From The States

Devotees remember Venerable Agnelo on his death anniversary

Devotees flocked to shrines dedi-cated to Venerable Agnelo in various places in India on his 96th death anniversary. “Venerable Agnelo is an inspi-ration for Catholics in their journey of faith,” said Cardinal Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, in his homily during the co-mmemorative Mass on November 20 […]

Telangana’s “Buffalo-Sister” to strengthen democracy

Frustrated with the pervasive and paralyzing levels of unemployment in the state of Telangana, in southern India, and with no real hope of finding an employment in the near future, Karne Sirisha, a graduate woman, chose to graze buffaloes, and thereby to support her family. At 25, she lives with her mother (who is abandoned […]

Tribal man’s Catholic faith helps him lead dignified life

Ratan Singh Masram does not remember seeing his father, who abandoned his mother a few months after he was born. His mother left him in the care of her parents. Both mother and father remarried and “practically forgot about me,” he says. Masram, a Gond tribal Catholic from central India, works hard as a day […]

The toxic effects of food and fear mongering in Malaysia

A restaurant in Malaysia sacked an employee after a video of him wearing a crucifix at work went viral last Sunday, kicking off a public outcry. The latest mass expression of discontent linked with food could further widen the racial and religious divide in the Muslim-majority Southeast Asian nation. The video of the crucifix-wearing man […]

China’s top patriotic bishop stresses unity, sinicization

Archbishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing stressed the importance of building unity between Chinese Catholics across the mainland and Hong Kong by promoting Catholic spirituality and evangelization efforts in line with the process of sinicization following his three-day visit to Hong Kong. Sinicization is a process by which religious practice is enculturated into the context […]

Pope Francis: Peace is possible, never resign yourselves to war!

“Peace is possible. It takes goodwill,” said Pope Francis on Sunday and he implored men and women of goodwill never to resign themselves to war. “Peace is possible. Let us not resign ourselves to war.” Reiterating his belief, already voiced on many occasions, and repeating the word “always” three times, the Holy Father cried: “War […]

Priest who challenged Nazis my role model: Suresh Mathew

Capuchin Father Suresh Mathew, editor of Indian Currents, a leading Church publication in the country, has been transferred to Punjab as a manager of a school. A November 5 message from Father Raphie Paliakara, the new leader of the Capuchin’s Krist Jyoti province, says Father Mathew will take charge as the guardian and manager of […]

Goa: protests against plans to build a resort at sites dear to Saint Francis Xavier

Last week more than 5,000 people signed a petition against the construction of a luxury eco-resort in Old Goa (Velha Goa), a city in the State of Goa, western India. Among the signatories there are also several political and religious leaders. The project encroaches on areas around the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount, […]

Salesians elect Maltese priest Fabio Attard as Don Bosco’s 11th successor

Pope Francis does not accept Cardinal Koch’s resignation: could continue at least until anniversary of Council of Nicea