Archdiocese of Bombay - Q & A Session with His Eminence, Oswald Cardinal Gracias | Ep 90

[Music] good evening once again nice to be here after a little break a break i was in rome for the meeting of the council of cardinals uh very intense meeting as usual with the holy father present for almost all the sessions and he participates in like as if he's one of the cardinals that doesn't really puts up his hand when he wants to speak etc but pray for us and pray for the holy father especially i want to i think i think next week again i have a compelling invitation to go to address the bishops conference in germany and it might be necessary for me to go decide in a couple of days and then so i might miss next sunday also i promise you then i'll carry on right through lent i thought today uh since i last time when i spoke to you i spoke to you about lose and i there are a few elements there because of lack of time which i did not mention i thought when i listened to myself i think i should complete what was said over there so we don't have to so you also are clear the one often thinks of these apparitions of our lady why is it necessary now you have fatima was before the wars in the middle of the war and before the next war really urging people to pray and indifferent in the it was the turning point because uh for people to receive the gospel and here in ludes there was just four years before that the proclamation of the immaculate conception dogma of the immaculate conception and they were theological discussions etc although the pope had consulted adequately and therefore really this uh apparition of our lady set to rest all the theological discussions she said i am the immaculate conception in one of our last apparitions to and i was saying uh the little bernadette did not know what it meant and she kept on repeating it to herself not to forget it and people were surprised the message of her lady at the loots was always it was not there the very beginning but she was praying the rosary and but afterwards it was the middle she said pray for sinners pray for sinners do penance for sinners so uh sort of calling the world back to repentance calling the the whole world the christian community back to repentance so prayer and penance has been penanced with sinners this was the message which i think for all of us devotees of our lady all of us wanting to see how we could live our discipleship of jesus better is a message which we could get very clearly there is very much written about the apparition of our lady of lose perhaps it's the most well documented and this there are volumes written because uh one particularly lorente of historians just study a very academically inclined person he did tremendous research on the dates and the time on the testimony on the police records on the medical records and we've got volumes and volumes of that and so really it can be the whole events all the events of those days can be reconstructed with very exciting days for loots and how it developed what the police reaction was what her reaction was etc the a few other things also perhaps to understand the complexity of this thing is uh at the beginning at one stage because they did not know what this uh vision was she did not she did not know really the beginnings of our lady and she she would go into a trance several times bernalillo would go to trans fall down unconscious and once they had to carry her away so she was but they were when she was in a trance and you said that the people described her looking absolutely serene like an angel that's how they described her and her mother used to get very annoyed because of the attention she drew and the sort of people saying that she's imagining she's telling lies pretending etc the one of the messages of our lady and that's interesting is what she says recounts is i don't promise to make you happy in this world but in the next don't promise to make and so she really didn't suffer a lot uh suffer physically because of the asthma she was sick and i was mentioning last time her friends told her that people are getting cured in lose to carry her there for a cure of asthma and she said this is not meant for me and she refused to go there to try to get a cure uh she joined the convent at the end of all the apparitions and and became a nun where she was till the end of her life the it's interesting also that they did not know what this vision was and at some time people began saying it's the devil deceiving you and so she carried holy water several times too and then she threw holy water on the vision and a lady only smiled now we know that in exorcism when the holy water is really thrown we've had reports i've not seen it of them screaming and yelling when when they're holy water onto people who are possessed but here this is recounted again in the accounts that only what she smiled she was happy so there was no negative reaction at all again an interesting event in all these apparitions of our lady is that the police were very upset they were kind or upset and they tried to force her to say don't go there because they were worried because they could become a law in order situation and they don't go there anymore you stay at home and she refused then she finally when the father came to take her home they got an a commitment from her father that he would not allow her to go and he then really forbade her to go and very interesting some commentators uh dispute on the reason for this but that next she was forbidden to go she went in spite of it and there was no apparition of our lady and interestingly also about two weeks later it was on another occasion when her mother forbid her to go she went in spite of it and again there was no apparition of our lady now some have commented that this was because of her act of disobedience some have commented because there was too