A leading Catholic speaker is in Mumbai for a speech tour of parishes, and the Catholic Church is promoting his visit as an opportunity to stop its faithful from straying into smaller evangelical sects.
A leading Catholic speaker is in Mumbai for a speech tour of parishes, and the Catholic Church is promoting his visit as an opportunity to stop its faithful from straying into smaller evangelical sects.
Stephen Ray, a Protestant who converted to Catholicism, is credited with bringing many former members back into the faith.
The importance given to his second visit to the city is highlighted by the official or circular issued by the archbishop of Bombay, Oswald Cardinal Gracias, earlier this month.
Gracias said in the official: Given the fact that some of our faithful joining sects is a serious pastoral problem, I urge our priests to avail themselves of the seminar, so that they are better equipped to assist our people.
Ray, who is now in Mumbai, is scheduled to speak at various parishes this weekend and the next. He is scheduled to offer sessions at Andheri, Nerul, Santa Cruz, Mulund, Dadar, Mira Road, Bandra and Borivli.
He will also hold a seminar for priests later this month at the St Pius X College, Goregaon. And for those who missed his sessions last year, he will be conducting a workshop at Shanmukananda Hall on January 29 and 30.
The visit by the high-profile speaker has generated a lot of enthusiasm among the faithful. One online invitation to Ray’s events read: In a time, where there are many false prophets and false doctrines springing up, here’s someone who is genuine and truly led by the Holy Spirit.
Ray’s visit is yet another measure by the church to help strengthen the belief of its followers in it. This is in addition to the faith foundation courses and adult faith formations that are being conducted across the city, which have picked up now. Also, on the directive of the archbishop, there is an increase in community prayer worship across churches.
“Most Catholics are not vociferous enough in defending their faith. They think that knowledge of what to say is given to only priests and nuns. And here is a common man who is doing it,” said Fr Joseph D’Souza, parish priest, St Ignatius Church, Jacob’s Circle. D’Souza feels that Ray’s ‘outsider’ perspective on the religion will help them.
Fr Tony Charanghat, spokesperson, Bombay Archdiocese, said, “It’s human nature, hearing an outsider talk about lapse of faith and then finding it back.” “Ray’s conviction, his clarity of thought, and his articulation has impressed and convinced a lot of people,” he said.
Joseph Dias of community group Catholic Secular Forum said many church members were attracted to the small Christian sects because mainline churches have become too big.
“These big churches find it difficult to reach out to every member of the community. The small churches invest a lot of time and money,” said Dias.
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