Victor Henry Thakur
Archibishop of Raipur & President
It is my privileged joy as the President of the Raipur Diocesan Social Welfare Society (RDSWS), the Social Development wing of the Archdiocese, to write this message on the occasion of the publication of its Annual Report for the year 2023-2024. Going through the report I find that the RDSWS has been engaged in various social welfare activities in transforming and empowering thousands of communities of marginalized and rural poor in Chhattisgarh.
My deep appreciation and thanks to all the members of the RDSWS team for their deep commitment, dedication and hard work for the integral development of the impoverished people. This was made possible only because of the cooperation and support from all our donors and partners. I extend my heartiest congratulations and implore God's abundant blessings upon them all.
The social responsibility is fundamental to the life and mission of the Church. Therefore, it is important to ensure that it is exercised in accordance with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am happy to see that the RDSWS is making a positive difference by empowering those denied of human dignity and equal rights, especially women and children with the integral and sustainable development goals.
Thus, it proclaims and bears witness to faith, as Pope Francis makes it clear that "An authentic faith - which is never comfortable or completely personal - always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it." (EG, 183)
The RDSWS is called to be "an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor and for enabling them to be fully a part of society" (EG, 187). It envisages a holistic model of development by encouraging a "culture of care" which goes beyond human life and encompasses Creation by generating awareness of the sacredness of creation and "to devise larger strategies to halt environmental degradation" (Laudato Si 231).
I thank sincerely from the core of my heart to all concerned, particularly Rev. Fr. Vinod Kumar Anant, Director, the staff, all our partners, donor agencies, volunteers, friends, collaborators and well-wished who support us in our efforts to bring joy and hope to the poor and marginalized brothers and sisters in Chhattisgarh.
May God continue to bless us and the RDSWS.
Victor Henry Thakur Archibishop of Raipur & President