much publicity but this is again an interesting development another thing is about the discovery of the spring there's a spring there right now thousands of people go and immerse themselves i've seen it myself i've washed my face and dipped my hands into that some people are there ushers who could hold the penitence and dip the whole body in the spring now this also was something indicated to her by a lady she wasn't able to express what the lady said what the vision but she went ahead and began scratching at a particular point of time there was it was wet the ground was moist but there was nothing there so captain and then she found a little water she kept inspired it was only mud and water mud and water and she applied it to her face so people thought really that she was uh off her mind and afterwards some of the other people did because she looked dirty etc but later on gradually when she scratched more that the little more water came and finally that's the spring of our lady of lose was again non-existent before was it miraculous in the sense it was miraculous for the eyes of one who has faith uh the it was the end of the whole all the apparitions a lady told this this was not the beginning to build a chapel there and to have processions this was not done till the procession not begin till very very many years later and the chapel was also built by uh the bishop much much later but this is again uh something which she asked for which uh bernadette told the priests bernadette finally uh died at a young age and she was not treated for us never cured of her asthma she died over the in the convent and finally her cause was introduced and she was canonized in 1933. saint uh a process went through the whole congregation and she was a later scene so really the end you end this little uh narrative above our lady of lewds because it's very popular we pray to her and many people know about it not many very few have got the privilege of going to the place itself i thought you would for you to have a little sense of the of our lady of loots they'll ask the media team perhaps to put a scene there from our lady of flutes so that you can see exactly for yourself every day there's a procession there every day and except during the pandemic it went down and once there were or two years back there were floods in that area when they again the number went down and the government stopped otherwise every day right through the year to the procession and they relay a live rosary from our lady of lutz to all over the world so that's good to know that but prayer and penance that was the gentle message of our lady of loots thank you very much and we'll keep this message in mind for you and for me prayer and penance for sinners in particular so that we can help sinners those to come back to the lord let's go to the questions i'll take one historically there are lots there are a few historical questions and then i'll come to the modern questions which are most recent historical questions now this is so historical that the computer has even eaten up the name i don't know who who the one but the question is there was there before surely what are uh the i'm not blaming my media team for eating up the name what are the four symbols used to depict the four evangelists which one depicts which evangelist and why now this is a very i like the question and i sort of thought it's useful for all of us to know this for everybody to know uh now if you watch my mitre this morning at mass i change my miter honestly did not know this morning that i was going to answer this question this evening so it's not that i was preparing you for the answer but i noticed that my miter which i wore this morning but then and i promise you i'll i'll wear it again you'll notice it had four figures one two in front two behind it was and and these were the figures of the four uh symbols of the four evangelists the idea the mitre is meant to depict that he's a teacher the bishop is a teacher the crozier is that he's a pastor taking care of his people and he's got to proclaim the gospel and therefore you have the four evangelists the four symbols are of a man face of a man a lion an ox and an eagle and these are the four symbols of the four evangelists for matthew mark luke and john these are four evangelists means the one who evangelizes by the rope by writing the gospels you have the gospel according to matthew gospel according to mark luke and john and every day the gospel has got to be one of these four now uh the origin of these four this is now historically established it's in icons i told you it's mitre is really the teaching you found it uh ezekiel 1 1-14 the prophet ezekiel speaks of a vision he had and in this vision he describes the four mentions the four visions and again in revelations 4 6 to 6 you have again a reiteration of this vision which ezekiel had the early church fathers commented on this and they began saying what is the meaning because the prophet ezekiel did not mention did not just said he had a vision of four faces and not say what meant what the fathers reflecting on the theologians said this reflects the four people who really went out and spread the gospel the four symbols now as we understand them are show the beginning of the god the nature of the gospel of each one the face represent saint matthew matthew wrote the first gospel now why why a man because the beginnings of the of their gospel in a way shows their trust there are many other trust will sometime we'll have a chance to discuss that now matthew begins the gospel with the genealogy of jesus genealogy how jesus was born shows abraham david and then to jesus shows and therefore he begins with the birth of jesus he begins we have the infancy narrative and this is really the whole thrust of his whole gospel jesus says man and so we have a man there depicting