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Indonesia: On the eve of the presidential vote Widodo changes the name of Christian festivals

On the eve of the presidential and parliamentary vote in Indonesia – the most populous Muslim nation in the world – in a climate marked by protests over the “interventionism” of the outgoing leader Joko Widodo in favour of Prabowo Subianto, there is a small but significant change for Christians. In fact, with presidential decree […]

Beijing and the Holy See: Positive signs tempered by heavy silence

As I write the Chinese New Year, the high point of the year, is being celebrated at home and overseas. It is the year of the dragon, which among the twelve animals of the horoscope is the strongest and most loved: it is to be believed that many Chinese women will want to have a […]

Half a million Catholics in India petition government for better living conditions

Hundreds of thousands of Indian Catholics are petitioning the government to improve living conditions there. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Congress presented Kerala state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with the petition late last month after a major signature campaign, one meant to address what the congress described as “unprecedented crises” facing the Christian community there. Vijayan “was […]

Church-run schools in India told to remove Christian symbols

A Hindu group has given an ultimatum to Christian schools in India’s north-eastern Assam state to rid themselves of all Christian symbols including religious habits and cassocks. Satya Ranjan Borah, president of the Hindu outfit Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (family safety council) said the move aims to stop Christian missionaries from using schools for conversion activities. […]

India’s bishops: ‘Attacks on Christians now common’

A body bringing together India’s Latin Catholic, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara bishops deplored Wednesday increasing attacks on the country’s Christian minority. In a six-page statement issued Feb. 7, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) ex-pressed alarm at rising intolerance in Indian society and political life. It said: “Attacks on Christians continue to increase in different […]

Minorities slam Indian state’s new uniform civil code

Christian and Muslim leaders have disapproved of the passing of a polarising and contentious uniform civil code by a pro-Hindu government in a northern Indian state. The Uniform Civil Code Bill was passed after two days of debate on Feb. 7 by the Uttarakhand state assembly through a voice vote amidst chanting of ‘Jai Sri […]

Amid arrests of Indian priests and nun, bishop calls for ‘storming of heaven’

After the recent arrests of priests and a nun in India on charges that they violated the Hindu-majority country’s “anti-conversion” laws, a Catholic bishop has sent out an appeal “to storm heaven with prayers.” Bishop Ignatius D’Souza of Bareilly in the Archdiocese of Agra issued a “prayer request” on social media Feb. 7. “I request […]

Karnataka’s first Syro-Malabar diocese celebrates silver jubilee

Option for the poor and the marginalized is the only mission of the Syro-Malabar Church in India, asserted Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil while inaugurating the silver jubilee celebration of Belthangady diocese in Karnataka. Belthangady is the first Syro-Malabar diocese in the southern Indian state, created in 1999, that caters to the migrated Catholics from Kerala. […]