St Charles Major Seminary that began in the central Indian city of Nagpur with one student and a teacher in a bullock cart 169 years ago has a new rector. Dominican Father Aquin Noronha, a former missionary to South Africa, has been elected to lead the seminary that currently trains priests for 42 dioceses in central and northern Indian dioceses. Father Noronha will assume office in June when the seminary begins its new academic year.
Asian bishops’ former communication secretary dies
Divine World Father Franz Josef Eilers, former executive secretary of the social communication office of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), died on January 13 in Manila, capital of the Philippines. The German missionary to Asia was 89. The death occurred at 2:40 pm local time (12:10 pm India), according to a press note from Salesian Father George Plathottam, the current executive secretary of the FABC Office of Social Communication.
Catholic legislator reprimanded for insulting Indian nun
Kerala Legislative Assembly has reprimanded a Catholic legislator for insulting a Catholic nun after she accused a bishop of raping her. Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan read out a statement on Jan. 22 saying P.C. George acted against a house member’s dignity in his criticism of the nun. George’s criticism and comments “violated the house members’ code of conduct” and lowered ‘the dignity of the members,” the speaker told the house.
Hindu fanatics raze Protestant church in southern India
An under-construction Protestant church in the southern Indian state of Telangana was demolished by a mob of radical Hindus on January 20. Gethsemane Prardana Mandiram (church) in Mahabubabad was attacked by a group of Hindu fanatics headed by a leader named Bura Venakanna, said Pastor Muhammad Afzal Paul.
“Local Christians believe that the main reason for the attack is that there are around 80 churches of different denominations in a radius of 10 kilometres, which the Bajrang Dal [a radical Hindu group] could not accept,” Pastor Levi of the Power of Jesus Fellowship, a Protestant church, told.
“The local administration has stationed some police officers at the church attack site and it is under investigation. The church is very small with about 100 members.
“A Muslim named Muhammad Afzal, who converted to Christianity and who is now known as Pastor Muhammad Afzal Paul, takes care of the attacked church. Christians are terrified but believe that the investigation will have no impact as most probably the officials will ask both parties to compromise.
“The majority of people in Mahabubabad are Hindus. There is a chance that the issue will go in their favour but we have full faith in the system and believe the truth will come out.”
However, Pastor Samuel of Maranatha Prarthana Mandiram, another Protestant church, said these incidents are occasionally reported in the media and attacks on the church are suspected land disputes. “Some vested interest people want to sort out a land dispute and take the law into their hands,” he added.
Indian Baptists urge faithful to ignore Covid vaccine prophesy
A Christian group in the north-eastern Indian state of Nagaland has urged the faithful not to believe a claim by a healing ministry that the Covid-19 vaccine is against the will of God.
The Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC), an association of Baptist Churches in the Christian-majority state, has warned people to ignore such claims.
In a press release issued on Jan. 17, the CBCC clarified that a prophecy made by the Eastern Zion Healing Ministry of Pfutsero claimed that the Covid-19 vaccine is “not the will of God.”
“Such false prophecies are contrary to the Bible and the Christian faith and believers should be careful about alleged divine revelations,” its statement said.
Catholic Bishop James Thoppil of Kohima, the state capital, said Nagaland has several small sects over which Christian churches have no control.
“Most of these sects parted ways from the main churches for various reasons. They are free to give any statements which are not in line with mainline churches,” he said.
“There are many healing and prayer ministries here which claim they are the main church. They sometimes even argue that followers of the Catholic Church are fake Christians, but we don’t pay heed to their claim as it has no meaning.
“The Covid-19 vaccine is intended for all. Let’s not make it a religious issue. People are free to get vaccinated as they wish. The CBCC is an associate church of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council and we support its stand on the issue.”
Church leaders slam violence at Indian farmers’ rally
Church and political leaders in India have condemned a clash between police and farmers that resulted in the death of one farmer and injuries to more than 80 others.
The farmers’ rally in New Delhi on India’s 72nd Republic Day on Jan. 26 became out of control after the protesting farmers clashed with police near the Income Tax Office and Red Fort as police used baton charges and tear gas to disperse them.
“Our solidarity is with the protesting farmers and with the family of the man who lost his life during the protest march due to an accident. We support their demand for a repeal of farm land laws and stand with them,” Father Eugene Perera, secretary of the Indian bishops’ Office for Labour, told UCA News.