for saint matthew then you have mark mark begins his gospel with jesus in the desert temptations preparing himself in the retreat for a retreat for his public ministry and this is the thrust and therefore they have desert lions in the desert that's the idea therefore there you have the second symbol of mark which is a lion the third symbol again you have an ox in ox's he begins luke begins really focuses a lot there is the infancy etcetera a lot on the presentation of our lord so the temple really is where jesus begins sort of his ministry of simeon and presentation the canticle over there which we say so often in prayer and the idea was the ox is the animal which was used in sacrifice at the temple and therefore it's the ox and the fourth one is saint john now saint john begins in the beginning was the word and the word was god and the word was with god a whole theological uh discourse on really going to the heights and the eagle flies very high so the idea is this is he's the eagle who flies up and and you know actually if you read his gospel you find every now and then him he's making theological discourses and so the man the lion the ox and the eagle those are the four you'll notice them on the mitre also signifying the four evangelists that's that's thank you very much for the question whoever you are the name is not mentioned over here thank you very much and i thought it was a valuable question interesting and a good uh opportunity for us to understand why these you'll find these depicted now it's become i've seen it in rome at saint peter's basilica i've seen it many many many places there is this depiction of these four evangelists let's take another question the next question is from justin joseph justin joseph the latest question that my office has put over here since this synod aims to listen to every catholic's mind then my question is why is a traditional latin mass been taken away from those who want to worship in the old manner without complaining whatsoever about vatican ii some dioceses have removed the pre-vatican to mass some have allowed for it what are your thoughts on alloying for this mass in the archdiocese of bombay uh okay let's uh i'll answer for the question okay i'll answer the last question first what are your thoughts allowing for the mass that i have to uh you certainly would not want me to disobey the direction from rome and i will follow them absolutely uh what what they've said over there the directions and this i have really not at the moment touched anything because it's pandemic there's a music but gradually certainly we will implement it totally what the what the pope franco pope francis said and i mentioned to you uh justin and also that the pope explained that the majority of people that was in the way that vast majority of people felt there is no need of this thing but we will of uh the old tridentine mass but we will implement it totally but gradually uh into the archdiocese of bombay since this synod means so what is the sin and you say this is a that's the good opportunity for me to speak about solidarity uh the synod is now going on preparations and you know i began it in the diocese inaugurated solemnly on the 17th of october and then we had already a small committee formed a co committee there i think 25 people at committee bishop alvin de silva is by delegate for organizing in the archdiocese of bombay as a matter of fact he's having he had just two days ago meeting with the co-committee and then the there is another small committee besides that which beats and plans and we've got a lay person who is the like contact person in bomb the archdiocese of bombay alison rosario and really i think they're doing work and it will carry catch up speed because it's a question of meeting and discussing and seeing how what direction the church should go the important point justin is that to listen to everybody and to see how what is what does god want the church to do today what direction uh does that god want to church today people when i was saying my inaugural talk that listen to the people who have left the church also why they left the church why they searched didn't find god in the catholic church where did we go wrong that's an important thing we've got to listen to our ecumenical brothers and sisters i've not done it or always in charge but i plan to meet them myself and see what we can do certainly uh i want to put one of them in my committee also perhaps go committee to discuss with them share with this the pandemic has impeded me from meeting my good protestant friends and people of other churches but we must resume all that we must pray that the pandemic goes off fast so we can begin uh in-person meetings soon so you see that the synod is supposed to help us to understand communion to encourage full participation of the people in the church and to send them on mission that's really the meaning of synod justin i understand your anxiety a little bit that if you if i don't know i think you've been attending the normal mass the way you been asking questions you but probably this is an academic question which you're asking only but it's really to see what does god want the church was it theologically they say this vatican to encourage this there's a theological basis i'm not a liturgist but i've got to consult people on that i'm a more a cannonist and therefore on this these things i rely on experts to tell us what was the early church doing how what is participation uh how is participation embarked enhanced etc but thanks for the question you've got lots of questions so i i don't think it's fair to answer only i certainly will take them up every now and then next question uh is from katherine from toronto i see many different meanings for sexual immorality which is sin is mentioned in many bible books thus premarital sex form of sexual