Expressing shock over the death of Father Stan Swamy, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), said that he single-mindedly worked for the poor despite challenges.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of Bombay and President of CBCI, in a statement, said: “Fr Stan worked tirelessly for the underprivileged and downtrodden, giving them a sense of dignity and upliftment. I witnessed his dedication to the exploited tribals. This work had its own challenges, but Fr Stan worked single-mindedly for the poor.”
He said Fr Stan’s arrest was very painful. “Under the Indian criminal law, one is innocent until proven guilty. Fr Stan’s case did not even come up for hearing. We were eagerly waiting for the case to be taken up and the truth to come out,” he said.
“I do hope that the truth will come out soon and his name will be cleared of all criminal conspiracy. We pray that God reward him for his good work. May his soul rest in peace,” he added.