Bengaluru: The Archbishop of Bengaluru, along with All Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights, has called upon Christians in Karnataka to observe Friday (November 12) as a day of fasting and prayer and the following Friday (November 19) as a day of silent protest all over Karnataka, to express concerns over the proposed Anti-Conversion Bill to be tabled in the forthcoming session of the State Assembly.
In a communication to the bishops and UCF leaders, Archbishop Dr Peter Machado said, “We need to organise ourselves and our people for future times. In consultation with few Bishops and UCF leaders, I have already announced second Friday (November 12) as a day of fasting and praying and third Friday (November 19) as day of silent protest by Christians all over Karnataka.
The members of All Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights comprises Assemblies of God, Baptist Church, Believers Eastern Church, Roman Catholic Church, Church of South India, FCCO, Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Lutheran Church, Malankara Orthodox Church Marthoma Syrian Church, Methodist Church and Seventh Day Adventists.
“Further, I am proposing a state-level meeting of Christian advocates in order to help in the legal matters of district and taluka level where false or unjust cases against the Christians, especially in alleged forceful or fraudulent conversions, are filed. Besides, the Bishops and the UCF leaders need to meet and discuss among themselves about the Churches under them, so that all the evangelical activities that we do are according to the laws and Constitution of the country,” the prelate added.
Incidentally, last month, Archbishop Machado had made a representation to the State Government not to go ahead with the introduction of the anti-conversion bill in the Assembly, as there was no need for it and expressed concerns that it may create more tensions and disturbances for the Christian Community.
The Prelate has urged the churches to expose the Blessed Sacrament after the Morning Mass and parishioners and the pious associations may come in smaller groups to conduct the Holy Hour. “In the evening, a common Holy Hour can be conducted, let us firmly believe that God will definitely answer our prayers and will give us the strength to bear courageously the difficulties we meet in our lives, he said recalling the powerful words of Alfred Tennyson, ‘More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.’.