Pope Francis on August 15 appointed Monsignor Dennis Kuruppassery as the auxiliary bishop of Kannur that covers Kerala’s northern districts of Kannur and Kasaragod. The 57-year-old priest is currently the counsellor at the Nunciature in Malta. Monsignor Kuruppassery was born on August 4, 1967, in Palliport in the Kottapuram diocese. He studied philosophy and theology at the St. Joseph Pontifical Seminary in Alwaye, Kerala. He has a degree in canon law. He was ordained a priest on December 23, 1991, for the Kottapuram diocese. He has held the following positions: Assistant Parish Priest of St Francis of Assisi, Thuruthipuram (1991-1993) and of St Sebastian’s, Gothuruth (1994-1995), and Parish Priest of St Anthony’s, Pullot (1996-1997) in the Diocese of Kottapuram. He entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See on July 1, 2001, and worked in the Papal Representations in Burundi (2001-2004), Egypt (2004-2007), Thailand (2007-2010), Czech Republic (2010-2013 ), Gabon (2013-2016) and United States of America (2016-2021).

The Mangaluru unit of the Prison Ministry India celebrated its silver jubilee by providing scholarships to children of prisoners. As many as 25 students from Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Shivamogga, Ballari and Kalaburagi were given a cheque for 10,000 rupees each to support their studies. “A large number of people are suffering in prison due to lack of money or influence to get even a bail,” said Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha of Mangalore, who lauded the ministry’s volunteers for instilling hope among prisoners and their families. Elaborating the silver jubilee theme “You are not alone,” the bishop said the prison ministry has been a ray of hope for many prisoners. He also highlighted that the prison can be a place where people can hope for a new vision of life. The celebrations began with Mass presided by Bishop Saldanha and assisted by Bishop Francis Serrao of Shimoga and co-celebrated by Father Francis Kodiyan, the founder of the ministry and past directors. Tressie Menezes, coordinator of PMI Mangaluru, presented an audio-visual report on the movement’s journey in Mangaluru starting in September 1999. She said the PMI Mangaluru unit could rehabilitate several prisoners after their release. Sister Therese Mascarenhas, PMI coordinator for Karnataka, spoke about the challenges faced by the team as several prisons put restrictions on prison ministry.In his speech, Father Kodiyan compared the PMI Mangaluru unit volunteers to Irish Catholics, who excelled in all the fields they encountered. Terming the Mangalureans as intelligent and resourceful, he called upon the volunteers not to limit their potential to Mangaluru alone, but to reach out the PMI community all over the nation. Mangaluru prison superintendent B T Obaleshappa and donor Pascal Monteiro were felicitated on the occasion.

A Protestant bishop, a Catholic priest and 10 other management members of seven Christian-run schools in a central Indian state have secured bail after spending close to three months in jail for allegedly charging excessive tuition fees. India’s top court granted bail to Father Abraham Thazhathedathu of the Jabalpur diocese, Bishop Ajay Umesh Kumar James of the Church of North India (CNI), and others on Aug. 20. They appealed to the Supreme Court after the Madhya Pradesh High Court in central India turned down their pleas. “We are happy that the top court has granted bail to our priest and others who are accused in a fabricated case,” vicar-general of Jabalpur diocese Father Davis George said. The attorney for the state government vehemently opposed their bail pleas before a division bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh, saying they might tamper with evidence. The lawyers for the applicants, however, countered by saying, the accused were engaged in educational activities and did nothing illegal. Police in Madhya Pradesh arrested 22 people on May 27, including 13 management members and staff from seven Christian-run schools in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh state, ruled by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party.
They were accused of charging students excessive fees and selling textbooks at exorbitant prices. Cases have been registered against 51 people from 11 private schools and book publishers. A female principal from a Christian school secured bail earlier while other Christian-run school staff members were detained. “We are relieved,” George told UCA News on Aug. 20. The police action against the Christian schools was “totally illegal” with “malicious intent,” he added. The Jabalpur bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Aug. 13 suspended an education department order on July 9 telling the Christian schools to reimburse nearly US$5 million they allegedly collected in excessive fees from students in the past six years. The court will hear the case on Aug. 25 after the education department filed its reply. Schools in Madhya Pradesh are allowed an annual fee hike of up to 10 percent. Beyond that, the district collector’s nod is required, while a fee hike exceeding 15 percent has to be sanctioned by a state-level panel. “We never charged exorbitant fees,” said George. “The schools were ordered to reimburse tuition fees even for the Covid-19 period when we did not charge any fees,” the priest said. Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tribal people in India. Christian schools are the most sought-after in Jabalpur, known as the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is against missionary activities that benefit tribal people and other poor sections of society, said a Church official. Church leaders have accused the right-wing state government of unleashing targeted attacks on Church-run institutions, including schools, hostels, and orphanages. Cases are registered against Church officials, including a retired Catholic bishop, priests, and nuns, under a stringent anti-conversion law in the state that bans religious conversion. The Church runs many educational institutions that benefit tribal people in the state, who constitute more than 21 percent of Madhya Pradesh’s 72 million people, and Christians make up a mere 0.27 percent.

