India: "Catholics promise the new Pope their love and obedience"

19 April, 2005
INDIA-VATICAN

India (AsiaNews) -- All of India's 16 million Catholics promise the new Pontiff their love and obedience. This is what John Dayal, president of the All India Catholic Union told AsiaNews by telephone just minutes after the papal election of Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI. "I have never met Benedict XVI," he said, "but I have studied his writings and am sure that his election will be of great benefit to the Catholic Church in India."

Mr Dayal has no doubt about Benedict XVI's commitment to Asia. "He is a man who had always been close to the late John Paul II. I am certain that he shares the the previous Pope's idea that Asia is the Catholic challenge for the third millennium."

Catholics in India followed the election of the new Pope via cable television and Internet. "We had arranged shifts," Dayal explained, "to keep watch over live television coverage and Internet sites. As for me, I was glued to the t.v.".