Jesuit Father Swebert D’Silva, a prominent educationist and renowned visionary in the southern state of Karnataka, died November 20, following a massive cardiac arrest. He was 68. He died at 1:15 pm at St Philomena Hospital in Bengaluru, Karnataka capital. His sudden death has deeply saddened colleagues, students, alumni, and well-wishers across Karnataka. “It was a life of selfless service, boundless love and unwavering faith”, said Jesuit Father Praveen Martis, the vice chancellor of the St. Aloysisus University in Mangaluru.

Father D’Silva had also served as the rector and pro-chancellor of St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru. Jesuit Father Victor Lobo, the vice chancellor of St Joseph’s University, requested everyone to pray for the repose of his soul and expressed his condolences in a message. Several members of the Jesuit community shared their tributes, acknowledging the confrere’s steadfast commitment to education, social service, and pastoral care. He was serving as the director of Arrupe Nivas, Bengaluru, at the time of his death. Father Dionysius Vaz, Jesuit’s Karnataka provincial, highlighted Father D’Silva’s transformative leadership in shaping St Aloysius College into a deemed-to-be university, blending infrastructure development with value-based education.

Police in Goa have stopped a controversial event after strong protests from the Catholic Church, NGOs and civil society groups, who said the program wrongly linked sexuality with the holy Christmas festival. The event, titled “Tales of Kamasutra and Christmas Celebration,” was planned for Dec. 25–28 in Panaji. But on Nov. 23, police ordered organizers to cancel it after a poster showing explicit content went viral on social media. In a statement, Goa Police said they had directed organizers to stop the event and remove all related advertisements from social media. The Church in Goa condemned the program, saying it deeply hurt Christian sentiments.

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, Archbishop of Goa and Daman, said Christmas is a sacred time of joy and peace. Linking it with unrelated and explicit themes was “deeply offensive” and disrespectful to millions of believers. The Catholic Association of Goa (CAG) also filed a formal complaint, calling the event “illicit, obscene, and insulting.” CAG president Cyril A Fernandes said the organizers appeared to promote sexual activities under the name of spirituality, which could harm Goa’s reputation as a family-friendly place. Social activists also demanded action. Arun Pandey of the NGO Arz said authorities should check for possible violations of laws related to obscenity or exploitation.

The organizers, Osho Ludhiana Meditation Society, later apologized. They said their intention was to hold a tantra-based meditation retreat, not a sexual event. They admitted the poster caused misunderstanding by placing the words “Kamasutra” and “Christmas” together. The group has now cancelled the event and withdrawn all posters, saying they never meant to hurt religious feelings.

Pope Leo XIV on November 22 appointed Father Rabindra Kumar Ranasingh as the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. “It is with profound joy and gratitude to God that I hereby formally announce to you the good news of the appointment of our new Auxiliary Bishop,” said an official letter from Divine Word Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. The archbishop said the appoint signals the Pope’s “pastoral concern for our local Church and its growing needs.”

He said the auxiliary bishop will greatly strengthen the archdiocese’s pastoral outreach, support its clergy, religious, and faithful, and enhance the mission entrusted to it by Christ. “I invite all of you to join me in prayer for our bishop-elect as he prepares to assume this sacred responsibility in the service of the Church. May the Holy Spirit grant him wisdom, strength, and a shepherd’s heart to lead God’s people with humility and dedication,” the archbishop added.

The bishop-elect is, at present, the parish priest of Sacred Heart Church, Jatni and dean of Cuttack deanery. He was born on July 9, 1972, as the first of seven children of Janas and Helena Ranasingh in Kasabasa, a village in Odisha’s Kandhamal district. Three of his four sisters are nuns and the other is a nurse. He studied philosophy at Jnanadeepa Vidyapeeth in Pune and theology at Khristo Jyoti Institute of Theology at Sambalpur in Odisha. He was ordained a priest on April 18, 2001 at Daringbadi Parish in Kandhamal. The bishop-elect has a doctorate from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome. Father Pradosh Chandra Nayak, the vicar general of the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese, welcomed the appointment terming the bishop-elect as the right choice with proper qualification.

A forum backed by Hindu hardliners organized a protest march against the tribal Christian celebration of the Christ the King festival in Jharkhand, causing frustration and fear among the Christian community already facing rising pressure for their faith. The protest was held on Nov. 23 in Ranchi by the Janjati Suraksha Manch (JSM), a group supported by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the main umbrella body of Hindu right-wing organizations. The RSS and its political arm, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claim that Christian celebrations are attempts to convert tribal people. JSM activists alleged that the festival was another example of “forced conversion” and demanded that it be banned in the state.