A leading Church official in the eastern Indian state of Odisha has dismissed rumors that there might be communal violence in the state’s Kandhamal district as Hindus gear up to celebrate Janmashtami, or the birth of the Hindu Lord Krishna, on Aug. 26.
Kandhamal district witnessed the worst ever anti-Christian violence in the South Asian nation on this day 16 years ago. “Just as the Hindu festival is approaching, vested interest people are spreading false messages that Kandhamal might witness more communal violence,” said Father Dibakar Porichha, chancellor of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese that covers Kandhamal. “It is false news and people should not believe it,” Porichha told. We have met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, local politicians, and police officials and have alerted them to the rumor, he added. Since July, Odisha (formerly Orissa) has been headed by a government from the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP and its sister organizations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (world Hindu council) are against missionary activities of the Church among India’s indigenous people, according to Church leaders. “They [the government] have assured us help,” Porichha said. Kandhamal witnessed anti-Christian riots on Aug. 26, 2008, as Hindus celebrated Janmashtami (the birthday of Lord Ram), after a Hindu leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati was shot dead on Aug. 23 of that year allegedly by outlawed Maoists who have a strong following among tribal people in the mineral-rich Indian state. Soon after the murder, four ethnic Christians, including an illiterate 13-year-old boy, were picked up by Hindu activists and were accused of killing the Hindu monk. They termed the murder a “Christian conspiracy.” The riots that lasted for seven weeks killed some 100 people, rendered 56,000 homeless, and destroyed 6,000 houses and 300 churches. “There is some kind of uneasiness among Christians in the region whenever Janmashtami approaches,” said Christian leader Pratima Minj, who hails from a tribal community in Odisha. This time, they are worried as the state is headed by the pro-Hindu party, she noted. Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archdiocese in a statement on Aug. 20 asked people to desist from spreading rumors. “We commend the proactive steps taken by the district administration of Kandhamal and the government of Odisha,” it said. As part of this, peace-building meetings have been held across Kandhamal district with the participation of religious leaders, including priests and pastors. On Oct. 2 last year, the Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints issued “no objection” to initiate the beatification process for the Servant of God Kanteeswar Digal and companions who are called the Martyrs of Kandhamal. They were killed during the riots. The total population of Odisha is 41 million and tribal people constitute its 22.85 percent.

