From The States

Religious freedom at stake in India, Archbishop Thazhath

The Church in India is facing unprecedented situation in the current socio-political scenario that threatens religious free-dom, says Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur, who was re-elected the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) for another two-year term. “The religious freedom and justice guaranteed by the Con-stitution of India are at stake, and […]

Attacks will not stop Church services: Catholic bishops

Increasing attacks and harassment on Christian institutions and personnel in India will not prevent the Church from serving the poor and downtrodden, assert the Catholic bishops in the country. “As loyal citizens of India, we will continue serving our country whatever be the cost, walking in the footsteps of Jesus our Master,” says the final […]

Catholic priest among 7 arrested, remanded in Uttar Pradesh

A priest of Lucknow Catholic diocese was among seven people remanded to judicial custody on February 6 for allegedly trying to convert poor Hindus. Father Dominic Pinto and others were presented before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in Barabanki, some 90 km northwest of Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh state. The arrested included five […]

Indian Church leaders cry foul at secret profiling of missionaries

Church leaders have expressed their strong disapproval of a pro-Hindu state government’s attempt to clandestinely profile Christian missionaries in a central Indian state. “Some of our institutions indeed got a questionnaire from the local police, but we are yet to reply,” said Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh state. Police are circulating the […]

Sons of Immaculate Conception ordains first priest from Kandhamal

A survivor of the 2008 anti-Chri-stian violence in Odisha’s Kandhamal district is the first Catholic priest or-dained for the Sons of the Immaculate Conception, an Italian congregation. Vincentian Bishop Aplinar Sena-pati Rayagada ordained Uchhaba Pradhan as a priest during a solemn Mass St. Joseph’s Nivas Community, Serma, Gumuda parish, some 100 km from Rayagada district […]

Bp Kollamparampil appointed Shamshabad administrator

Syro-Malabar Church Major Ar-chbishop Raphael Thattil on January 13 appointed Bi-shop Joseph Kollamparampil as the administrator of Shamshabad diocese, a seat he vacated on being elected the head of the Oriental Rite.

Pope appoints six new bishops in India

Francis on January 13 appointed bishops for five dioceses and an auxiliary for one in four states of India. Four of the bishops-elect are natives of Tamil Nadu that celebrated Pongal, its harvest festival, on the day. The announcement came a day ahead of the feast of Saint Devasahayam Pillai, the first native saint of […]

Catholic nuns get trained to seek redressal of grievances

The Conference of Religious Women India has trained 46 nuns to create awareness about the grievance redressal cell among its members in northern India. The Jan 19-21 Training of Trainers program was attended by participants from Andamans, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, North East, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The training at […]

Eviction-facing Indian Catholics to fight Muslim charity’s claims

Goans oppose tourism project near 16th century basilica