churches in the five districts of Garo Hills to hold special prayers in protest against the rising cases of attacks on Christians and minorities by right-wing groups in North India.
During their sermons, priests across the region urged the faithful to pray for Christians across the country and stop the ongoing verbal and physical attacks on Christians by fringe elements.
They also highlighted the recent attacks in Madhya Pradesh where a group of seminarians (young brothers) were assaulted by right-wing members for organising a Christmas Carol at Satna in which the police refused to act.
The most recent attempt by these fringe groups to organise their own prayer service inside a Catholic college in Madhya Pradesh on January 4 has further created fear among the minority Christians in the state.
At the Sacred Heart Church Shrine in Tura, Rev. Fr. Theodore T. Sangma urged the Catholic community to stay united and pray for the persecuted and for those against the Christian faith so that they can find true peace in God and stop the ongoing atrocities.
“Such cases of attacks on Christians are worrying. We need to be cautious and concerned.”
“We must stand together and pray for peace and harmony in our country,” said Fr. Theodore Sangma in his sermon during the Sunday’s Mass.