A Hindu follower of Christ in a northern Indian state has hailed a court ruling that indicted police for filing a false case against him under the sweeping anti-conversion law. “I lost my job and reputation because of the false case,” Abhishek Gupta, a resident of northern Uttar Pradesh, said. The court has ordered action against the police to prevent the recurrence of such illegal actions in the future. “It is a welcome step,” he added. The 41-year-old lab technician with a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh lost his job after police filed charges against him under the draconian anti-conversion law, enacted by the Bharatiya Janata Party government in India’s most populous state in 2021. The case was filed on May 29, 2022, when Himanshu Patel, a resident of Bareilly and district president of the right-wing Hindu group Hindu Jagran Manch, accused Gupta of leading a religious conversion program with an eight-team. The “police acted under pressure on the complaints made by persons like the plaintiff for their desire for publicity and took action in a futile attempt to give legal form to a baseless, fabricated and imaginary story which wasted valuable time, labor and money of not only the police but also the court,” said the trial court Judge Gyanendra Tripathi. The judge said their collective efforts had caused irreparable loss to the two accused and directed the senior superintendent of police, Bareilly, “to take appropriate legal action against the complainant, Himanshu Patel, as well as three people listed as key witnesses.”
The July 30 order, published in the media few days ago, acquitted the accused men. It sought action against the former police station in charge, “the investigating officer, and the jurisdictional officer who approved the charge sheet.” Gupta was arrested under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act. Later, Kundan Lal, whose house Gupta used to visit, was also arrested. After he lost his job, he was forced to transfer his nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son from a reputed private school to another school as he was “unable to afford monthly fees.” The court has directed the victims to approach an appropriate court for compensation. “We are yet to decide on the compensation,” said Gupta. Though, not converted to Christianity, “I follow the teachings of Jesus Christ,” Gupta said. The court has sought action against police officials, the complainant and the witnesses for implicating Gupta and his friend in a false case in Uttar Pradesh, which occupies the second slot in anti-Christian violence in the country, according to Church leaders. The July 30 order was released to the media a few days ago. Gupta’s case is an exception where the court took a strong stand in favor of truth and justice, said a Church leader who assists Christians in fighting their cases in the court. “Several similar cases are pending in different courts,” the Church leader told on condition of anonymity. I realized the “helping hand of God during the 40-day stay” in jail, Gupta recalled. “God protected us even when our family members discarded us,” he added.

Christian leaders and lawyers have lauded India’s top court for upholding a legal provision that ensures the education of children from poor families in expensive private schools.
“The supreme court’s order has kept intact the rights of the children from economically weaker sections for quality education,” said Abraham Mathai, a former vice-chairman of the minorities commission in western Maharashtra state.
In February, the government in Maharashtra amended the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The law had asked private schools to admit students from poor families if they were within a 1-kilometer radius of a government or aided school. The amendment exempted private schools in the state from admitting poor children.
The Bombay High Court, the top court in the state, turned down the government’s decision. An appeal was filed in the Supreme Court, which, on Aug. 9, upheld the high court’s decision.
“I support the Supreme Court ruling upholding the Bombay High Court’s decision asking private schools to reserve 25 percent of their seats for children from economically weaker sections,” Mathai told UCA News on Aug. 12.
He said the law is crucial for children from weaker families to gain “access to quality education,” given the tardy state of affairs in government-run schools in the country.
“It is a step towards a more inclusive and equitable education system,” he added.
A bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud dismissed the appeal by the Association of Indian Schools, a body of unaided private schools, seeking exemption from admitting students from the disadvantaged sections under the compulsory 25 percent quota.
Under the Act, students from poor families are given concessions in fees reimbursed by the respective state governments.
Private schools, however, are unhappy as the amount reimbursed is much lower than the fees they charge from other students.
The schools run by religious and linguistic minorities, including Christians, though private, are exempted from this norm as they are engaged in the welfare of their respective communities.
Both courts took the right decision; otherwise, the “RTE Act would have become toothless,” said advocate Govind Yadav, a former university student leader from Madhya Pradesh.
“Once this provision for 25 percent quota for admission is diluted, nothing is left in this law,” he added.