Christian leaders strongly rejected the accusations, calling them part of a growing campaign to spread fear among tribal Christians. “Tribal Catholics have been celebrating the Christ the King festival for more than twenty years. This is the first time such a protest was deliberately held on the same day to disturb peace,” said Ratan Tirkey, a tribal Christian leader. He said the organizers wanted attention and attempted to create suspicion against Christians. Another leader, Praween Kachhap, said groups like JSM aim to control tribal land, culture, and traditions. He pointed out that most JSM members support the BJP, and such protests are used to create division among tribal communities. Local tribal leader Prabhakar Tirkey said it was wrong to blame Christian missionaries for harming tribal culture. “In reality, they have helped protect tribal languages and identity,” he said.

Jharkhand has seen a rise in hostility toward Christians, especially after a strict anti-conversion law was passed in 2017. The law carries a penalty of three years in jail and a heavy fine. Christians form about 1.4 million of the state’s 33 million people, most of them belonging to tribal communities.

The Thamarassery Diocese in Kerala organized a special event to mark 100 years of the historic Malabar Migration, when thousands of Christian families moved from southern Kerala to the Malabar region in search of land and better opportunities. The program, held on November 22 at Kozhikode Town Hall, also formed part of the diocese’s 40th anniversary celebrations. Church leaders, political representatives, scholars, and members of the community came together to remember the sacrifices and contributions of the early migrant families. The Malabar Migration refers to the movement of Saint Thomas Christians—mainly from the Travancore region—to Malabar between the two World Wars. These families left due to shortage of cultivable land and economic struggles, and they helped develop Malabar’s agriculture, infrastructure, education, and health systems.

George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, praised the migrants for transforming the region with innovative farming methods like intercropping and for their hardworking and peace-loving nature. He also thanked the local communities of Malabar for welcoming the settlers with generosity. Presiding over the meeting, Bishop Mar Remigiose Inchananiyil said the migrants “rewrote the history of Malabar” through their faith and determination. He announced that the diocese will observe a Migration Remembrance Day every year and plans to set up a Migration Museum within the next decade. Scholars P. J. Vincent and Joy Varghese presented papers on the history and socioeconomic impact of migration, followed by a panel discussion. At the public meeting, M. K. Raghavan, Member of Parliament, highlighted the key role of the Church in Kerala’s social and educational progress. He encouraged Church institutions to start new-generation courses to meet modern needs. Archbishop Varghese Chakkalakal of Calicut reminded the audience that societies grow when they value their history. MLA Thottathil Ravindran added that today’s achievements are the result of the hard work of migrant ancestors and must be passed on to the younger generation.

Dalit Liberation Sunday, observed annually on the second Sunday of November, was celebrated across India on November 9, reaffirming the Church’s commitment to justice and equality for Dalit Christians.

Speaking to Catholic Connect News, Fr. Vijay Kumar Nayak, Secretary, CBCI Office for Scheduled Castes/Backward Classes (CBCI), explained that the observance was officially approved by the CBCI in 2016 “for the cause of Dalits.”

“Dalit Liberation Sunday is approved by the Catholic Church from 2016 onwards. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India has dedicated the second Sunday of November for this purpose,” Fr. Vijay Kumar Nayak said.

Jesus the Bread of Life was born in Bethlehem the House of Bread. Is it a mere coincidence or a divine concurrence ? The multi-lingual animation film, MOM Manna of the Manger, is a journey in search of the answer.  

On the eve of the Last Supper Jesus himself sets out a solo journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. On the way he is kind of intercepted by a lamb that is running away from his imminent fate of being the sacrificial lamb for the pascal meal. Chasing the lamb are two siblings, Hannah(15) and Joachim (7), the former for handing it over for the sacrifice as per the law of Moses and latter for setting it free. Jesus the Lamb of God takes the lamb to its stable to its mother. But that stable was the kids playhouse as well where they revelled in a clay play in which Jesus too happily joins. The clay play was around a manger which was adorned with their work of hands- sun, moon, stars, figs, breads, chalices and even manna!  Jesus playing with the  Manna acquires Eucharistic proportions as it turns out to be a harbinger of what He is to undergo in the next few days. Finally the children witness Jesus’ nativity.   

MOM- Manna of the Manger is an initiative by Fr. Ananad of the Atmadarshan TV, Indore. It is being produced by St. Peter Claver Sisters. It is written and directed by Rajesh K Abraham of Seven Farers Films. The film is expected to be released this Christmas.

