Every year, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, makes it a point to celebrate Christmas with a specific group that has been relegated to the margins of society.
In the past, the Cardinal has celebrated Christmas with the tribal community, the slum dwellers who lost their houses in a major fire, the rag pickers, to name a few. This year, His Eminence celebrated Christmas with the Dalit Community from the Cheetah Camp area of Trombay, Mumbai. The 88 people from 21 families were hosted at Archbishop’s House, on the morning of Christmas Day. The Cardinal welcomed them, blessed them and led them in prayer. He played games with the children and then gifted the families a hamper filled with goodies, in addition to a cash gift.
The joy of Christmas was tangibly present, as the families departed with smiles on their faces knowing that they would be able to celebrate this day in a special way in their homes, and with the other members of their families.
Press Office
Archdioceses of Bombay