immorality as per a catholic church yeah you know the catholic teaching i won't go into details here of the catholic teaching on family life marriage the whole idea is the centrality of the family in god's plan for the human world for humankind and i'm sure you yourself got to understand that and i know that the families where you grow or family if the family is like dysfunctional is where you are every person's psychology person's emotional maturity uh attitude towards life attitudes others is developed in the family i mean i was in the family apostolate quite a bit myself before i was made a bishop and then i had to gradually i kept it on for some time but i had to drop that and i enjoyed it and i was convinced i was convinced that i shared that with my archbishop at that time that we had got to really start the family apostle that's how we began family cells discuss with archbishop simon pimenta let's begin and there was opposition i remember when i went to the first few parishes i uh not everybody was agreement and then i got a couple i must share this with you i got a couple very active couple in the layer postulate and i they were so happy and we shared the plans and i told him now you go to address the dinner at so and so dinner i remember still and he went and addressed the priests must begin this and this and he was practically he came back everybody said you keep your ideas to yourself we know how to run the parish we know what's important he came i'm not going to address any more dealers myself and today everybody accepts this was the first very first beginning i remember that very clearly the dramatic and probably the gentleman concerned is smiling because he knows he was the one who went to the first parish to propose this idea now but as i was saying that the family therefore is so central and deaf now that the the most intimate the deepest expression in the family of is love between husband and wife so important for the growth of the family stability of the family and the deepest expression of that love is really is by the physical relations now therefore i would say extra marital pre-med extra-marital sex is really against god's law because the god intended it to be the root and the core for the family life and therefore premarital sex is also something which the catholic church would say is not appropriate is sinful and has got to be avoided thank you for the question because uh it will help i i thought i would speak a little bit more about family life and morality but it might be running out of time i want to take a another question which the office has tagged for me and this question is again oh yeah oh i thought it again justin joseph okay let's take another question justin just don't mind i'll take it later on but there's another time dr daniel saldana why is it that the land israel chosen by god has fewer catholics than anywhere in the world now this is a good question and a good opportunity thank you dr daniel for your question uh you are i know what what your question means god has made this the chosen people he has in his providence decided that these are the special people and therefore they should they are the ones i have chosen to give special graces to come and therefore how funny that the catholic religion the true religion and there are so few catholics in this they're not there not anywhere in the world but in many countries involved now it's true now let's see the whole thing is dr daniel on chosen what does the word chosen mean god chose these people the chosen race was the chosen race very clear in the scriptures and you see this in the old testament continuously the the wars the the exile you see god if you uh really old testament scholar will show you god's hand very very clearly in the old testament and this historical record is how they betrayed the lord by committing adultery he punished them but he brought them back again forgave them always why the chosen people were chosen to bring the messiah that they're chosen for that that was a tremendous privilege to choose them to bring the messiah uh to the earth jesus was was going to be born of the messiah you know very clear and even where he was going to be born was known when herod wanted to know where the messiah would be born i want to go and adore him he said he wanted to really remove any threat or opposition his experts told him bethlehem so really there was no question they had come to these the scriptures scholars high priests and they came and told them bethlehem and then no one uh sort of imagined a small town the small tribe but it was there very clear in the scriptures in the old testament and so they were chosen for that now after that you have that in the last few readings you've heard my homilies and you've heard my commentary sometimes the lord is not only for the jews but then gradually to the gentiles also so they are meant for a particular purpose but now they have fulfilled that purpose now they have got they are that were on par with the others to receive the gospel message unfortunately many of the jews that is really they accept the old testament and many of those who presently in israel are still waiting for the messiah saying the messiah has not yet come jesus not the messiah he's still to come and that's that's that is really the reason so uh you're not accepted that jesus the messiah and that is what is said i will take and okay i'll make a concession and the question was tagged off by my by the office this is again justin but it's an interesting question which gives me a chance to speak about something else in many parishes on wednesday during our lady perpetual saka naveena i see lay people leading the naveena from the altar in spite of the priest being at the altar even the initial part of the naveena in which we say help me loving mother the lay people reads them instead