The need for a Synodal Church and secular society was stressed at a meeting organized by the Indian Catholic Forum (ICF), an informal platform of like-minded persons concerned about the renewal of the Church and nation building.
As many as 30 delegates, including seven priests, attended the February 17-18 meeting on Synodality and Secularism at Anjali, the provincialate of the Indian Missionary Society in the northern Indian city of Varanasi.

Catholic bishops and leaders of other religions in Karnataka have honored Ronald Colaco, a Catholic layman who has made a name in business and philanthropy.
Colaco has done “immense social service to society and to the needy. He is a role model and an inspiration to all,” said Bishop Peter Paul Saldana of Mangalore addressing the February 24 function to honor the philanthropist in the southern Indian port city of Mangaluru.
Colaco has funded several Church projects and supported all communities by building temples, schools, roads, police stations, and humanitarian projects. He was recently featured in the World Book of Records, London. He has received several other awards both in India and overseas.
Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore, Bishops Gerald Isaac Lobo of Udupi, Lawrence Mukkuzhy of Beltangady, Francis Serrao of Shimoga, and Henry D’Souza of Bellary also attended the function and expressed their appreciation to the Catholic lay man who they termed as “an icon of the Catholic community in Karnataka.”
“Colaco’s generosity went beyond his family and transformed him into a global citizen and his charity and social work reflected the true essence of happiness in giving,” said Archbishop Machado.
Colaco, responding to the felicitations, said his service to society was not aimed at any awards, honors, or fame but was part of his bonded duty toward society.

Thousands of Christians belonging to various denominations and institutions on February 19 staged a peaceful prayer protest in New Delhi.
The protest was to draw the attention of the government, judiciary and civil society to “the sharp escalation of targeted hate and violence against Christian community in many states,” said a press release issued by the organizers of the rally at Jantar Mandir, a popular protest venue close to the Indian Parliament House.
“We are here to demand judicial and government intervention to check the rapid rise in incidents of violence, coercion and false arrests of our people,” Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi Catholic archdiocese told the gathering.
The protesters held placards in Hindi and English that read “Every persecution makes Christians stronger in faith,” “Stop attack against Christians, “stop attacking our churches,” and so on. They sang songs of praise and worship amid chanting of “halleluiah,” “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”
John Dayal, the spokesperson of the All Indian Catholic Union, pointed out that some 350 Christians are in jail in Uttar Pradesh alone for practicing their faith, hundreds of tribal Christians were forced out of their village in Chhattisgarh.
“We want the government to hear our cries and intervene and take steps to ensure the safety and security of Christians,” he said while addressing the protesters. He appealed the fellow citizens to stand in empathy and solidarity and raise their voices at the targeted and organized injustice happening across the nation against Christians.
The United Christian Forum, a human rights group based in New Delhi that monitors atrocities against Christians in India, has recorded a total of 597 incidents of violence against Christians from 21 states until the end of 2022.
A note from the forum said Christian citizens in India, known for their peaceful attitude, have demonstrated in the national capital hardly five times in the past seven decades since Independence. However, the recent sharp rise in hate and targeted violence against the community have forced them to hold the latest protest.

A national-level group of Catholic women in India has expressed distress about Bishop Franco Mulakkal visiting Pope Francis in the Vatican.
The “Sisters in Solidarity” on February 21 wrote to the Pope that they were distressed to read about Bishop Mula-kkal’s February 8 meeting with the pontiff. They said they read in an Indian newspaper dated February 15 that the Pope was “glad to hear that (Bishop Mu-lakkal) had won the case and consoled him for his suffer-ing.”
Kochurani Abraham, a fe-minist theologian and a group member, told on February 25 that they could deliver the letter to the Pope’s office and con-cerned dicasteries only on Fe-bruary 24 through a Rome-based priest. Copies of the letter were also sent to the apostolic nuncio in New Delhi and Church leaders in India, Abraham said.
The letter apprised the Pope that the rape case involving Bishop Mulakkal is not over as he was acquitted only by the trial court, the first rung in In-dia’s multi-layered appellate system. The group explained that the Kerala state and the survivor nun have appealed against the verdict in the Kerala High Court.
“Therefore, until the survivor nun has exhausted all avenues of appeal – up to the Supreme Court of India – Bishop Mulakkal cannot claim to have ‘won the case’ and be freed of the alleged crime of rape,” the group asserts.

