Christmas: A Call to Truth, Transparency, and Ethical Living – Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha
Mangaluru: The Bishop of the Mangaluru Diocese, Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, celebrated Christmas in a spirit of sharing and caring with journalists at the Bishop’s House, Kodialbail, on December 23.
The programme began with an invocation by PRO Fr J. B. Saldanha, followed by a welcome address by Msgr Maxim Noronha.
The Christmas cake was cut by Bishop Dr Peter Paul Saldanha along with other dignitaries on the dais.
Addressing the gathering, the Bishop extended warm greetings to members of the media and reflected on the deeper message of Christmas.
“This sacred occasion of the Christmas feast reminds us of the eternal message of love, peace, and humanity that Jesus Christ brought into this world. It offers us a unique opportunity to reaffirm the values of truth, justice, and harmonious coexistence in society,” he said.
Highlighting the growing challenges in contemporary society, the Bishop expressed concern over the rise in violence, deceit, misinformation, and mutual distrust. He noted that the erosion of truth, justice, and harmony in the public sphere poses a serious threat to the nation’s future. Fundamental rights such as personal privacy, dignity of life, and religious freedom, he said, appear to be increasingly under threat, while divisions based on caste, religion, community, and social status continue to deepen. He also lamented the growing number of innocent people falling prey to fraud and deception.
In this context, Bishop Saldanha said the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ serves as a special call to every citizen and institution. “It is a call to foster mutual respect, safeguard the dignity of every person, eradicate falsehood, injustice, and corruption, choose peace and dialogue over violence, and strengthen the unity of society,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of ethical values, the Bishop stated that safeguarding truth, transparency, and integrity is not merely a legal obligation but a foundational pillar for the future of society. He stressed that ordinary citizens, elected representatives, governments, and administrative institutions must cultivate integrity in personal and public life, transparency in governance, justice in decision-making, and people-centred accountability in implementation. Along with protecting fundamental and constitutional rights, efforts must be made to strengthen fraternity among all sections of society.
“For the nation to progress peacefully and achieve genuine development, upholding ethics, transparency, and truth must remain the foremost duty of every institution and every citizen. Development can be truly inclusive only when every individual is treated with respect and dignity,” he added.
Expressing hope for the Jubilee Year 2025, Bishop Saldanha said, “May this Christmas bring peace to our nation, harmony to our society, ethical renewal to public life, and a renewed sense of hope to every citizen. May the light of love, truth, and peace shine not only in our hearts and homes, but also in public systems, institutions, and national decision-making. Light dispels darkness, love conquers hatred, and peace drives away fear—may this truth be ours.”
He concluded by extending Christmas and New Year greetings to all and invoking God’s blessings upon the people of the land.
Secretary of Mangalore Diocesean Pastoral Council John D’Silva delivered the vote of thanks, Fr Roopesh Madtha compered the Programme.
PRO Roy Castelino and Media Coordinator Elias Fernandes were also present.
