Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has emphasised on the role of churches and the faithful in supporting development efforts that are both relevant for the current times and necessary to secure the future of generations to come.
He was speaking while inaugurating a felicitation ceremony in honour of the newly-ordained Thiruvananthapuram Archbishop Thomas J. Netto here on Sunday.
Mr. Vijayan reminisced the yeoman service that had been rendered by the Church in providing land to establish the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station that has been instrumental in the growth of space science in the country.
“Such selfless deeds have gone on to define the country’s future. It remained the historic responsibility of churches to play crucial roles in the pursuit of progress,” he said.
The Chief Minister added the government’s policies aligned well with the ideals of Pope Francis who has strongly advocated for social and gender justice and efforts to eradicate institutionalised injustices and poverty. The government’s gender budgeting and poverty alleviation drives were some of such initiatives.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan said Archbishop Netto has assumed the helm of the Church at a time when the country expected crucial interventions by Christian denominations against the backdrop of a pandemic that has affected several lives.
The Central government has strived to ensure the welfare of the coastal community through various measures including establishing a separate ministry for the fisheries sector, he added.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said numerous people who continued to be affected by climatic vagaries and livelihood issues looked up to the new Archbishop for solace.
Cardinal George Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church, and Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, the Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Church, also delivered felicitation addresses.
M. Soosa Pakiam, Apostolic Administrator of Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese, chaired the function.
Transport Minister Antony Raju, Shashi Tharoor, MP, M. Vincent, MLA, Kollam Bishop Paul Mullassery, Palayam Imam V.P. Suhaib Moulavi, Church of South India moderator Dharmaraj Rasalam, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Thiruvananthapuram Metropolitan Gabriel Mar Gregorios, Jacobite Syrian Christian Church Niranam Metropolitan Geevarghese Mor Coorilos, writer George Onakkoor, Kerala Regional Latin Catholic Council state committee member Antony Albert and Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop Christudas Rajappan and Monsignor T. Nicholas were among others who were participated.