Church leaders and rights activists have deplored the passing of sweeping changes to the anti-conversion law in a northern Indian state where Christians complain of harassment. The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which provides for stricter punishment, including life imprisonment for fraudulent or forced conversion, was passed by the state assembly on July 30.
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The National Council of Churches in India, in a July 31 statement, said the amended law “violates the provisions of the Indian Constitution” and “adversely affects the harmonious life in India and the basic rights of its citizens.”“Conversion itself is not an offense unless induced by undue influence, misrepresentation, or coercion, which only the victim can claim,” stressed the council, an ecumenical forum of Protestant and Orthodox churches in India. Reverend Asir Ebenezer, council general secretary, said the amended law grants extensive authority to officials and any third parties and can be misused to target specific individuals or communities based on religious prejudice. “The law is a risk… for heightened harassment and criminalization of peaceful religious practices, including baptism in Christianity,” he added. The earlier law allowed only a victim or a blood relative to file a complaint against illegal conversion. However, the amended law states that “any information related to violation of the provisions of the Act can be given by any person” to police or authorities. In the case of mass religious conversions, the jail terms have been increased to 7-14 years from 3-10, and fines to 100,000 rupees (US$1,250) from 50,000 rupees.
Earlier, the maximum punishment provided for marrying a woman by deceiving her and converting her was ten years, with a fine of Rs 50,000. The amended law prescribes imprisonment for 20 years or entire life. Also, all the alleged crimes under the amended law have been made non-bailable, which means a mere allegation of conversion can land suspects in jail with no hope of bail. The bill will become effective after the Uttar Pradesh governor, who is the constitutional head of the state, signs it. The Christian council said that “the anti-conversion law encroaches on the constitutional right to freely practice and profess religion, a fundamental human right recognized by both the Indian Constitution and international human rights standards.” Minakshi Singh, a Christian activist based in Uttar Pradesh, condemned the passing of the amendments to the anti-conversion law. “A law against conversion already exists in the state. Does it mean the government is not sure its previous law passed in 2020 was not effective enough?” she asked UCA News. Singh, who is general secretary of the charity, Unity in Compassion, said the amended law “threatens to aggravate communal tensions and undermine India’s diverse religious society.” Muhammad Arif, chairman of the Centre for Harmony and Peace, said the BJP government was playing the communal game and harassing religious minority groups. Christians make up less than 1 percent of more than 200 million people in Uttar Pradesh, and more than 80 percent of them are Hindus.

The Indian Church has joined the government in relief work after a southwest monsoon became active over a large geographical area and torrential rains wreaked havoc across the South Asian nation. Down in the south, Kerala’s northern Wayanad district was hit by a massive landslide on July 31, killing nearly 407 people and the whereabouts of more than 200 are still unknown. India’s two Himalayan states have witnessed cloudbursts that uprooted as many as 3,500 people and killed 17 in northern Uttarakhand, according to the state-run Press Trust of India. In neighboring Himachal Pradesh, eight people lost their lives, and 45 were declared missing after houses, bridges, and roads were washed away. “The situation in both the states is worrisome.” The rains are hindering the rescue work, Bishop Vincent Nellaiparambil of Bijnor in Uttarakhand state told UCA News on Aug. 6. The Church and its social agencies have joined the state government and others to undertake rescue and relief work,” Nellaiparambil said. We are giving dry rations, medicines, water and clothes, he added. The sole Catholic diocese in Himachal Pradesh is in touch with the government to extend relief and rescue work. Simla-Chandigarh diocese has undertaken a campaign to collect essential items and money to help people in the state, said a senior priest from the Bishops’ House who did not want to be named. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has expressed its condolences to the families of victims in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. In a statement on Aug. 3, the CBCI called on Church-run institutions to support government agencies working in affected areas. On Aug 7, the Indian Meteorological Department forecast the possibility of heavy showers in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The metrology department said the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and northeastern Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya will also witness torrential rains. India gets 70 percent of its annual rainfall in the monsoon, which irrigates farmlands and supplies water to industry in the vast nation. Official rainfall statistics indicate that total rainfall in India jumped from 242mm on July 9 to 305.8mm on July 17. After remaining subdued till the second week of July, the southwest monsoon gathered steam towards the month’s end and is active over a large geographical area of the country. At least 80 percent of the country reported torrential rains last week.

