Celebrated quizmaster, author, and parliamentarian Derek O’Brien was conferred the Pride of the Community Honour 2025 award at a special ceremony held at the Anglo-Indian Bishop’s School, Pune. More than 600 members of the Anglo-Indian community attended the October 17 function. The award honours exemplary individuals of Anglo-Indian heritage who have made significant contributions to Indian society. O’Brien, currently serving as a Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and parliamentary leader of the All India Trinamool Congress, was recognized for his decades-long impact in public life, education, and media. The award places him in distinguished company, with past recipients including Olympic hockey legend Leslie Claudius and author Ruskin Bond, of Anglo-Indian excellence in sport and literature.

The Diocese of Agartala and the Church in India celebrate the 45th anniversary of the sacerdotal ordination of Bishop Lumen Monteiro, C.S.C., D.D., who was ordained a priest on October 28, 1980, and has since emerged as one of the most respected pastoral and missionary leaders in Northeast India, serving the Church not only in Tripura but also through major national ecclesial commissions.  A priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Bishop Monteiro became the first Bishop of Agartala when Pope St. John Paul II erected the diocese on January 11, 1996, and later consecrated him as its shepherd on May 26, 1996. With the episcopal motto “Duc in Altum — Lead Us Onward,” he undertook the formidable task of building the local Church in Tripura from the ground up during a time of social unrest and limited resources.

Tens of thousands of Catholics from across India gathered in Kerala for the Kreupasanam (Seat of Grace) Rosary Rally, one of the country’s largest Marian processions, held with a powerful call for world peace and unity within families. The rally began at the Kreupasanam Jubilee Mission Church in Kalavoor and concluded at St Andrew’s Basilica in Arthunkal, drawing an estimated 100,000 pilgrims. It was inaugurated at Mararikulam Beach by Bishop James Raphael Anaparambil of the Diocese of Alappuzha, who later presided over the Holy Mass. Pilgrims walked in prayerful procession with the Rosary, united in devotion to Our Lady and interceding for harmony, peace and healing in families and the world.

Posts celebrating interfaith harmony have flooded social media in Kanyakumari district since Sunday, 26 October, after images circulated of Bishop Nazarene Soosai of Kottar Diocese walking alongside members of the Muslim community in the funeral procession of A.S. Hameed, former president of the Inayam Jama’ath. The Bishop joined the procession and walked with his Muslim brothers for about half a kilometre.

A.S. Hameed passed away early on 26 October, and his burial took place that evening. As preparations were underway, Bishop Soosai, accompanied by his assistants, arrived at the residence, where he stood through the final rites conducted at the house. He then joined the funeral procession to the mosque, stood respectfully during the prayers, and remained at the burial site until the ceremony concluded.

Aseem, a resident of Colachel, who shared the event on his Facebook page, wrote: “I spoke to the Bishop while walking in the funeral procession. The Bishop mentioned that their friendship spanned over thirty years, starting when he was the parish priest of Inayam and A.S. Hameed was the president of the Inayam Jama’ath. He added that A.S. Hameed was a close friend who would invite him to his children’s weddings and host him with feasts on festive days.”

In another post, Aseem noted that the Bishop had postponed his evening church programmes to attend the funeral and spend several hours paying tribute to his late friend, describing his gesture as “praiseworthy.” This act of fraternity and mutual respect between the Bishop and his long-time Muslim friend has been widely lauded online, with many praising it as a moving example of religious harmony in the region.

The top court in southern Indian Kerala state has closed a case involving a Catholic school accused of barring a Muslim student from wearing a hijab, after the student’s counsel informed the court that she no longer wished to continue her studies there. Justice V. G. Arun of the Kerala High Court accepted the submission from the girl’s lawyer that she “was not willing to pursue the case as she had made up her mind to leave the school.” School principal Sister Helena Alby of St. Rita’s Public School in Palluruthy, Ernakulam district, welcomed the ruling, saying, “Our stand is vindicated. We were praying for justice.”

The school maintains a strict uniform policy that bars religious attire, and officials said the student’s parents had agreed to the rule at the time of admission in June, Sr Helena Alby said.  She said the parents also give a written undertaking to comply with the school’s codes, including its uniform policy. However, the student reportedly came to school three times in early October wearing a hijab despite repeated reminders to follow the dress code. The issue escalated after local groups, mostly Muslims, entered the campus on Oct. 10, accusing the school of discrimination.

Two days later, the state’s Left Democratic Front government directed the school to permit the student to wear the hijab, a move the school said exceeded the government’s authority since the school is affiliated with the federally administered Central Board of Secondary Education. The court did not examine the merits of the case after the student’s withdrawal, effectively closing the dispute. Political observers said the hijab row may have been politically motivated ahead of next year’s state assembly elections.

Clad in her religious habit and barefoot on the track, Sister Sabina Joseph stunned spectators at the Kerala State Masters Athletics Meet by sprinting past hurdles and competitors. The first-place finish of the member of the Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the 55-plus category on October 22 marked a triumphant return to the sport—decades after her last race.

“I wanted to compete one last time before retiring,” said the 56-year-old native of Ennapara village in Kerala’s Kasaragod district, who will step down next March from her role as a physical education teacher in a Upper Primary School at Dwarka in Wayanad district. “This race was my farewell to the track.” Kerala’s Education Minister V Sivankutty commended Sister Sabina Joseph’s achievement, calling it a symbol of willpower. He said that Sister Sabina’s win shows that age and circumstances are no barriers to achieving goals. He described her dedication as an inspiration to both her students and the public. A former national-level hurdler in her teens, Sister Sabina first made headlines while in ninth grade, later representing her university in intercollegiate meets. Though she shifted focus to teaching after moving to Wayanad in 1993, her athletic spirit never waned.The crowd erupted in cheers as she crossed the finish line. Her performance reminded many of the quiet power of perseverance.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Antony Kattiparambil as the new bishop of Cochin in Kerala. The announcement was made on October 25. Fifty-five-year-old Father Kattiparambil is currently serving as the judicial vicar of the diocese of Cochin. The bishop-elect was born on October 14, 1970, in Mundamveli, as the youngest of seven children of the late Jacob and the late Treesa.

He completed his schooling at St. Louis School, Mundamveli, and his pre-degree course at Aquinas College, Edacochin. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Kerala University and a Bachelor of Philosophy from St. Joseph Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye. The bishop-elect began his priestly formation in 1986 at Mount Carmel Petit Seminary, Fort Cochin, and completed his minor seminary studies in 1990. He pursued philosophical studies at St. Joseph Pontifical Seminary, Alwaye (1990–1993), and later moved to Rome for theological formation at the Collegio Urbano (1993–1998). He completed his theological studies at the Università Urbaniana, Rome (1993–1996), and was ordained a priest on August 15, 1998 by Bishop Joseph Kureethara. He also earned a Licentiate in Biblical Theology from the Università Urbaniana (1996–1998) and a Licentiate in Canon Law from the same university (2013–2016). The Diocese of Cochin has 182,324 Catholics, 134 diocesan priests, 116 religious priests, 545 religious sisters, and 78 parishes.