Hyderabad :

Although the Catholic community in the country is in a minority, it has contributed enormously to the development of the nation on all fronts, former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma has said.

To commemorate the 300 years of Catholic faith in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, a grand ceremony was organised by Catholic Reddy Association (CRA) at Loyola Academy here on Sunday. It was in 1715 that the Telugu Catholic faith had begun when Thumma Hanumantha Reddy of Anantapur was baptised by French Jesuit Fr Le Gac. Addressing a large gathering of Catholics, Sangma said the educational institutions run by the community had produced some of the greatest minds in the country in all fields. “Be it politics, industry or bureaucracy, the people who matter the most to this country are proud products of Catholic educational institutions,” he remarked referring to some top names including BJP leader LK Advani.

He requested the central and state governments to accord minority status to all Catholics and Christians in the country. To take up the issues of community in Parliament, he said, the Christian MPs Forum in Delhi would be revived.

Union minister of state for labour and employment Bandaru Dattareya he would strive to protect minority communities as per the constitutional rights provided to them. “Only when there is harmony between peoples of different faiths can the country surge ahead with development. Each community representing a faith should respect and protect other faiths,” he said.

CRA president Gopu Bala Reddy said the Catholic community believed in service and not in conversion. He sought both AP and Telangana governments to extend SC status to Dalit Christians and Muslims besides providing space for burial grounds and extending old-age pension scheme to Catholic fathers and nuns.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Express News Service / January 12th, 2015