it should be said by the priest as mentioned in the novena book in maim the priest says his part i've not seen that other churches please clarify yeah fine uh that maheem it is true i think it's i've said mass that's my own home parish and i've said mahamas and said the naveena practically every year i don't i think i'm not sure that i missed it any year but i think once i missed i can't i can't remember why maybe i was in rome now the uh that the mahim naveena is mandated by the mayan parish priest and he therefore has got jurisdiction over on paris only and his priests and his people so it's not a it's not the you know if you look at the chamber where the redemptorists from whom this division were founded with devotion the naveena prayers in at the chamber are different from the naveena presia and the whole liturgy this is not justin a liturgical service a paraliturgical service but very beautiful very very beautiful i say it often and when i get a chance i go to that parish and kneel before the blessings before picture of our lady a very beautiful prayers now that is therefore uh the prayers are beautiful but not mandatory for church universal you will find this only in saint michaels and i'm say symmetrical spanish i have not made it mandarinally for the whole uh diocese so i'm not sure i think many most parishes probably follow michaels but some may be following what the redemptors do in chamber that's one second thing i want to tell you is uh the question of the role of the laity justin the laity are also priests prophets and king by baptism and by confirmation they have the holy spirit and they've got also a role in the church and the whole idea of synodality is to get the lay people more and more involved in church activities and it's perfectly okay for a lay person to pray different roles these are assigned to them and they've got they've got a role to pray to lead in prayer and the courage of canada also allows a lot and the lay people could teach could preach now the holy father has begun even the ministry of lecter for lay people acolyte for lay people they can be really administered this ministry uh for elect and acolyte which is just just been we've not done it in bombay as yet but i mean i find after the pandemic and no reason not to do so and therefore uh the this is the role of the laity has got to be taken more seriously they're also got the holy spirit they also have got to lead prayers and lead communities i think also justin from the practical point of view if a priest is alone in a parish that means on wednesdays he will not be able to go visiting and therefore or he will have to drop the naveena but this way with he can do his pastoral ministries call for a sick call this gravina can carry on it's a practical necessity it's a theological possibility and liturgically it is allowed therefore there's no reason justin thank you for your question it is i think something which might be in the minds of some people at least and i'm happy i had a chance to clarify this thank you very much and if i'm not there next sunday because i've got to go to germany i'm sorry but i i will be there the following week once again with our catechesis and answering your questions keep well we'll pray for each other let's go now for benediction god bless [Music] [Music] david sings my soul my savior [Music] [Music] my [Music] [Music] me [Music] i [Music] me [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] sisters and brothers let's welcome jesus in our homes and adore him worship him with a profound bow we welcome him not only into our homes but into our and our families but into our hearts to her personal invitation to each to jesus in each one of you come jesus lord jesus into our hearts let us experience your presence feel you within us know that you are there that you are the way the truth the life you are the wine we are the branches your life sap goes through us we believe in you lord and all you said in all your thought help us to stay close to the straight and narrow path which you taught us in a few days lord we will begin thinking of your passion death and resurrection as we enter the season of lent let us thank you spend this few moments now thanking you before we think of your passion and suffering thanking for all that you've done for us everything that we have give us a consciousness deep consciousness that you are our greatest benefactor you are our only benefactor everything have comes from you and if it comes from others it comes because if you have designed it to come to our us things above all our family people who love us so much we thank you for that that means so much gives us meaning gives meaning to our lives you sustained us and sustained this relationship you as a above all you permitted us and taught us to have a special personal relationship with you to understand that you the you and the father are one and to have special relationship to god to the father relationship to the holy spirit whom we receive ask him to stay in us strengthening us we are hopefully getting out of the pandemic soon lord even there are every now ups and downs and numbers we hope we are seeing the end of this crisis difficulty challenge but also blessing because it came in your providence talk to the lord tell me your anxieties tell him what you desire ask him for peace in your person in your home in your parish in our city our country and the world join me now in the words of the psalmist once again asking for his protection always join me in the words of psalm 91 we also used it this morning at mass open the bibles you have at home and don't just say the psalm but pray the psalm with me we are asking for god's protection we are thanking god and asking to stay with us always if you live in the shelter of elion and make your home in the shadow of shaddai you can say to yahweh