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Calls grow for recognition of Sarna religion in India

Demands for official recognition of the Sarna tribal religion have intensified in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand after Hindu groups took soil from sacred Sarna sthals to use in the construction of a temple in Ayodhya. Some 32 tribal organizations plan to boycott next year’s national census if their demand for recognition of the […]

The Spaniard who sought the soul of India

When Jesuit Father George Gispert Sauch died on July 29 in Bombay, India’s secular media completely ignored the fact that this 90-year old from Spain spent more than 70 years working for interreligious dialogue in the country. He himself articulated it so well: “The relations between the followers of the many world religions and even […]

Marian hymn sung by archbishop goes viral

A Marian hymn sung by a Catholic arch-bishop in Kerala, southern India, has become a hit on social media platforms. “This is the first time in the history of the Indian Church that an archbishop has sung in a studio for a Christian album,” says Father John Puthuva, who wrote the lyric for ”Japamaala Kayyil” […]

Indian tribal Catholic joins UN climate initiative

An Indian tribal Catholic woman is among seven young climate leaders selected by United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres to advise him on the global climate crisis. Archana Soreng, who hails from Odisha State in eastern India, was chosen on July 27 to advise the UN on accelerating global action to tackle climate change.

Bishop D’Silva calls for social reintegration of prisoners

Bishop Allwyn D’Silva, chair-man of Prison Ministry India (PMI), has advo-cated for the dignity and real social integration of prisoners. The auxiliary bishop of Bombay made this appeal on August 2 when the Catholic Church in India marks Prison Ministry Sunday. For the occasion this year, Bishop D’Silva issued a pastoral letter advocating for the […]

Squads ensure Christian burial for Kerala pandemic victims

As fear and confusion persist about burying Covid-19 victims in some parts of India, the Kerala-based Syro-Malabar Church has formed squads to give a dignified burial to people dying from the pandemic. As Covid-19 began to claim lives in the southern Indian state, several burials led to disputes as ill-informed villagers opposed burials, fearing the […]

Church officials wary about India’s new education policy

The Indian government has released an ambitious education policy aiming to transform the country’s learning system to match global standards, gene-rating mixed reactions from church officials. The federal cabinet approved the National Education Policy 2020 on July 29, replacing a 34-year policy. The policy was in the making for more than six years and the […]

Indian diocese holds cremations in Catholic cemeteries

A funeral pyre in a Catholic cemetery is usually unimaginable in India, where Christians prefer burial to dispose of the bodies of their community members. Contrary to this belief and centuries-old practice, a Catholic diocese in southern India has decided to cremate Covid-19 victims in parish cemeteries, indirectly adopting a Hindu way of disposing of […]