Cardinal Gracias Releases Book Documenting Christians’ Contributions to India’s Nation-Building.
Oswald Cardinal Gracias, Emeritus Archbishop of Bombay, released a publication documenting the contributions of Christians to India’s history and nation-building, bringing together accounts of individuals whose work has shaped the country’s religious, educational, social and cultural life.
Titled Christians in India – The Nation’s Vital Asset, the book was published by ST PAULS India and launched on October 31 at Alberione Hall in Bandra, Mumbai, in the presence of more than 130 people, including Church leaders, academicians and other guests.
Edited by Dr. Louis D’Silva, associate professor at the University of Mumbai, the volume traces Christian contributions to India from the time of St. Thomas the Apostle to the present, featuring prominent personalities, including saints, whose lives and service have influenced the nation’s development.
The publication is the culmination of 16 years of research, documentation and coordination by D’Silva, who has authored 10 books and numerous scholarly articles and papers. He acknowledged the support of the ST PAULS editorial team in bringing the project to completion.
Releasing the volume, Cardinal Gracias described it as a “masterpiece in a positive sense” and congratulated D’Silva and ST PAULS for undertaking the extensive documentation. He particularly appreciated the editor’s years of dedication in gathering stories from people across the country and acknowledged the encouragement of his wife and the support of his family.
The launch included reflections by Fr. Nigel Barrett, parish priest of St. Andrew’s Church, Bandra, and public relations officer of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India; Dr. Elaine Charles, an educationist; Dr. S. M. Michael, director of the Institute of Indian Culture, Andheri; and Dolphy D’Souza, social activist and former president of the Bombay Catholic Sabha.
The speakers underscored the importance of recording the Christian community’s contributions to India’s development and recognizing individuals and institutions whose service has often received limited attention in mainstream accounts of the nation’s history.
Among those whose contributions to the Church in India are featured in the book is Jesuit Fr. Cedric Prakash, a regular contributor to Radio Veritas Asia (RVA).
Commenting on the publication, Fr. Prakash described it as “not only timely but an invaluable instrument,” particularly amid what he said were increasing efforts to harass, intimidate and attack Christians in different parts of India.
He commended D’Silva’s research and scholarship in bringing together accounts of prominent Christians, beginning with St. Thomas the Apostle, and documenting their contributions to the nation. While acknowledging that a work of such magnitude would inevitably have gaps, he expressed hope that it would inspire Christian youth and others to participate in the urgent task of nation-building.
Fr. Sajith Cyriac SSP, chief editor of ST PAULS, said the publication seeks to help Christians recognize their community’s historical legacy while enabling people outside the community to discover its contribution to India.
He described the book as a significant milestone in the publishing house’s mission to make the Christian community’s role in the country’s development more widely known.
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