“It is very unfortunate that one farmer lost his life and many were injured, including police personnel, and we condemn the avoidable incident. Had the authorities been more alert, things would not have gone out of control.” Farmers have been protesting against bills passed last September, claiming that the laws are anti-farmer and will harm the agricultural sector.
Farmers who have been protesting on the outskirts of the national capital for the last two months say the new laws will deprive them of the minimum support prices that the government assured them for their produce.
India’s Bethany congregation gets first four Tanzanian members
Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany, an Indian catholic religious congregation, on Jan. 23 added four Tanzanians to its fold.
Novices Clara Mariamu, Anitha Fadhila, Bernadeta Nonkondo and Veronica Mamue pronounced the first vows at a function in Divine Mercy Church in Mwanga, a town in northern Tanzania at the foot of the north Pare Mountains.
Sister Rose Celine, superior general of the Mangalore-based congregation, also known as the Bethany Sisters, received the vows from their first Tanzanian members during a Mass officiated by Bishop Rogath Kimaryo of Same.
Local priests joined those from India’s Mangalore diocese who have been working in the diocese of Same for decades concelebrated the Mass.
The ceremony coincided with the 146th birth Anniversary of the congregation’s founder, Servant of God Raymond Francis Camillus Mascarenhas. The gathering of about 300 people danced to the rhythm of Bethany Anthem during the entrance procession according to the custom of the Tanzanian culture.
Also present were Sister Lillita, a general councillor of the congregation, and many other religious sisters.
After the profession, the congregation sang the Magni-ficat, the song Mary from the Bible, thanking God for their gift to Bethany and to the Church.
Sister Celine said the new members are the fruit of the labour of their sisters in Tanzania Mission, which was started in 2013.
Dumka Christians mark Father Stan’s 100 day in prison
Christians in Jharkhand state’s Dumka town on January 15 took out a candle light procession to pray for Jesuit Father Stan Swamy, who has completed 100 days in a Mumbai prison.
They prayed and walked with posters demanding the release of the member of the Jamshedpur Jesuit province.
“We demand his release as he is innocent,” said Daniel Hembrum, a lay leader who joined the procession. We believe he was falsely accused by the vested interested people as he worked for the welfare of the tribals in Jharkhand,”he added.
Hindu radicals storm Catholic media centre in Indore
A group of Hindu hardliners on January 26 stormed a Catholic media centre in the central Indian city of Indore for allegedly conducting religious conversion program.
“By 6 pm, the premises were completely free of the trouble makers and it’s peaceful now,” says a message from Divine Word Father Babu Joseph, director of Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra (Centre for the Light of Truth).
Father Joseph, who was a former public relations officer of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, says things were brought under control with the presence of the police.
Satprakashan Sanchar Kendra, a regional media center, is managed by the Indore province of the Divine Word Society. It broadcast on YouTube channel Radio Veritas Hindi programs, besides training in media and media related masters.
Narrating the day’s incidents, Father Joseph said a group of people were holding their prayer service at the center.
Christians face a climate of fear in six Asian countries
Christians in six Asian countries live under extreme persecution where feudal, oligarchic, authoritarian and theocratic governments call the shots, says the latest report by a Christian advocacy group.
The 2021 World Watch List, compiled by the US-based Christian advocacy group Open Doors, says North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Iran and India are hotbeds of Christian persecution in Asia.
These countries have been occupying positions ranging from first to 10th for global Christian persecution since 2015, according to the report released on Jan. 13.
Christians in these nations are harassed, discriminated against and put to death for their faith because the majority community and authoritarian governments view Christianity as a relic of white privilege and a symbol of Western colonialism, the group said.
Except in North Korea, where the communist party’s diktats run riot, governments in the other five countries are remote-controlled by hardliners and conservatives who fear that Christianity is always susceptible to external influences and use it as a ploy to mobilize the majority against the Christian minority, the report said.
Of late, violence in the form of abduct-ions, forced conversions and sex attacks perpetrated against Christian women go unnoticed and unreported as the governments and law-enforcement agencies, including the legal system, openly appease the majoritarian mob. Less surprisingly, in countries such as Afghanistan, Yemen, India and Pakistan, the fringe elements act as the mainstream and inflict horrific abuses on Christians, the report said.
Christians in the worst-hit Asian countries are holed up in harsh labour camps where forced labour, torture, persecution, starvation, rape, forced abortion and sexual violence have become the order of the day.
Moreover, extrajudicial killings are staged when it suits the fringe elements and governments to enter the good books of the majoritarian mob after molding the political narrative of the country to suit violence.