Jaipur’s Jantar Mantar, an iconic scientific marvel, was created in 1734 with ideas from astronomy scholars of various reli-gions, including Jesuit pri-ests from Goa, says a sci-ence historian in India.
The site is “truly an innovation far ahead of its time” and intrinsically secular in nature, said Dhruv Raina Nove-mber 5 while delivering a lecture at the MOG Sundays, an initiative of the Museum of Goa, Pilerne.
The Jantar Mantar is a collection of 19 astronomical instruments built by Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur in the present day Rajasthan state.
“Many Jesuits who came to India from France were astronomers. They interacted with local traditions and ways of doing astronomy. Jai Singh II wrote to the Governor of Goa to tell him that he needed some astronomers and the governor sent some Jesuit priests,” Raina said.
Hence, Jai Singh II’s endea-vour facilitated interactions between Muslim, Brahmin and Christian astronomers, making it a secular space, he added.
The site that features the world’s largest stone sundial now holds UNESCO World Heritage status. The Rajput king built the Jantar Mantar in pursuit of accurate scientific knowledge and its production. The sun dial is colloquially known as the ‘Samrat Yantra’ or ‘King of Instruments,” Raina explained.

An Indian court has allow-ed a Catholic activist to inter-vene in an ongoing legal battle to reclaim, restore and declare a 16th century Portuguese-era church as a historical monu-ment.
Melwyn Fernandes was appointed an intervener to ex-pedite the case filed by Mumbai archdiocesan clergy to reclaim Our Lady of Mercy Church (Nossa Senhora Des Merces) built by Portuguese Jesuits in 1562 at Thane in the western state of Maharashtra.The next hearing of the case is on Nov. 21.
The church is located in a neighbourhood called Pokhran and is around 45 kilometres away from Mumbai, the fina-ncial capital of the country. It is currently in ruins, a part of which is being claimed by a Hindu temple trust, Fernandes said.
Judge A.S. Nalge of the Thane Civil and Sessions Court last month asked the St John Baptist Church, the complain-ant in the dispute, to include Fernandes after he sought to intervene in the dispute as he felt the case was proceeding at a slow pace.
Fernandes, who is general secretary of the Mumbai-based Association of Concerned Ca-tholics, told on Nov. 7 that the dispute dates back to 1970 when the church was being renovated and a stone with Hindu carvings was found at the entrance arch.
Hindus residing nearby started a campaign that the church existed on what was originally a temple of the Hindu god Shiva.

Cut off from the world, surrounded by the outbreak of war in Gaza by the firepower of the Israeli army intent on repelling the infiltrations of Hezbollah and the Palestinian commandos of the al-Qassam brigades, part of Hamas: these are the conditions of the inhabitants remaining in the town of Rmeich (around 10 thousand people) and in the two nearby villages of Aïn Ebel and Debl, located on the edge of the Lebanese-Israeli border. For this reason, the visit in recent days of the apostolic nuncio Msgr. Paolo Borgia came as a great surprise.
The Vatican diplomat arrived in Rmeich with a convoy of the Lebanese NGO Solidarity, chaired by businessman Charles Hajje, who is also president of the Maronites in the World Foundation, an institution of the Maronite Patriarchate. Welcomed in the town hall, the nuncio conveyed to his guests the blessing and concern of Pope Francis and the Secretary of State, Card. Pietro Parolin, who exceptionally authorized him to visit this war zone.
The town is in fact located in a war zone. “As far as we are concerned, the conflict that Prime Minister Nagib Mikati is trying to avoid by visiting Arab capitals is actually already there and present,” says Milad Alam, president of the Rmeich municipality. The official then thanked the nuncio for his visit. Of course, it is a contained war, but “it has already claimed many victims, including a photographer from the Reuters agency”, he recalls.
However, although limited, this war, which the vast majority of Lebanese do not want, is starting to take its toll on the border population. Faced with Hezbollah, the Lebanese state has revealed the extent of its impotence. Municipalities are deprived of their resources and the population feels forgotten by the central government. The Lebanese army has no say in the south of the country of cedars and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) is reduced to appealing to reason towards all parties involved.