Church officials in South Korea have asked for research and education plans as Catholics in the country experience a drop in priestly ordinations amid decreasing birth rate and religiosity.
The number of newly ordained priests dropped to 87 in 2023 from 131 in 2011, a decrease of 35%, according to the Statistics of the Catholic Church in Korea.
This year, the Jeonju Diocese had no priestly ordination as there was no candidate. The number of priests ordained in the diocese had dropped from six in 2011 to two in 2021.
The Diocese of Daejeon ordained three new priests this year, compared to 19 in 2011 and five in 2016, the data shows.
Although some dioceses saw a slight increase in priestly ordinations, the overall trend shows a decline.
“Research and education plans for vocational development must be established at the parish level, and efforts such as strengthening the vocational manual and increasing the role of the vocational division of the parish must be followed,” said Father John Chrysostom Lee Sang-yong, director of vocations in the Diocese of Suwon.

Asian Bishops and diocesan delegates gathered in Thailand have been urged to be “more attentive to the voices within the Church” as they begin discernment and discussions in the third phase of the synodal process for Asia. “Be more attentive to the voices within the Church, especially to those voices which agitate and also to the ones that ‘do not speak,’” said Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the Secretariat of the Synod in his opening address, a Feb. 24 press statement said.
He reminded the delegates that they were all “learners in Synodality” and stressed that “the success of the process depended on the active participation of the people of God and the pastors [who are also members of the People of God].”
Cardinal Grech also reminded the delegates that synodality is not about pitting the pastors against the faithful, but maintaining them in “constant relation, allowing both to fulfill their own roles and responsibilities.”
The delegates from the Asian dioceses have gathered at the Baan Phu Waan (The Sower’s House) Pastoral Training Centre of the Bangkok Archdiocese for the continental-level phase of the Synod on Synodality being held Feb. 24-26.
The synod has representatives from 17 Conferences of Bishops and two Synods of Bishops, representing 29 countries with more than 80 delegates.

The Damien Social Development Institute managed by Sacred Hearts Fathers in the Odisha capital of Bhubaneswar has held a blood donation camp to help the poor.
“Conducting voluntary blood donation camps on regular basis will increase the stock of blood units in blood banks which will save the lives of poor patients who have no access or means to avail blood in times of emergency,” said Sacred Hearts Father Alexis Nayak, the main organizer of the February 5 camp at Gopabandhu Smruti Sansad in the city.
The camp was organized in partnership with the Odisha unit of the International Human Rights Protection Council (IHRPC). As many as 37 persons volunteered to donate blood.
Father Nayak, who directs the Damien Social Development Institute, said the rich can afford their medical needs, but the poor neither have ways nor means for their lives to be saved.

Archbishop Emeritus Bernard Moras taken over as the apostolic administrator of Mysore diocese after its bishop was “asked to go for leave” by the Vatican.
According to a press release by the Public Relations Officer of the diocese, Archbishop Moras took charge January 7 at a ceremony held at St. Philomena’s Cathedral on in Mysore, a major city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.
Bishop Kannikadass Antony William of Mysore, who is facing several allegations, including sexual assaults, has gone on a “medical leave” until he is proved innocent.
Archbishop Felix Machado, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCIsays the Dicastery for Evangelization has decided that Bishop William takes a “period of absence from the ministry.”

Talents are God-given gifts, and nurturing them is a divine job, says Apostolic Carmel Sister Maria Gracia, who was among hundreds of Catholic women religious of different congregations preparing students for the latest version of India’s annual interschool cultural festival, which began in 1956.
More than 14,000 students between the ages of 13 and 18 took part in the 61st Kerala Kalolsavam (Kerala Cultural Festi-val) held January 3-7 in Kozhikode, a major town in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala.
The festival, the first after a two-year break because of the COVID-19 pandemic, had 239 events held on 24 stages. It not only showcases the students’ cultural talents, but helps preserve and promote some dying art forms, including three exclusive to Kerala Christians.
The Catholic Church manages nearly 3,000 schools in Kerala. Many are under the management of women religious, who play key roles in promoting students’ talents.  ”We were excited when our district lifted the gold cup in the festival. We are proud of our students who fared well in the competitions. In my 22 years of experience of preparing students for the event, I feel gratified when our students perform well in the cultural competitions in addition to bringing good results in exams. As teachers and guides, we try hard to bring out their best potential. Our school, St. Joseph’s Anglo-Indian School in Kozhikode, won all the events it participated in.”
“Catholic sisters prepare the students for all these events from the school level, spending several hours on these extracurricular activities. We serve students irrespective of their religious, social or cultural differences and help them foster a culture of harmonious living. Promoting talents among children boosts their self-esteem, confidence and a spirit of teamwork.”

The global glow of the 2022 Christmas celebration – with its candles and shining trees, colorful Santas and flying reindeer, gifts and cakes – has faded. However, time cannot diminish the core message of Christmas: Human life is precious. Christmas is the most life-affirming “birthday party” human history has ever witnessed. The birth of Jesus — the Lord of life — in the simple Bethlehem stable brought new life to the world and gave a new direction to human history.