'We love our motherland and the Church in India'

Panaji: Every priest is a prototype of Jesus Christ, the eternal priest, and priests should move out to the periphery of society to meet the poor, marginalized and refugees, Apostolic Nuncio to India archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, said on the first day of the XIV National Conference of Diocesan Priests of India (CDPI) in Goa.

The conference began with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by vice-president of the conference of Catholic bishops of India (CCBI) and archbishop of Goa and Daman, Filipe Neri Ferrao. Bishop Udumala Bala, patron of CDPI, said Catholics were proud to be Indians and, simultaneously, Christians. "We love our motherland and the Church in India," he said.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias, president of CCBI and archbishop of Mumbai, spoke via video link and said that Pope Francis always loved the poor and the marginalized. "He is a man of faith and prayer," the cardinal said.

The first day's deliberations also included two talks. First, Francis Serrao, bishop of Shimoga, spoke on 'Pope Francis: A pope of the Church of the poor and for the poor'. He was followed by Fr William Urray of the diocese of Ambikapur, Chattisgarh, who spoke on 'Pope Francis: Pastor par excellence in communicating the word of God'.

The day concluded with a panel discussion titled 'Pope Francis: An ambassador of peace in nature, humanity and world.

The director of St. Joseph Vaz centre Henry Falcao moderated the session. Speakers from different faiths spoke on the theme and were unanimous that the teachings of Pope Francis on world peace, justice and nature are accepted by all people over the world.