From The States

Indian nun arrested for ‘offending’ religion released on bail

Indian Capuchin conferred lifetime achievement award

Capuchin Father Nithiya Sagayam, who works among gypsies in southern India, has been conferred with a lifetime achievement award by the federal Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The ministry gives the “Atal Bihari Life Time Achievement Award” to those with the record of consistent commitment to social justice and empowerment of the powerless.

Northeast’s apostle of peace takes mission to violence-hit Manipur

Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, apo-stle of peace in no-rtheastern India, has gone to Mani-pur twice where ethnic violence has raged since May 3. “It is not easy to describe what I am doing. I have visited Manipur already twice, spending three days each. I have been to the Kuki areas of Churachandpur and […]

Convert to Catholicism shares faith journey

We hear a lot about Christians indulging in “forced conversion.” Those who propagate that theory seem to say: “Let those who have seen or experienced wait, let those who have heard, speak.” I have nothing to say to such people Allow me to share how I became a Catholic at the age of 34. I […]

Young nun, mother granted bail after weeklong incarceration

A newly professed nun, who was jailed along with four others for alleged conversion charges, were on June 13 granted bail by a court in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Sister Vibha Kerketta was arrested June 6 and jailed the next day along with her mother and three others after her family organized a […]

Cardinal Ferrao calls for responsible use of social media

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão of Goa and Daman, president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in India, has urged people to use the social media responsibly and avoid becoming social hermits. The cardinal said this June 23 while releasing the Indian edition of the book “Towards Full Presence — A Pastoral Reflection on Engagement with […]

Demolish wall blocking Catholic school, High Court asks police

The Madhya Pradesh high court June 28 ordered the state police to demolish a boundary wall they built seven days ago that blocked access to a Catholic school. A single bench of Justice Sanjay Dwivedi also directed the police to make immediate access to St John’s Senior Secondary School with more than 2,300 students in […]

Church arson reported in India’s strife-torn Manipur state

A more than five decades old Catholic Church, presby-tery, and boarding school were burned down, while a convent was taken over by suspected outlaws in riot-hit Manipur state in northeastern India at the weekend, Church officials said. The fresh wave of violence erupted on June 4 as the federal government appointed a three-member judicial commission […]