Albano, Regina Apostolorum, 13 January 1972

To His Excellency Msgr. A.R.

Archbishop of Pondicherry

Venerable Lord,

As Your Excellency knows, I have directed the Holy Congre gation for the Eastern Church for nearly twenty-five years, and

one of my most cherished memories is the journey I made to

your beloved country in 1953. I have always held a keen interest

in your great nation, but even more so after I visited it. It was

thus with a very special pleasure that I accompanied His

Holiness Pope Paul VI to the International Eucharistic Con

gress in Bombay.

On that occasion, the Holy Father expressed the wish tocome in contact with representatives of your country's main

religious movements, and I know, Excellency, that he was

given a biography of Sri Aurobindo.

It is in fact in connection with the Sri Aurobindo Ashram inPondicherry that I am taking the liberty of writing Your

Excellency. I am sure you are aware of the reputation it has

earned beyond India's borders; I have been following its work

and achievements for years. Recently, I was told of the difficul

ties encountered by those in charge of the Ashram in regard to

the proposed creation of a university - a project expressly

favored by the Indian Government; some Catholic students, in

conjunction with a few priests, are displaying a strong opposi

tion to this project.

I therefore request Your Excellency kindly to use hisauthority to avoid any incident that, at all events, would

be highly detrimental to the harmony that His Holiness Pope

Paul VI so much desires, in accord with the rules laid down by

the Ecumenical Council Vatican II.

With gratitude, I remain, Venerable Lord,

respectfully and faithfully yours,

Signed: Eugene Card. Tisserand