From The States

India court says Catholics can sue diocese over language used in Mass

A state court in south-western India has ruled that lay Catholics may sue their local diocese over its refusal to offer Mass and other forms of prayer and worship in the local language of Konkani. The High Court in the state of Karnataka decreed May 26 that civil courts have jurisdiction to hear the case, […]

Involve in nation’s burning issues, Indian Catholic religious told

The head of India’s Catholic religious has urged her more than 130,000 people to get out of their comfort zones and play their prophetic role as the country faces burning and critical issues. “I am writing this letter to share with you my concern at the many serious happenings in different parts of the country,” […]

Hindu radicals threaten to close two Delhi archdiocesan churches

Some rightwing Hindu groups have threatened to close two churches of the archdiocese of Delhi that covers the national capital and parts of Haryana state. The latest incident happened June 4 at St Joseph Vaz Catholic Mission Church, Kherki Daula in Gurugram (Gurgaon) district, Shashi Dharan, the archdiocesan public relations officer, told Matters India. Just […]

Young nun, mother granted bail after weeklong incarceration

A newly professed nun, who was jailed along with four others for alleged con-version 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 […]

North-Eastern India’s oldest church caught in factional feud

The oldest church in northeastern India has been entangled in a factional feud for more than eight months. On June 4, the Christ Church in Guwahati, the commercial capital of Assam state, witnessed unruly scenes when one group shut the doors obstructing another group from the church building. Video clips circulated on social media showed […]

Catholic bishop airs community concerns in north India

A bishop in India’s national capital New Delhi has appealed for the safety and security of the Christian com-munity and its places of worship after two incidents of attacks on Catholic priests in the northern state of Haryana. The June 5 letter referred to two separate incidents. On June 4, Father Joseph Amalraj was manhandled by a mob […]

Cardinal Alencherry decries Christian persecution in Manipur

The special synod meeting of the Syro-Malabar Church began June 12 with Cardinal George Alencherry bemoaning the persecution of Christians in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. The synod is being held at the behest of the Vatican at Mount St. Thomas, the Syro-Malabar Church’s headquarters in Kakkanad, a Kochi suburb.

Syro-Malabar liturgy dispute raised in Ireland

The liturgy dispute in India’s Syro-Malabar Church was raised at an annual pilgrimage to an international Eucharistic and Marian Shrine in Ireland’s Knock town. Around 4,000 Catholics attended the May 13 pilgrimage of the Syro Malabar Community living in Ireland that was led by Bishop Stephen Chirappanath, the Apostolic Visitor of the Syro Malabar Catholics […]

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

Goans oppose tourism project near 16th century basilica