A tea garden parish in the Dooars area of Jalpaiguri district of North Bengal has celebrated 100 years of founding of Catholic community. Bishop Clement Tirkey of Jalpaiguri welcomed Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli and seven other bishops of Bengal to the centenary Eucharist with some 100 plus priests, scores of religious Brothers and Sisters; and more than 10,000 faithful.

Church leaders in a Christian-majority state in northeast India have urged the provincial government to reschedule the concluding ceremony of a popular cherry blossom festival slated for a Sunday.
The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the grandest celebrations in Meghalaya state showcasing music, fashion, literature, and culture. It draws tourists from around the globe and will take place from Nov. 17 to 19 this year.

The Vatican Dicastery for Church Unity has appointed Jesuit Father Jijimon Puthuveettilkalam as a member of the International Theological Commission for Church Unity Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) on October 17 welcomed the Supreme Court’s refusal to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriages.
The apex court’s “decision reaffirms the institution of traditional marriage, rooted in the sacred teachings and values held by the Catholic Church and many other faiths,” the conference says in a press statement.

Controversy rages in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu over the deci-sion to grant scholarships to Dalit students converts to Christianity as part of an education programme in favour of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), who have traditionally been excluded under India’s complex caste system.
Ilamurugu Muthu, president of the Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam (Ambedkar People Movement, AMI), recently presented a petition to Tamil Nadu’s Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Minister N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj asking that the state government not extend the benefits granted to Dalits to other backward cla-sses (OBC). AMI is a political movement based in Tamil Na-du, promoting Dalit education, rights, and empowerment. Dalits were once referred to as “untouchables.”
“The state government is implementing the post-matric scholarship scheme for Scheduled Caste students but has included Dalit Christian converts in the scholarship scheme. 20.01 per cent of funds is allotted for Dalit students and it is not meant for OBCs. Spending funds allotted for Dalits on OBCs is illegal,” Ilamurugu told.

“We must reduce the emphasis on the idea of authority. It is fundamentally a service to be carried out with humility.”
As the first session of the Synodal Assembly in Rome draws to a close on Sunday, Sr Maria Nirmalini, Indian religious, superior general of the Congregation of the Apostolic Carmel, expresses her opinion on one of its most debated topics – the role of women in the Church.
Nirmalini is also president of the Conference of the Religious of India and participates in the Synod among the members designated by the Union of Superiors General.
“It is not a journey that will end here, the Synod is a process that will continue,” – adds Sr. Nirmalini. ”We are looking for leadership that is inclusive of all women, young lay people as well as consecrated women: this is the leadership we are looking at.”
In India the superior of the apostolic Carmel leads the over 130 thousand local religious women, in a context in which the reflection on the role of women and the recognition of their equal dignity has to deal with a patriarchal system still deeply rooted in society and also in Church itself.
“I took on this role,” she said, “when the Indian Church was experiencing various challenges from within and without, such as sexual exploitation, gender inequality, an unjust wage system, clericalism. I don’t pretend that the situation has changed now. But we have put in place clear plans and systems to address these challenges appropriately.”
On the issue of harassment, she states without hesitation that “silent suffering no longer makes sense. We need to develop platforms for mutual sharing and psychological well-being.”
On the phase that will open at the end of this first session of the Synod, you said that by returning to India you will continue to work so that the synod process involves “all members of the communities”.

Taking a cue from Pope Francis, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, archbishop of Goa and Daman, has invited the priests, Religious and lay people in the western Indian archdiocese to observe October 27 as a day of prayer, penance and fasting for peace.
In his circular from Rome, the cardinal said, “Dearly beloved, In a world marred by conflict and suffering, the ongoing strife in Israel and Palestine stands as a stark reminder of the urgent need for peace in our world. We are witnessing a crisis that is claiming countless lives and causing immeasurable pain. Our Holy Father Francis is constantly voicing his concern for the humanitarian situation in Palestine and Israel, calling on all parties to lay down their weapons.”
Earlier on October 18, speaking at his General Audience Pope Francis implored: “Lay down weapons and heed the cries for peace from the poor, the people, and the innocent children. War solves no problems. It only sows death and destruction and increases hatred. War erases the future!”
And the pontiff called on all Christians to pray and fast for peace October 27. He also encouraged people of other Christian denominations, other religions and all those who advocate for peace to participate as they see fit. The Pope announced that the central event would be an hour of prayer at 6 pm in St. Peter’s Square.