Catholic bishops in southern India’s Kerala state have expressed sorrow at the demise of former state chief minister and veteran communist leader V. S. Achuthanandan, who died on July 21, aged 101. “His demise marks the end of an era in the state’s political landscape,” stated the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) in a statement soon after his death. The bishops acknowledged Achuthanandan’s significant contributions to the state, particularly his “unwavering commitment to social justice and the welfare of the marginalized.”

Leprosy patients and the Catholic nuns who serve them in southern India are upset that a Spanish missionary had to leave the country after her visa was not renewed. Catholic nuns are experiencing increasing hostility and struggling to perform their ministries and continue serving the local population. “We are sad that our mentor and spiritual guide has to leave the country,” said Sr. Marneni Jayamma, superior of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate congregation’s convent in the Sumanahalli facilities, where Sr. Maria Rosa lived and served as a formator and trainer for the Franciscan nuns and a missionary among people living with leprosy in India. Rosa returned to Spain on May 15, two days after celebrating the golden jubilee of her congregation’s presence in India. Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Susainathan of Bangalore celebrated the jubilee Mass with Rosa and almost 80 Franciscan nuns and sisters from other congregations.

Catholics of Dalit origin in a diocese in Tamil Nadu state in southern India have sought the intervention of the Church and civil authorities to end the discriminatory practices against them in their parish. Some 25 of their leaders joined for a day-long hunger strike in front of the Thiruchirappaly district’s headquarters on July 21, alleging their people were being excluded from the annual feast at their St. Mary Magdalene parish Church at Kottapalayam. Most of the parish’s 500 fami-lies come from a Dalit (for-merly considered untouchable) background and are part of the Diocese of Kumbakonam. “We were not allowed to participate in the July 14-22 festivities, which involve pulling decorated chariots on streets in the villages adjacent to the church,” said P. Sandandorai, president of the National Council of Dalit Christian’s Tamil Nadu unit. The chariot procession passes through upper-caste Hindu neighborhoods, but not in the localities where Dalit Catholics live, Sandandorai, a lawyer, told on July 24.
“We are not given equal treatment in our church, not allowed to participate in any activities, not even in the donation drive for the festivities,” he lamented. Sandandorai further alleged that the parish also does not include the Dalit Catholics in the decision-making process. “No parish council was formed as the influential Catholics want to keep out the Dalits,” he added.

A court in India’s Maharashtra state has granted bail to two Catholic nuns and a caretaker of a children’s home, a week after they were arrested for allegedly ill-treating minor girls under their care. “We are relieved that they are out on bail and hope the truth will come out,” Sister Rosaline Rodri-gues, president of the western region of the Conference of Religious India (CRI), told. Sisters Suchita Gaikwad and Alka Salunke of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod, along with caretaker Anwelari Bhag-wandas, were arrested in the western state’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) district. The police arrest was based on the complaint of nine girls, who escaped from the nuns-managed Vidyadeep (light of knowledge) Children’s Home.
They complained to the district welfare authorities about a lack of facilities and ill-treatment by the nuns and caretaker. District Court Judge M S Deshpande granted bail on the condition that each of them furnishes a personal bond of 50,000 rupees (approximately US$580) and separate local sureties of the same amount.
The July 14 bail order also stated that the accused must cooperate with the investigation, refrain from tampering with evidence or influencing witne-sses, and seek prior permission of the court before leaving its jurisdiction. It further asked them to report to the local police every Sunday until the police file the chargesheet in the case.
A member of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod said this was a straightforward plot hatched to make use of the children to defame our sisters.

A top Vatican official, currently visiting India, has exhorted the Eastern rite Syro-Malankara Catholics to emu-late the example of Venerable Archbishop Mar Ivanios, who is known as “tireless apostle for unity.”
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, said Venerable Mar Ivanios, who established the Eastern rite Church in 1930, “made immense sacrifices” for Christian unity.
At the July 15th Mass commemorating the 72nd death anniversary of Venerable Ivanios in the Church’s base in Kerala state, Gallagher asked Catholics to emulate the vene-rable one who sought “holiness in everyday life, and to serve others selflessly.”

