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Pope elevates Cardinal Gracias’ ‘successor’ in Bombay Archdiocese

Bishop John Rodrigues of Poona has been elevated to coadjutor bishop of Bombay archdiocese, paving the way for him to succeed Cardinal Oswald Gracias in India’s largest diocese. Cardinal Gracias, who turns 80 on Dec 20, is likely to step down as archbishop of Bombay, a diocese with more than half a million followers in […]

Christian youths buried 25 days after being killed in India’s Manipur

The bodies of 12 indigenous Christian youths were laid to rest 25 days after they were killed in India’s sectarian strife-torn Manipur state. Many people turned up on Dec. 5 for a special prayer meeting organized at the Peace Ground at Tuibuong in Churachandpur district, a tribal Christian stronghold in the northeastern state, bordering civil […]

Indian bishops seek action against judge for ‘hate speech’

Catholic bishops have urged India’s lawmakers to act against a high court judge who said the country should be ruled by the wishes of the “majority” Hindus. Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav reportedly delivered the controversial remarks on Dec. 8 at an event organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) at the […]

Indian Catholic lawyer priests, nuns to help persecution victims

The legal cell of Catholic lawyer-priests and nuns has vowed to extend help to Indian minorities, including Christians, as persecution against them increases in India. “We have decided to provide legal help to the victims of atrocities and discrimination from the minority communities, especially Christians, irrespective of their denominational differences,” said Father Bondala Sleeva Raju, […]

Christians slam move to enact anti-conversion law in Indian state

Church leaders and activists have criticized a state government’s decision to enact an anti-conversion law in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan, calling it “politically motivated.” The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)-run government in the state approved the draft for a tough new law to prevent so-called “forced religious conversions” in the state. The draft bill, […]

India’s top court tells warring church factions to share properties

India’s top court has told the warring factions in the Oriental Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch to share all public amenities at disputed Church properties in a southern state until a solution to the row can be found. The government in Kerala is finding it difficult to implement a 2017 apex court order that awarded […]

Archbishop condemns attack on Hindu seer’s statue in India

An archbishop has conde-mned an attack on a revered Hindu seer’s statue in a south-ern Indian state. “We have learned through media reports of the unfortunate and deeply disturbing incident of the defacement and vandalization of the statue of the late Shivakumara Swamiji in Girinagar in Banga-lore,” Archbishop Peter Ma-chado of Bangalore said in a […]

Indian pastor, four others arrested for alleged conversion

Five Christians, including a pastor, have been arrested in a northern Indian state under a sweeping anti-conversion law after hardline Hindu activists objected to their holding a Sunday prayer meeting. Police in Uttar Pradesh on Dec. 8 arrested Pastor Vineet, his wife Payal, who were both identified by a single name, and three others, who […]