Karnataka United Christians Forum for Human Rights

BANGALORE, June 24, 2009, 10.00 Hrs (Fr. Adolf Washington / CBCI News):

The churches in Karnataka, Bishops and leaders of various Christian denominations, came together under the banner of Karnataka United Christians Forum for Human Rights (KUCFHR) at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Bangalore June 19.
The host, CSI Bishop Rt. Rev. Vasanth Kumar greeted and welcomed the gathering of 8 Catholic Bishops of Karnataka, delegates representing the leaders of the Methodist, Orthodox, Jacobite, Believer’s Church, Federation of Christian Churches and independent churches. Secretary of the Karnataka regional commission for ecumenism and dialogue Fr. Ronnie Prabhu and PRO of the Church in Karnataka Fr. Faustine Lobo steered the discussions and presentations.

Archbishop Bernard Moras under whose initiative the Forum was started, addressing the gathering of over 200 participants from various Christian denominations said “God has the power to bring good even from evil. The formation of this forum is a testimony to that. The attacks on churches, religious personnel, priests, nuns and pastors that took place in September 2008 prompted church leaders to think of ways and means to arrest this violation of our right to worship and proclaim our faith. It was in this common suffering that we strongly felt the need for a forum consisting of leaders and members from various Christian denominations that could make a common representation of our grievances to the authorities concerned.

We were concerned about the gross violations of our basic human right to peacefully worship and proclaim our faith.” Archbishop Moras added “ While the immediate purpose of us trying to start a forum was the attacks on Christians, we felt we should go further and make the Forum a platform where we could identify what is common among us and come together for common activity, even reaching out to the less fortunate and underprivileged of society”. Archbishop Moras who is also the Chairman of the Karnataka Region Bishops Council, said, “The attacks on our churches have only increased our faith and brought us together. We have heard remarks of some political leaders say Karnataka will become a second Gujarat, but nothing shall prevail against the unity of the Church”.

The Forum will have as its patrons the Catholic Archbishop of Bangalore Archdiocese, The CSI Bishop and the Methodist Bishop. The General Body will consist of members representing all the various denominations including two members from each of the eleven Catholic dioceses in Karnataka.

A Common Minimum Programme of the Forum included suggested methods of proclaiming the faith and coming together for common activity wherever possible. Among the stipulations were regulations on the manner of proclaiming. Allurements, forcible conversions and inducements of any kind to convert people were discouraged by the forum.

Bishops Rev. Thomas Vazhapilly,Rev. T Antonyswamy (Chickmagalur), Rev. Derek Fernandes, Rev. Robert Miranda, Rev. Gerald Lobo, Rev. Lawrence Mukuzhy, Rev. Peter Machado, Pastor Shadrack (Methodist Church), Rev. Yesu Prasad (Believer’s Church) Dr. K T Thomas (FCCO), Fr. M V Paulose (Orthodox Church) were among the leaders who represented their churches and dioceses.