From The States

Father Sahaya Thatheus Appointed Bishop of Simla- Chandigarh‍

Pope Francis has appointed Father Sahaya Thatheus Thomas (54), Rector of Holy Trinity Major Seminary, Jalandhar, as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Simla-Chandigarh. The announcement was made on Saturday, 12 April 2025. At the same time, the Holy Father accepted the resignation of Bishop Ignatius L

Karnataka bishops appoint first woman official

The Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops’ Council has created history by appointing two laypeople to head its co-mmission for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes. Arch-bishop Peter Machado of Ban-galore, the council president, on April 7 announced the appointment of Isabella Selvaraj Xavier as the commi-ssion’s joint secretary, the first woman to hold the post. […]

Indian Salesian priest who championed Dalit rights dies

Father Arul Valan, a Salesian priest who led a movement for the rights of a Dalit or former untouchable community in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has died at 54. Valan, who co-founded the Thurumbar Liberation Movement along with Sister Alphonsa, died of a heart attack on April 8, Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) […]

Church hails Indian court ruling on education institutions

Catholic officials have welcomed a ruling by the top court in Tamil Nadu state, in southern India, reaffirming the autonomy of higher education institutions run by religious minority groups.”We are very happy that the high court has rightly upheld the constitutional provisions for minority higher education institutions to select their staff, which is essential for […]

Catholics mourn central India’s popular Indigenous archbishop

Thousands of people joined the funeral service of retired Jesuit Archbishop Pascal Topno of Bhopal in central India on April 9, hailing the indigenous Church leader’s simplicity and love for his people. Archbishop Topno died of age-related ail-ments at a Church-run hospital on April 6. He was 94. Topno led the Bhopal archdiocese, based in […]

Catholic religious in Odisha urged to promote unity, cooperation

The Odisha unit of the Conference of Religious India (CRI) that met April 8 heard their national secretary stressing the importance of dialogue with lay collaborators, integrated prayer life, and formation programs that are relevant to today’s challenges. “If our preferential option for the poor remains only in our preaching and not in our practice, […]

Father Sahaya Thatheus Appointed Bishop of Simla- Chandigarh

Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas Retires After 16 Years of Episcopal Ministry