Stating that his visit to India was “prayer, pilgrimage, and pastoral,” the Archbishop of Canterbury – leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion – took time to encourage political leaders to maintain the country’s commitment to religious freedom.

On Sept.9 after celebrating a service in Kolkata’s Saint Paul’s Cathedral – belonging to the Church of North India, an Anglican province – Archbishop Justin Welby said that India “has the incredible tradition of diversity of faiths within its history and in its ancient civilization.”

Speaking to journalists in the bishop’s house, Welby noted the Indian constitution “provides for all freedom of religion and belief.”

“So it is deeply in the law… it is deeply in the culture…. And as a religious leader, I would want to encourage all political and religious leaders to seek fairly the maintenance” of religious freedom, he said in response to a question from The Telegraph, a Kolkata-based newspaper.

“Christians in India have a tradition of 2,000 years,” Welby said. “India has the great heritage in history,” he continued. “The values guaranteed in the sections dealing with freedom of religion and belief were essential for the country to flourish in future.”

At the same time, the Anglican leader said he came to India “not as a political leader but as a religious leader.”

“I am here to pray with the Christians, to learn about the ancient churches of this country, to learn about Christianity in India and share the experiences with the Christians,” Welby said.

An interfaith prayer for peace and harmony was held at the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata on September 10, commonly known as ‘Inspira-tion Day.’

Father Francis Sunil Rosario, director of Diocesan Commission for Dialogue and Ecumenism, said on Sept. 10 is a historic day as it was on that day Mother Teresa received special inspiration to start her mission for the dying destitute.

The inspiration gradually led to the birth of the Missionaries of Charity. This year, the day also coincided with Muslim festival of Muharram.

Abp Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta and Missionaries of Charity superior general Mary Prema, lighted lamps around the Mother Teresa’s tomb inside the chapel.

Representatives of various faith communities also joined in lighting the lamps.

O P Shah of the Forum for Peace said, “Peace is much desirable and urgently required.” All saints, he noted, had worked for peace and all have to work hard for promoting peace.

He said throughout her life, Mother Teresa preached equity and justice to promote peace.

Irfan Sher, a Muslim leader, spoke on the significance of Muharram in building peace. He gave a biblical interpretation to the celebration of Muharram.

Pritpal Singh Bedi, a Sikh, said all religions have the same DNA. With his team, he rendered a devotional song on peace.

The prayer meeting also heard two persons sharing “miracles” experienced through the intercession of Mother Teresa.

Abp D’Souza said Mother Teresa must be glad to see the reflection on peace by representatives of various faiths.

The Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh has decided to pay Rs 5,000 as monthly honorarium to pastors, evoking strong reaction from the BJP.

The minorities welfare department has asked all district collectors to enumerate the pastors through village volunteers and submit a report within 15 days.

An order was issued on August 27 mentioning that providing honorarium to pastors was one of the promises made in the manifesto regarding Christian minorities. It also says that no survey on the number of pastors had been made so far in Andhra Pradesh.

The YSR Congress Party had promised honorarium to pastors during the election campaign in March-April.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that the victory of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the up-coming polls was certain and all efforts would be taken to ensure that Republican Party of India (Athawale) or RPI (A) candidates emerge victorious.

The Republican Party of India (Athawale), led by Union minister RamdasAthawale, is an ally of the BJP-Sena alliance. Fadnavis was speaking at a rally organized by Ramdas Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader of Maharashtra, in Mumbai.

Victory of the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the upcoming polls is certain and all efforts would be taken to ensure RPI (A) candidates emerge victorious, he said.

Fadnavis said the claim of the opposition that the BJP plans to change the Constitution and end the system of reservations in jobs and education was not true. “The Constitution is the Bhagavad Gita, Bible, and Quran for us. When leaders like Ramdas Athawale are with us, no one can think of changing the Constitution,” he said.

The Universal Solidarity Movement (USM) of Indore honoured Sister Baskalin of Maharashtra as the best principal and Avaya Tripati of West Bengal as the best teacher on Sept. 4.

The USM instituted the two awards in 2007 for fostering the memory of Sister Louise Josephine who had promoted value education for peace as an ambassador of USM. After her retirement from formal teaching in schools, she crisscrossed the country with great passion, to animate young students and teachers, especially in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

Police have begun investigating a Catholic bishop accused of conspiring to sell off prime church property, causing financial loss to his diocese in southern India.

A lower court in Karnataka State asked police to investigate a charge of criminal breach of trust against Bishop Anthony Swamy Thomasappa of Chikmagalur and his former vicar general, Father Shantha Raj.

Officials of St Joseph Education Society, which functions under the diocese, have been complaining since April that the bishop and Father Raj conspired to take ownership of two plots of land worth 180 million rupees (US$2.4 million) and sold them off at a cheaper value.

The Pilar Monastery Church in Goa has released a gold plated coin to mark the 150 the birth anniversary of Venerable Agnelo D’Souza. Retired Bishop Alex Dias of Port Blair, a member of the Pilar society, released the memento on September 11 in the presence of devotees of the saintly priest

“The celebrations to mark the year began on January 21, at the birth place of the venerable and will conclude on November 20, on his 92nd death anniversary,” the prelate said.