Thiruvananthapuram: In a heartfelt response to the bail granted to two Malayali Catholic nuns imprisoned in Chhattisgarh, KCBC President and Major Archbishop of the Malankara Catholic Church, Cardinal Mar Baselios Clemis Bava, offered a message of resilience, hope, and divine purpose.
Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, Clemis Bava remarked that the arrest of the nuns was the result of a tragic misunderstanding. “Evangelism is not a crime,” he said firmly. “It is a sign of God’s infinite love for humanity. The Gospel is not imposed; it is shared. To preach the Good News is to obey Christ’s command ‘Go and proclaim the Gospel to all nations.’”
Clemis Bava invoked the legacy of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, saying, “Mother Teresa did not become the beloved of the world through conversions but through compassion. Her mission was love, and that is what evangelism truly is.” He encouraged Christians to stand firm in faith and continue their mission of service, no matter the cost.
“Be missionaries,” he urged. “Wear the robe of a martyr if needed. Lay down your life for truth and mercy. This is not an end, but the beginning of a new phase in our Christian witness a time of trials, yet also of great testimony.”
The Cardinal acknowledged the growing pressures faced by Christian communities in certain parts of the country but reaffirmed that these are times that test commitment, not break it. “This is a period of pain and pressure,” he noted. “But through the cross, we reach resurrection.”
His message comes at a time when Christian missionaries and religious workers across India are facing heightened scrutiny, often accused of conversion without substantial evidence. The arrest and subsequent bail of the two sisters have ignited a national conversation about religious freedom, missionary work, and the constitutional rights to faith and expression.