Indigenous Christian leaders have called on the government to restore peace instead of distributing cash to build new houses for victims of the sectarian strife in northeastern Manipur where Christians fight Hindus.
The real problem is “restoring pace,” noted a Church leader from Manipur where a 15-month-long conflict over conferring tribal status on the majority Meitei Hindu community has claimed more than 226 lives and uprooted over 60,000 people, most of them Christians.
The unprecedented violence that began on May 3, 2023, has hit more than 18,370 families, of which more than 14,800 of them have taken shelter in relief camps, Chief Minister N Biren Singh of Manipur told the state assembly. On Aug 5, Singh informed the assembly about the decision to distribute Rs 100,000 (US$1,191) to victims to build new houses. The Catholic Church has a diocese in Manipur, based in the state capital Imphal, and headed by Archbishop Linus Neli. Indigenous people mostly Christians make up 41 percent of the state’s 3.2 million people and Meitei Hindus form 53 percent. There are Christians among the Meiteis, too. Unless “peace is restored no such announcement will be of any use,” the Church leader who did not want to be named due to security reasons told UCA News on Aug. 6. “Obviously, everyone wants to have a home. People in Manipur are asking for a dignified life back in their villages from where they fled,” he added. The government needs to create an environment that will enable them to return to their homes, the Church leader said.
They have been living in relief camps for over a year with “no individual identity,” he noted. The chief minister announced the cash to build houses. But what will they do with it “unless there is peace in the state?” asked a tribal Christian leader. Singh, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is accused of orchestrating the violence and protecting those behind it. According to government data, 11,133 houses have been set on fire, and 4,569 of them were completely gutted. Singh told the assembly that there are 12,977 boys and 13,763 girls living in government-run relief camps. The violence broke out between the wealthy Meiteis and the minority Kukiz-Zo community last year after the top court in the state asked the government to consider granting tribal status on Hindus. According to indigenous people, if the court’s request is implemented it would rob them of their share in the government’s affirmative action plan. Above all, their inclusion will allow them to purchase indigenous lands, which are mostly located in the hilly districts in the state, they complain. Indigenous people who live in the hilly districts of the picturesque state have stated categorically that they have lost trust in Singh as he is backing the Meitei community, of which he is a member. They are insisting on his removal as chief minister to restore peace in Manipur.

Various dioceses, religious congregations, and laity groups have formed a task force with Hindus and Muslims to implement short term and long-term rehabilitation plans for the landslide survivors in Kerala’s Wayanad district. The hilly district on July 30 witnessed one of the “worst ever landslides” in the southern Indian state that killed more than 400 people and wounded many others. More than 2,000 people are in the camps. The interreligious “Wayanad Relief Group” has decided to make temporary family shelters as an immediate step and then build permanent houses eventually. The group headed by Claretian Father George Kannanthanam has visited the affected areas, relief camps and victims’ families to make a rapid assessment of the situation and identify immediate priorities. The group under parish priest Father Mathew Periappuram’s coordination then met at St. Vincent De Paul Forane Church, Kalpeta, a major town in the district, to review the situation. Among the more than 40 participants were the representatives of religious congregations, Mananthavady Syro-Malabar diocese and Latin Archdiocese of Bangalore and diocese of Calicut. The team has also met District Collector D R Meghashree and briefed her about its proposed plan and pledged full support to the government proposal for building an exclusive township with all amenities for the victims.
The group observed that people, who are now living in temporary shelters such as schools, have to be settled back to their communities. “This process of permanent settlement with houses and other amenities will take minimum three years, and therefore, there is a need for temporary arrangements,” Father Kannanthanam told Matters India August 6. While some participants suggested building community shelters for several families others said the survivors should be given exclusive facilities to stay as families. “Therefore, it is required to create transitional houses meanwhile, so that they can stay as families and can carry on with regular life,” the meeting recommended who studied various models for a cost-effective pre fab houses of about 200 square feet with a kitchenette and toilet costing about 300,000 rupees. The group also decided to propose the plan to the government and offer to undertake its implementation while the government and other NGOs build permanent houses. Some members also have suggested to develop an education fund to support the children who lost their school and arrange counseling facilities for them. Around 53 students were killed in the landslides and several now stay in relief camps. Some have lost their parents, siblings or relatives. The group also observed that offers have come from corporate groups and the governments to build more than 500 permanent houses. “There is no scarcity of funds. So, we should make sure each house will be decent enough with at least 700-800 sq ft size with all amenities,” the group said. A new house will cost around 1.5 million rupees and those sponsoring houses should also involve in their planning and implementation too. The group proposed to involve the beneficiaries also in the planning. The group suggested creation of a coordination committee, involving members and experts, nominated from all concerned agencies, to ensure that the best ideas and practices are incorporated in the process