“Called to Serve” the international edition of the autobiography of the Cardinal Oswald Gracias was released on 30 August, 2022 at an event celebrating Asia’s six new cardinals.
Cardinal Oscar Maradiaga, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa in Honduras and Coordinator of the Council of Cardinal released the book, Called to Serve, the autobiographical work chronicling the life of Cardinal Gracias.
Speaking on the Occasion Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments complimented Cardinal Gracias for his immense contribution to the Universal Church especially as a respected confidante of the Pope Francis on Council of Cardinals.
Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church and Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop of the Malankara Church felicitated Cardinal Gracias, who celebrates both his golden jubilee of priesthood, and his silver jubilee of episcopal ordination, honoured him with an Indian shawl, icon, and plaque.
New Asian Cardinals were felicitated by Cardinal Gracias. In reference to the upcoming General Conference of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, Cardinal Gracias said that the entire Church in Asia will take a step forward in responding to their call to serve.
Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão replying on behalf of the new Cardinals thanked Cardinal Gracias and said they would work with commitment in the service of the Church according to the vision of Pope Francis.
The event was attended by many newly-created Cardinals, both from Asia and elsewhere. The other dignitaries present included Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, Prefect Dicastery for Clergy, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of München und Freising, Germany, Cardinal Vincent Gerard Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, England, Great Britain, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, S.D.B, Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar, Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, Indonesia, Cardinal Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda, Japan, Cardinal Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, Laos, Cardinal Joseph Coutts, Pakistan, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Cardinal Kriengsak Kovitvanit, Bangkok, Thailand, Cardinal Virgilio Do Carmo Da Silva, East Timor, Abp Peter Machado of Bangalore, Bp. Joseph Thykattil of Gwalior and Bp. Thomas Vazhappilly, Bishop Emeritus of Mysore.
The officials of the Vatican Curia, the Indian Generals of the Religious Congregations in Rome, the close relatives of the new Cardinals, the officials of the Indian Priests in Rome attended the program.
- with inputs from Stephen Alathara, India
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