Marking a significant step in their missionary journey, the Communio Volunteers have begun their Pilgrimage of Hope in the Diocese of Tura — a mission experience rooted in faith, service, and communion. The initiative reflects the spirit of the Jubilee Year, calling young volunteers to become witnesses of Christ’s love through action and presence among the people of Tura.

The preparatory sessions were led by Fr. Vignan Das and Sr. Margarita Dias SCB, Associate Directors of Communio, who guided the volunteers through prayer, reflection, and sharing. The spiritual encounter deepened their sense of mission as a journey of faith, communion, and service. On November 9, the volunteers joined the Annual Eucharistic Procession in the Diocese of Tura, a vibrant expression of faith that drew large participation from the faithful. During the event, Bishop Andrew R. Marak addressed the youth, urging them to live their faith with joy and dedication, reminding them that “mission begins in the heart and flows outward through acts of love and compassion.” Auxiliary Bishop Jose Chirackal, of Tura, presided over the Holy Eucharist and blessed the volunteers before their mission journey. His message of encouragement inspired them to go forth as bearers of God’s love and mercy.

The acclaimed film ‘Face of the Faceless’, depicting the life of Blessed Rani Maria, will be released in Tamil across 60 theatres in Tamil Nadu on November 21, 22, and 23. Winner of the Best Christian Film Award 2024, the movie narrates the life of Blessed Sister Rani Maria, whose selfless service for the upliftment of women in Indore, Madhya Pradesh—transcending religious boundaries—became a guiding light for many. The film conveys powerful messages of spiritual depth, sacrifice, love, forgiveness, peace, and unity.

Running for 136 minutes, this production by Tri Light Creations was recommended for the 2024 Oscar Awards and has earned over 123 international awards, marking a remarkable achievement. Aimed at reaching wider audiences, and supported by Matha TV, the film will be screened in theatres throughout Tamil Nadu from November 21. On the same day, the Telugu version will also be released in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Originally made in Hindi in 2023, Face of the Faceless was later dubbed in Malayalam, where it enjoyed an exceptional six-week run in Kerala, receiving high praise and heartfelt appreciation from viewers. Now translated into French and Spanish, the film is set for a worldwide release in January 2026. For the Tamil version, Matha TV has skillfully translated and enhanced the film, which will premiere in Tamil Nadu theatres on November 21. Born in Kerala in 1954, Sister Rani Maria dedicated her life to serving tribal communities in Indore, fearlessly speaking out against injustice. She was brutally stabbed 40 times by Samandar Singh, a hired assassin of dominant powers, while travelling by bus.

Claretian Father James Patteril, a son of the soil, was consecrated the second bishop of the Belthangady, one of the three Syro-Malabar dioceses in the southern India’s Karnataka state. The Episcopal consecration and the installation ceremony of the first Indian Claretian was held on November 5 at St. Lawrence Cathedral in Belthangady, some 60 km northeast of Mangaluru.

Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil, the head of the Syro-Malabar Church, consecrated the new bishop in the presence of the Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Tellicherry and Bishop Emeritus Lawrence Mukkuzhy of Belthangady. Also present were around 40 bishops from various parts of India and hundreds of priests, nuns and a large gathering of laity. The program also included a public meeting to welcome the new bishop and pay tribute to Bishop Mukkuzhy.

The major archbishop on August 28 announced Father Patteril as the second bishop of Belthangady. Archbishop Pamplany said the region is multicultural and multilingual and the new bishop can manage all languages spoken in the region, like his predecessor. “A good shepherd must know its sheep and accompany them in both good and bad times,” he added.

Bishop Patteril was born on July 27, 1962, near Belthangady to Late Abraham Patteril and Rosamma. He joined the Claretian seminary in 1978 and was ordained a priest on April 26, 1990, by Archbishop George Valiamattom of Tellicherry. He served three parishes in Belthangady, before going to Germany to study masters in Pastoral Theology. He was in Germany from 1994 until his appointment as a bishop.

The Belthangady diocese was carved out of Tellicherry archdiocese and established on August 4, 1999, with its episcopal vicar Lawrence Mukkuzhy as its first bishop. The first  Syro Malabar diocese in Karnataka comprises South Canara, Udupi and Coorg districts. Currently, the diocese has 55 parishes with more than 30,000 Catholics in 4,750 families and thousands of students from Kerala. They are served by 57 diocesan and 27 religious priests along with 198 women religious.