Amid Indo-Pak tension, Goa Archbishop calls for prayers for 'Mother India'

Panaji, Oct 8 Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, religious leader of Goan Catholics who account for more than a quarter of Goa's population, has appealed for special prayers for peace for "Mother India", especially in the light of simmering hostilities with Pakistan.

"I call upon members of other religious communities in our Archdiocese to join us in praying for our Mother India," Ferrao said in a statement issued here on Saturday.

"Ironically, it (peace) is one of the most eluding goods in today's society. The fragile peace along the Indian border with neighbouring Pakistan is regularly disturbed by exchange of fire and other forms of violence, revealing a simmering state of hostility and suspicion between two countries that otherwise share linguistic, cultural, geographic and even economic links," Ferrao said.

The archbishop said that instructions had been issued to the church and parish networks to conduct special prayers "for one another and for peace in our land".