Church leaders have cautiously welcomed a pro-posed law prescribing harsh punishment for acts of sacri-lege against holy scriptures in the predominantly-Sikh state of Punjab in northern India. The Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025, a first of its kind in the country, was tabled in the state legislative assembly on July 14 after being cleared in a meeting of the council of ministers chaired by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann. The bill prescribes “a minimum of 10 years’ imprison-ment, extendable to life im-prisonment” for acts of sacrilege against any holy scripture, which are on the rise in the state, particularly against the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, local media reports said. “The proposed bill has come at the right time, as several cases involving sacrilege of religious scriptures were reported lately,” said Father Daniel Gill, vicar-general of Jalandhar diocese. He hoped the bill would soon pass in the state assembly and help the govt to keep a check on incidents of sacrilege.

Several thousand Christians marched on the streets and blocked highways in the eastern Indian state of Odisha to demand justice and protection from increasing attacks against them by Hindu mobs.
Protest rallies, attended by 1,000 to 5,000 Christians, were held in 20 out of 30 district centres in the state on July 1, according to Aravind Kachhap, an orga-nizer and president of the Rashtriya Christian Morcha or National Christian Front. Some 300 people walked through the state’s capital, Bhubaneswar, and blocked a road, said Jugal Ranjit, a Christian leader, who attended the rally. “It was the first time Christians had rallied in such huge numbers and blocked a road in the capital city,” he said. “Normal life was disrupted in many cities and towns, sending a clear message that Christians will not tolerate any more attacks,” said Father Ajay Singh, a social activist from the Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar archdiocese.
Christian leaders at the rallies demand-ed an end to Hindu groups’ oppression, discrimination, and violence against Christians, who belong to indigenous and Dalit (formerly untouchable) communities.

After the resounding success of Jubilate Jesus, Volume 1–launched on New Year’s Day 2025 with vivacious Jubilee Anthem–Tej-Prasarini, Don Bosco Communications, officially released Volume 2 in honour of the 2025 Jubilee of Jesus’ birth, on July 3.
The event held in the auditorium of Don Bosco High School, Matunga was graced by chief guest, Auxiliary Bishop Dominic Savio Fernandes of Mumbai, the Provincial of the Mumbai Province Fr. Savio Silveira and several other dignitaries.
The album opens with Tej-Pra-sarani anthem, You Are the Light of the World, this new volume encapsu-lates the very identity and mission of Tej-Prasarini– “Tej” meaning light, and “Prasarini” meaning to radiate. Staying true to its name, the produ-ction centre continues to spread the Light of Christ through music and media, inviting people of faith and goodwill to walk in His footsteps.
The dual-volume initiative, released within the same Jubilee year, springs from a deep pastoral desire: to keep Jesus at the heart of every thought, word, action, and relationship throughout this spiritual milestone. “These songs are more than melodies–they are medita-tions,” said Director of Tej-Prasarini Salesian Fr. Joyston Machado. “Each track is crafted to help listeners encounter Jesus in a deeply personal and joyful way.”

Rajagiri College of Social Scien-ces (Autonomous), managed by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate congregation in Kerala’s Kochi, has ranked second among 25 best social work institutes in India. The top rank in the list of “India Today Best Colleges 2025” has gone to Mumbai’s Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
The list was published on July 11 to help aspiring social workers to choose the right college for a Master of Social Work course. As many as 11 among the 25 colleges are under Christian management.
“These colleges typically invest in experienced faculty, well-equipped classrooms, and partnerships with NGOs and government bodies to offer practical exposure. Factors such as hands-on training, faculty background, internship opportunities, and campus support services are important when identifying the top private MSW colleges in India,” said the introduction to the list.

Christian leaders have expressed concerns over curbs on religious freedom after the government in India’s second-most populous Maharashtra state announced plans to enact a law to tackle alleged conversions. The reactions came after the state’s Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule told the state legislature on July 9 about the plan for introducing a stringent anti-conversion law.
“A strict law to prevent religious conversions will be enacted in the state,” Bawankule from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reportedly told fellow lawmakers. He said the move came following allegations of Christians converting poor Hindus and tribal people in the state.
The minister said he would speak to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on how to bring about an anti-conversion law with stringent provisions, but did not elaborate on a timeline. If the law is enacted, Maharashtra would become the 13th state in India to enforce the anti-conversion law. Most of these states are ruled by the BJP and its allies.