Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)

Mangaluru, Feb 25: Bishop of Mangaluru, Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza has condemned the statement by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat that 'conversion' was the real motive behind Mother Teresa's service to the poor and the downtrodden.

Mother Theresa had devoted her life to the service of the poor, downtrodden, leprosy patients and the destitutes. She was the recipient of Nobel Peace Prize and Bharat Ratna award. She is considered as blessed and is likely to be canonized as a saint soon, a press note from the Bishop's House stated.

The bishop said, "Mohan Bhagwat had said that the Mother served the poor in order to convert them to Christianity. The statement made by Mohan Bhagwat is an insult to the soul of the Mother whose service is considered as an example for others to emulate."

The bishop said that the statement will not be tolerated by any religion in India. "Nobody can achieve anything by such irresponsible statements. It has hurt me and all the Catholics in the diocese," he said.

He urged for the condemnation and arrest of those who hurled stones at the statues of Mother Mary and Infant Jesus at St Joseph Vaz prayer centre at Panir on February 24 night. He also requested the government and the police to provide additional security to places of worship.