my refuge my fortress my god in whom i trust he rescues you from the snares of fowlers hoping to destroy you he covers you with his feathers and you find shelter underneath his wings you need not fear the terrors of night the arrow that flies in the day time the plague that stalks in the dark the scourge that wreaks heaven havoc in broad daylight though a thousand fall at your side ten thousand at your right side and you yourself will remain unscaled with his faithfulness for shield and buckle you have only to look around to see how the wicked are repaid you who can say yahweh my refuge make alien your fortress no disaster can overtake you no play come near your tent he will put you in his need angel's charge to guard you wherever you go they will support you on their hands in case you hurt your foot against a stone you will tread on lion and adder trampled on savage lions and dragons i rescue all who cling to me i protect whoever knows my name i answer everyone who invokes me i am with them when they are in trouble i bring them safety and honor i give them life long and full show them how i can save let us now once again adore the lord pray to him to bless us bring him to him your needs ask him to protect us from the coronavirus pray for all your dear ones pray for those who are sick pray that the diagnosis might be right the medication effective and the recovery quick pray for those in hospital pray for the doctors and nurses as we approach lent pray for your priests parish priest assistance pray for the religious helping in your parish pray in a very special day for your own family mother father children parents grandchildren grandparents all those so close to you part of your family ask the lord to come into their homes too invite them on there we invite him on their behalf as we look at the blessed sacrament invite you to join me now in the litany of the blessed sacrament lord have mercy lord have mercy christ have mercy christ have mercy lord have mercy lord have mercy christ hear us christ graciously hear us god the father of heaven have mercy on us god the son redeemer of the world have mercy on us god the holy spirit have mercy on us holy trinity one god have mercy on us jesus eternal high priest of the eucharistic sacrifice have mercy on us jesus divine victim on the altar for our salvation have mercy on us jesus hidden under the appearance of bread have mercy on us jesus dwelling in the tabernacles of the world have mercy on us jesus really truly substantially present in the blessed sacrament have mercy on us jesus abiding in your fullness body blood soul and divinity have mercy on us jesus bread of angels have mercy on us jesus with us always until the end of the world have mercy on us sacred host summit and source of all worship and christian life have mercy on us sacred hosts sign and cause of the unity of the church have mercy on us sacred hosts adored by countless angels have mercy on us sacred hosts spiritual food have mercy on us sacred host sacrament of love have mercy on us sacred host bond of charity have mercy on us sacred host greatest aid to holiness have mercy on us greatest sacred host gift and glory of the priesthood have mercy on us sacred host in which we partake of christ have mercy on us sacred hosts in which the soul is filled with grace have mercy on us sacred hosts in which we are given a pledge of future glory have mercy on us for those who do not believe in your eucharistic presence have mercy on us for those who are indifferent to the sacrament of your love have mercy on us those who offended you in the sacrament of the altar have mercy on us lamb of god you take away the sins of the world spare us o lord lamb of god you take away the sins of the world graciously hear us o lord lamb of god you take away the sins of the world have mercy on us o lord with sacrament most holy o sacrament divine all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment die let us pray most merciful father you continue to draw to yourself to the eucharistic ministry us and all the world grant us fervent faith in the sacrament of love in which christ the lord himself is contained offered and received we make this prayer through christ our lord amen bow now before the blessed sacrament profoundly adore him talk to him before we have the benediction [Music] this is [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] glory is [Music] is is [Music] let us pray oh god who in this wonderful sacrament has left us a memorial of your passion grant as we beseech you so to venerate the sacred mysteries of your body and blood that we may ever experience within us the fruit of your redemption who lives and reigns god forever and ever [Music] the divine praises all together bless be god bless peace holy name bless you jesus christ to god and through man blessed be the name of jesus bless peace sacred heart bless be his most precious blood blessing jesus is the most holy sacrament of the altar blessed be the holy spirit the paraclete bless be the great mother of god mary most holy lesbian holy and immaculate conception blessed be her glorious assumption bless you the name of mary virgin and mother blessing joseph the most chaste spouse blessed be god and his angels and in his saints [Music] foreign [Music] my [Music] oh oh [Music] will [Applause] [Music] never is [Music] [Applause] oh [Music] all this [Music] [Music] this time [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Archdiocese of Bombay

Views: 5,998

Keywords: archdiocese of bombay, archdiocese of mumbai, mumbai, india, pope francis, cardinal oswald gracias, catholic, church, jesus christ, bombay diocese, journeying together in faith, catechesis, youth, love, holy eucharist, 125 years, I am catholic I am alive

Id: _rz5xhU0r4g

Length: 56min 27sec (3387 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 27 2022