Amritsar, January 1
Extending heartiest greetings of prosperity and joy in 2023 to the masses, the Rev Dr P K Samantaroy, Bishop, Diocese of Amritsar (DoA), Church of North India (CNI), urged them to follow the path of righteousness and peace in the new year for their own good as well as that of their fellow human beings. He also condoled the demise of Pope Benedict XVI.
Terming righteousness and peace as integral to the dispensation of justice, Bishop Samantaroy, while addressing gatherings at the New Year church services, said that the society needed these three virtues to develop a sense of mutual understanding and security, which were the absolute need of the hour.
“The world today is in dire need of peace, which, according to The Holy Bible, results from a righteous lifestyle. Righteous living also brings the calm and security that the world needs. Therefore, we should strive to adopt a righteous lifestyle for our own good and for the welfare of our fellow human beings,” he said.
Stating that there was a lot the world could learn from the life of Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Samantaroy termed him as ‘an honest and bold leader’, who voluntarily abdicated his position on the ground that he was not in the best of mental and physical form to continue. “I was personally, spiritually blessed by his teachings. He often referred to Jesus as a ‘friend’, who takes away our burdens and fears. This has been very useful to me as a bishop to deal with my own fears,” he said.
Expressing his condolences to the Roman Catholic Church at Pope Benedict XVI’s demise, Bishop Samantaroy said that the former pontiff would be remembered as an outstanding theologian, who emphasized rediscovering and following fundamental Biblical values and abstaining from indulging in mindless consumerism, which at some point leads to conflict.
